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SCRANTON — If everyone was jumping off of a building, would you?

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Over The Edge event planning organization have teamed up to bring the first Over The Edge event to Scranton. Registered fundraisers have pledged to raise $1,000 each for NeighborWorks, which will allow them to rappel 146 feet down the tallest building in Scranton. Up to 92 rappellers will brave the face of the Bank Towers building between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. June 11.

NeighborWorks is a non-profit organization working to improve the financial stability of families throughout the region with home ownership services. Since 2003, Over The Edge has helped non-profits raise money.

NeighborWorks development and events coordinator, Sandy Snyder, said the impetus for Over The Edge Scranton came from CEO Jesse Ergott who wanted to plan something different with ties to their mission.

“We’re raising money with this rappelling event to support local services, local home rehabs and home projects,” Snyder said. “We serve the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged.”

Over The Edge provided exactly what they sought, Snyder said.

“They have created these exciting events to bring into a city and have it be an attention grabbing two days, bringing a lot of people downtown and getting a lot of businesses involved,” Snyder said.

June 10 is a preview day where 10 people will rappel as a dress rehearsal. June 11 is the public event where people can support rappellers and watch. The day includes musical entertainment, food and drink.

People interested in rappelling must raise $1,000. Candidates can visit www.crowdrise.com/neighborworksnepa to register and build a profile to share on social media to help solicit funds.

Snyder, one of the rappellers, said the descent is a challenge for her as she is not the biggest fan of heights.

“I would not describe myself as a thrill seeker,” Snyder said. “It’s a leap of faith. The cause is very important to me. I’m not looking back now.”

Sara Pokorny, a Wyoming native who resides in Amherst, Massachusetts, has “a terrifying fear of heights.” She got involved after Snyder reached out.

“I hate heights but it’s for a good cause,” Pokorny said. “I want to push myself. I’m 30 years old, and I want to do some fun stuff, so I might as well conquer my fear and jump off the edge of a building.”

Mel Talmadge has a different kind of motivation for participating. The Inkerman resident received a kidney transplant in 2009, and he wants to make the descent to spread awareness about organ donation and give hope to people on dialysis.

“Maybe they’ll say, ‘OK, if that guy got a transplant, and he’s 65 and he’s doing that, maybe I should hold on here and hope for my transplant,’” Talmadge said.

The retired Army veteran has advocated for organ donation since his successful surgery seven years ago, but this effort is on his own behalf, unassociated with donor organizations. He’s currently raised $250 dollars and hopes to go beyond the $1,000 goal, because NeighborWorks will provide Mel with a GoPro camera to film his descent if he reaches $2,500. He hopes to post that video on a website dedicated to dialysis patients.

“There are a lot of websites where people on dialysis get together and talk to each other,” Talmadge said. “I’m doing this for them. I’ve already got my kidney. I’m hoping to get people off the chair.”

A rappeller scales the face of a building at a previous Over The Edge event.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_OTE.CMYK_-4.jpg.optimal.jpgA rappeller scales the face of a building at a previous Over The Edge event. Submitted photo

The view from the top of the Bank Towers building in Scranton.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_OTE2.CMYK_-4.jpg.optimal.jpgThe view from the top of the Bank Towers building in Scranton. Submitted photo
NeighborWorks plans Scranton’s first Over The Edge event

By Matt Mattei

[email protected]

If you go:

What: Over The Edge Scranton

Where: Bank Towers building, 321 Spruce St., Scranton

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 11

Additional Information: Donations can be made to rappellers by visiting www.crowdrise.com/neighborworksnepa. General donations can be made by visiting the same site and selecting the Give The Gift of Adventure page.

Reach Matt Mattei at 570-991-6651 or Twitter@TLArts