The unique, once-in-forever, rappelling fundraiser “Over The Edge” brought more than 100 participants and many more spectators to River House Condominiums in downtown Grand Rapids on September 5-6, 2008. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors Robert Grooters Development Company and Over The Edge, and thanks to the generous donors who were adventurous enough to rappel down the side of the tallest building in Grand Rapids, we were able to raise approximately $55,000 to benefit Michigan Blood Cord Blood Bank and Marrow/Stem Cell Program.

Click photo to view event gallery

Photos courtesy of Over The Edge and Tom Firme

Over The Edge made all the technical arrangements and coordinated all participants’ trip down the rope from the 33rd floor of River House Condominiums, a $90 million project of Robert Grooters Development Company. Higher Ground Rock Climbing Centre hosted pre-event training. Thanks to all these sponsors as well as WOOD-TV8, WZZM-TV13, WWMT-TV3, WXMI-FOX17, WGRD, WOOD-AM1300, WTRV “The River”, WLHT, The Grand Rapids Press, and other area media whose interest and participation helped raise awareness of this event.

Participants ranged from the basically bold to the spontaneously motivated: “We had four people who just walked up to the registration desk on September 6 and asked to participate,” says Blood Center Development Office director Nikki Outhier, “including a mom and a daughter who made the descent together to celebrate the mom’s 70th birthday!”

© Michigan Blood

Media coverage to date:

-WOOD TV8: Storm Team 8’s Matt Kirkwood rappels in downtown

-WXMI TV17: FOX 17 News at Ten Anchor Christian Frank goes Over the Edge

-WWMT TV3: Going Over the Edge in Grand Rapid

-GR PRESS: Rappelling down River House a learning experience.

-GRNOW: Griff Versus the Skyscraper

-Chronicle of Philanthropy: Fund Raising at 400 Feet