On Friday July 12 the staff of Over The Edge, a Nova Scotia-based company that organizes rappelling event all across North America, set up their gear on the roof of the Hyatt Regency Boston. Later that afternoon, with the help of Boston Fire Department Local 718, they helped the first group of rappellers make their way Over The Edge for Special Olympics Massachusetts.
Even with storms cutting Friday's rappel times short, all of the special guests and media personalities were able to go over at their scheduled times. When rappelling resumed on Saturday July 13, the skies were sunny (and the roof was hot!). Among Saturday's rappellers were two Special Olympics Massachusetts athletes, Gregg Gallant and Erin Delahunty. Erin was among the top fundraisers with over $5,000 raised and was a member of our top fundraising team, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch who raised $25,000!
Kennedy Elsey, radio host on Mix 104.1 also raised over $5,000 for Special Olympics before she went Over The Edge Saturday. (Special thanks to Ernie Boch Jr. for a generous donation to Kennedy!)
The top fundraiser of the weekend was Lenny Coppenrath. He has rappelled all nine years in Boston and this year went over TWICE dressed as Frosty the Snowman. (I guess now we know what a snowman does in Summer.)
In all 78 brave "Edgers" went Over The Edge including some Boston Fire Department volunteers and Special Olympics Massachusetts staff. More than $115,000 was raised, with more donations still coming in!
Check out pictures from the event on our Smugmug page!