Mortenson’s appearance is sponsored by “Pella Reads Three Cups of Tea”

Jerene Mortenson, mother of Greg Mortensen the author of the bestselling book Three Cups of Tea, will be speaking in the Joan Kuyper Farver auditorium in the Pella Community Center at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 17. Mortenson’s appearance is sponsored by “Pella Reads Three Cups of Tea,” a joint effort of the Central College Cultural Affairs Office, The Pella Public Library and the Pella Welcoming Community Team. She will speak about her son’s work and the Pennies for Peace fund drive. Her presentation is free and open to all.

Greg Mortenson’s New York Times Best Seller recounts his journey from a failed 1993 attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully establishing schools in some of the most remote regions of the world.

Jerene Mortenson, who has been an educator for many years, founded Pennies for Peace as a way for school children to support the efforts of her son’s charity, Central Asia Institute. To date, their efforts have built nearly 100 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan which serve more than 28,000 students, 14,000 of whom are girls.

“Pella Reads Three Cups of Tea” encourages all to read the book, to participate in the Pennies for Peace fund drive and to come and hear Jerene Mortensen on February 17.