Locals to rappel Keystone Group building this Friday for United Way

INDIANAPOLIS — To support United Way of Central Indiana’s Basic Needs Fund, three Putnam County residents will join others across Central Indiana in rappelling 300 feet over the 23-story high Keystone Group building this Friday in downtown Indianapolis.

The participants include Alexandra Chamberlain, Wes Kendall and Matt Cummings, all of whom have each pledged to raise at least $1,000 in order to help support the basic needs of residents throughout the community through the Over The Edge initiative.

United Way’s Basic Needs Fund provides the essentials — healthy food, safe housing, quality health care and reliable transportation – to the most vulnerable and lifesaving assistance to those in crisis situations.

“When I was asked if I wanted to do Over The Edge, to me it wasn’t about the thrill of rappelling down a 23-story building,” Kendall said. “It was about the money that would be raised to positively impact families and individuals struggling to make ends meet.

“One of the things I hope others see as a result of this event isn’t the fact that a bunch of fools like me are rappelling down a building on Friday,” he added. “Rather, it’s to highlight the important work being done by United Way to help solve the challenges of poverty that many of our neighbors face every day.”

So far, Over The Edge has raised more than $159,000 by nearly 1,500 individual donors.

“I believe everyone deserves easy access to basic needs in order to live a full life,” Chamberlain said. “That is why I am going Over The Edge with United Way of Central Indiana on Friday. This is one way we can make a difference right here in Putnam County, and, of course, have some fun along the way.”

More information about Over The Edge can be found by visiting www.uwci.org/ote.