70 rappel Sky Eleven for CAC fundraiser

Photo courtesy Child Advocacy Center

A volunteer descends Sky Eleven for Over the Edge.

Volunteers rappelled downtown Springfield’s Sky Eleven building on Saturday to raise funds for the fourth-annual Over the Edge fundraiser benefiting Child Advocacy Center.

CAC Executive Director Linda Saturno said the initial fundraising total is more than $100,000, though she expects the figure to come closer to $150,000 as donations continue to be counted. Seventy people rappelled The Vecino Group’s 10-story apartment building to raise funds for the nonprofit that works with victims of child abuse and neglect.

“This year, our fundraising was down, which is typical for Over the Edge events,” she said this morning. “I want to keep the momentum going for it. Next year, we’re going to get a little more creative.”

Saturno pointed to plans for competition among accounting firms and physicians’ offices, for instance, as a way to drum up increased fundraising next year.

This year, CAC also directed some fundraising dollars elsewhere, as Over the Edge previously was a monthlong affair, she added.

“You do have to change it up,” Saturno said. “We need to find people who haven’t really done it yet.”

Last year’s event brought in more than $180,000, compared with $300,001 in 2017 and the inaugural haul of $320,000 in 2016.

The annual fundraiser is a partnership with Halifax, Nova Scotia-based private events company Over The Edge.