Going 'Over The Edge' in Stamford for the Special Olympics

On Thursday, more than 20 people helped raise money for Special Olympics Connecticut by going over the edge of a Stamford building more than 15 stories high.

At 101 Park Place in Harbor Point, fundraisers gathered to rappel off the building's roof and down the side of the building all while raising money to support Special Olympics athletes through the 2nd annual Over the Edge event.

"The Special Olympics is a great organization and we're happy to support it," said Harbor Point vice president John Freeman. "This is a big fundraiser for them and we usually get a great turnout. And it's always exciting jumping off a building. Doing it for the Special Olympics makes it really special."

The Special Olympics organization also had representatives on scene, including athlete Mike Hedrick, 29, a golfer who's been involved in the special olympics for the last 20 years and has won the gold medal the last 8 years in a row, including a win last Sunday.

"I think I'm going to stay on the ground," Hedrick said. "My mom would kill me. I'd say [anyone rappelling] is a little nuts, but for the cause, they'll do it."

John Clapps, a designer and Stamford resident, said he wasn't really nervous leading up to the event even though he'd never done anything similar. He said just getting up onto the ledge and leaning over was the hardest part. Clapps had an advantage over others who had difficulties facing heights; he'd taken pilot lessons before.

"Sixteen stories is abstract and walking up to the building, I thought, 'Well, that's pretty high.' Up [on the roof], it is really high," Clapps said. "I was able to raise a lot more money than normal because I had friends donating to see me go down a building. I had some enemies donating to see me go down a building, probably, as well. It's a great cause and I'm happy to still be here to talk to you."

Over the Edge is the group that sets up those taking the leap. The Atlanta-based company hosts events strictly with non-profit organizations like Special Olympics Connecticut. Jeff Martin, the equipment manager, has been with the company for four years now, but has more than 20 years of experience under his belt, calling himself a "rope junkie."

Martin said Over the Edge will host 87 events this year. Sometimes they are as high as 500 feet off the ground, like a 45-story jump they hosted in Seattle. Martin's highest personal jump is 1,400 feet.

"We are a for-profit company that works solely for non-profits," he said. "Not everybody gets to do what they love as a job, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. It's my first year in Stamford, though I was in Connecticut for an event at Mohegan Sun last year."

Special Olympics Connecticut President Beau Doherty said he couldn't be happier to have such a fun fundraiser and a company like Over the Edge with whom to partner.

"We're raising money and we're raising awareness," he said. "It's a spectacular effort and we're looking to recruit more kids and adults in Fairfield County to get involved. The special Olympics currently has more than 13,000 athletes in 180 countries and Connecticut is a premiere state."