More than 20 people rappelled 155 feet down the side of a downtown State College high-rise on Tuesday to help their fellow community members.
After being held for the last two years at Beaver Stadium, the Over the Edge fundraiser benefiting the Centre County United Way moved to the Hyatt Place State College at the Fraser Center, 219 W. Beaver Ave..
While it was the first time the United Way fundraiser has taken place at the hotel, it’s not the first time the Hyatt Place State College has hosted Over the Edge. Bellefonte FaithCentre and Interfaith Human Services worked with Over the Edge, a special events company that manages rappelling fundraisers for nonprofit organizations, for events there in 2018 and 2019.
That made for an easy transition when the United Way needed to find a new location because of ongoing construction at the stadium, Ja Nae Wian, CCUW campaign and relationship manager, said.
“The team at the Hyatt has hosted this event before, so they were excited to welcome us back and they were very accommodating. So it’s been a very smooth transition from that perspective,” Wian said. “From the marketing perspective we’ve had to work a little harder because Beaver Stadium does have its own natural appeal. But I can’t say that there’s been any issues in the transition. It’s been great. The Hyatt folks … have been amazing in welcoming us and opening their doors and giving us free rein and doing whatever they can to help.”
A total of 22 people raised the minimum of $1,000 in donations for CCUW to be able to participate. On a steamy late morning and early afternoon, they made their way from the roof down the 12 stories to Miller Alley, where supporters, volunteers, a radio broadcast from 3WZ and the Sunset Slush Italian ice truck awaited.
Some powered through to make it down quickly. Others took time to take in the view.
The hotel, the tallest building in State College Borough, is about 50 feet higher than the Beaver Stadium event offered, and it had some other differences.
“Beaver Stadium is an iconic building and it’s an awesome rappel. However, it’s more free rappelling where you don’t have that building to support you because of the setup of the stadium,” Wian said. “So here I’m excited to kind of feel like Spider-Man almost and be able to have your feet crawling the whole way down. It gives the experience a different level, because you’re able to stop and take a look around. So we’re really excited to have a different kind of a rappel this year.”
In addition to the professionals from Over the Edge, the event had more than two dozen volunteers assisting with various aspects of the event, including those who received training to help with the ropes on the roof and at street level.
As with much of the CCUW’s work, those volunteers played a pivotal role.
“It takes a lot of folks to put this on,” Wian said. “We have about 25 to 30 volunteers actually helping, and some of them are giving up big chunks of their day. [Rope volunteers] require a pretty lengthy training the day before, and then they’re here all day for the event. So we’re super grateful to have the support of volunteers to help make this happen, because without them, it wouldn’t be possible.”
The day also included a tribute to one past participant. George Etzweiler, the State College resident who become nationally known for distance running into his 100s and who took part in the Beaver Stadium rappelling event the last two years, died in March at the age of 105.
He was remembered with stickers on the helmets of participants that read “Live Brave Like George. G.A.E 1920-2025.”
Etzweiler “reminded us all what courage truly looks like,” event emcee and CCUW board member Angela Steco, of Seven Mountains Media, said.
“George’s legacy lives on in every step down the wall and every dollar raised for Centre County,” Steco said.
Those dollars will go to support CCUW’s partner agencies in assisting local residents who struggle to make ends meet.
“One in every four folks in Centre County actually relies on the services of a United Way Partner Agency,” Wian said. “So this funding will go to support our 22 agencies in providing programs for health, financial stability and education, which we think are the building blocks to a happy, healthy life. This will help our neighbors in need thrive as we’re providing funding for those partner agencies and addressing needs, so we can take those folks that might be struggling to thriving.”
