Thrill-seekers will descend 17 stories for a good cause in an exclusive rappelling fundraising event in Southern Arizona for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona.
The professional event and rappelling organization, Over the Edge, is hosting the fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the 5151 E. Broadway building. Each participant entered the event by raising $1,000, and all the proceeds go to Girl Scouts-led programs.
“The beauty of this event is that it is led by a team of professionals,” said MacGyver-Marsha Tank, chief operating officer for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona.
“Over the Edge is our partner in this. It’s not just the name of the event, Over the Edge is a company who does these events across the country. They are highly skilled and certified.
“We like this event because it truly speaks to our mission. Of building girls with courage, confidence and character.”
There is no age requirement, however, participants must weigh between 100 and 300 pounds due to safety equipment standards.
This year makes the seventh year the local Girl Scouts have hosted this event. In November 2021, Over the Edge raised just shy of $100,000. Its highest-grossing year was in 2017 with $105,000.
“Last year we were able to bring in $95,000,” said Niki Hoffman, GSSOAZ’s chief marketing and fund development officer.
“Our hope is $100,000 for this year. Last year was the second-highest grossing year for the event. But it usually generates about $70,000 to $90,000.”
Tank said the money includes corporate sponsorships, as well as funds raised by the individual edgers.
“We have some individuals, who come through at the last minute, so the fundraising plat for more will remain open; some are still raising funds even up to the day of,” Hoffman said. “We will keep it open. If they want to come in at the last minute most will pay the full $1,000 to get a spot, but we usually have everything scheduled and ready to go, so we will plug them in where we have availability.”
Sixty-three individuals have registered. People who want to participate can come in after fundraising or paying the full $1,000 up until 4 p.m. The last edger will rappel at 4:50 p.m.
They have nine corporate sponsors that, depending on their level of giving for the event, do receive some gifted spots.
Hoffman said having Girl Scouts participate helps ease the nerves of adults and the descent.
“Last year, the girls going over were the calmest out of all the groups,” Hoffman emphasized. “We like to pair an adult with a girl; adults were shaking and nervous. We do this for them (the Girl Scouts). So, to see such fearlessness in them…and it really calms some of the adults down.”
People can sponsor a Girl Scout to do the rappelling at the event, but Hoffman said some of the girls have raised their own funds to go over the edge.
Each year the funds raised by the Over the Edge event goes to the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona and its self-supported programs. Some of the programs bring Girl Scouting to girls in low-income and high-need communities of Southern Arizona, giving them access to hands-on learning in STEM, the outdoors, life skills, service learning, self-esteem building, financial literacy, career exploration, and building sisterhood.
This year’s corporate sponsors are:
• ONEAZ Credit Union
• Arizona Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Desert Diamond Casinos
• Pima Medical Institute
• Tucson Medical Center
• GEICO
• Hughes Federal Credit Union
• Tucson Electric Power
• Gibson’s Office Solutions
Girl Scout Shop
4330 E. Broadway Boulevard
520-319-3145
Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
