Spider-Man, Catgirl and Batwoman were just a few of the nearly 100 superheroes spotted in downtown Edmonton yesterday as they rappelled 29 storeys off the Sutton Place Hotel.
This unusual spectacle — which left many passersby craning their necks for a better look —was part of the Alberta Easter Seals’ fifth annual Drop Zone event, a yearly fundraiser in support of those living with disabilities.
“Our superheroes fundraise for almost 10 months,” said Darla Zuk, the Easter Seals’ events manager. “They fundraise a minimum of $1,500, and then we put them through three hours of mandatory training at Vertically Inclined (an indoor climbing gym). Then we bring them here to the roof of the Sutton Place Hotel where they get to take a leap for us.
“It’s very unique,” Zuk added. “Where else do you get to go jump off a building and not be put in jail?”
It’s this uniqueness that convinced Richard Williams to stop by and have a look.
“I heard about it on the radio,” said Williams, who works downtown.
“I would never do it; it looks too scary to me. But I think it’s a good idea, definitely a good way of raising awareness.”
