The Landmark 7 office tower in Kelowna is seen in this undated photo from ROV Engineering Consultants.
Image Credit: ROV Engineering Consultants
September 22, 2023 - 4:30 PM
A group of 23 people is getting ready to rappel from a Kelowna office tower next week to raise funds for Easter Seals BC.
The people taking part have been raising money for Easter Seals with the culmination of their efforts happening at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at one at the Landmark 7, the district's tallest tower.
Easter Seals B.C. is a not-for-profit organization that “develops and provides programs and services to persons with disabilities that help build their self-esteem, self-confidence and sense of independence” and “provides low-cost medical accommodation to those in need of travelling to Vancouver,” according to its website. Through the DropZone program, it challenges participants to rappel off a tall building and collect funds for the organization in so doing. The event has also taken place in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey and Victoria.
Sheila Pastro of Kelowna will be repelling with the Wellington-Altus Wealth Management group.
Pastro decided to take part because Easter Seals helped her 28 years ago when she had to stay near a Vancouver hospital after her son was born three months prematurely.
“When my son was born... he weighed two pounds and I was flown out to Vancouver and I had nowhere to stay. I wanted to stay close to my son as he was put in the special-care nursery," Pastro said. "He was on a ventilator and an incubator. So I would spend my days with him, and then I was lucky enough to have received accommodation at Easter Seals House which was just a walk away from the BC Childrens Hospital.”
Pastro’s son is now an accomplished lawyer, and she remains eternally grateful for the “clean, safe, affordable living” Easter Seals provided for her during her time of hardship.
In preparation for the big jump, Pastro set herself a goal of collecting $875 and she more than quadrupled her goal having now raised $3,600.
The team of jumpers will go through training on Sunday with Gneiss Climbing, a Kelowna-based climbing facility, along with another refresher on the day of the event.
For more information and to make a donation go here.
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