University of Maine at Presque Isle professor Jacquelyn Lowman, who has been a paraplegic for 15 years, plans to rappel down a 110-foot tall building in Worcester, Mass., on Saturday to raise money for charity.
The fundraiser is called Over the Edge, an urban rappelling fundraising event that raises an average of $100,000 for non-profits in North America. The charity Lowman will be rappelling for is Canines for Disabled Kids, a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 1998 that brings together children with disabilities and service dogs.
Lowman, 71, uses a wheelchair and is supported by a service dog named Dusty.
“We really believe in the cause and it’s a good way to raise awareness,” Lowman said Friday. Lowman, who uses the pronoun we, said this will be the team’s first time rappelling and they may be harnessed to a fellow rappeler for safety.
The event will be live streamed over Canines for Disabled Kids Facebook page with Lowman descending the 9-story building located at Mercantile Center 120 Front St., in Worcester at 11 a.m.
Canines for Disabled Kids’ goal is to increase independence for children with disabilities and their families through service dog partnerships, according to their website. The non-profit received $430,377 in contributions during the 2022 fiscal year.
Editor Mike Dowd contributed to this report
