Hanging over the edge of a 13-storey building gets your heart racing, your palms sweating and actually helps send children and young adults with physical or cognitive disabilities to camp.
The Easter Seals Drop Zone allows participants — who have raised a minimum of $500 — to rapell down the CIBC building in downtown Victoria on Sept. 9 in support of the Easter Seal’s services, specifically their camp in Shawnigan.
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According to Shannon Bernays, with Easter Seals, the Drop Zone event started in 2005 and became the organization’s national event, running every year since in seven cities across Canada.
“It just challenges people, gets them out of their comfort zone and it’s just an exciting different event to do,” she says.
She encourages people wanting to participate to register earlier in order to get started on their fundraising goal. Participants can register online and are then directed to a fundraising page that tracks their amount raised.
Once the fundraising goal has been met, participants go through a pre-training rappel in a climbing gym to prepare for the big event.
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Black Press Media reporter, Kendra Crighton, takes part in this year’s event and will provide coverage on the Easter Seal’s camp and the Drop Zone leading up to Sept. 9.
“We’ve had people from 19 years old all the way up to over 70 years old doing the event,” says Bernays. “They’re so exhilarated and so empowered — it’s an amazing thing to see how excited they are.”
Visit thedropzone.ca to register and get started on your fundraising goal.
kendra.crighton@blackpress.caFollow us on Instagram