By Alexandra Golder
Contributing Writer
To involve donors in an extreme way, DREAMS of Wilmington gave the public a unique fundraising opportunity Saturday of rappelling down the eight stories of the Blockade Runner Resort. For Wrightsville Beach resident Maggie Miller, the experience was a nice change from the standard fundraising dinners and raffles.
“It was so refreshing to do something different to raise money,” said Miller, who went down the face of the hotel with her brother, John Hunter, on Saturday.
More than 60 donors rappelled down the hotel on Saturday, while supporters on the ground level ate hamburgers, listened to music and cheered the adventurous fundraisers.
Miller, a mother and amateur actress, said she and her brother did it in the spirit of their father, who died in September.
“He would always do the craziest things. So we knew we had to step in and do this,” said Miller, who said she relied on her acting experience in local theater to appear more calm that she actually was. Miller was in a recent production of Spam-a-Lot and was nominated for a best actress award for her portrayal of Morticia Addams in the Addams Family.
The hardest part was the first step, Miller said, but once she got started, it was more comfortable: “I leaned back and just let go.”
And while she carefully slid down the side of the hotel, her brother “flew down the building,” Miller said. “He’s a pro.”
Miller’s son Henry, though disappointed that his mother didn’t scale up the building, also had an opinion on her feat: “It was awesome!”
DREAMS typically host a fall gala, but the nonprofit wanted this year’s event to also have a strategic marketing plan.
“We wanted to do something more extreme that involves donors,” said Matt Carvin, Executive Director of DREAMS of Wilmington. “We have been called Wilmington’s best kept secret.”
The Friday Nov. 18 preview day brought out actor Orlando Jones, who along with news and radio personnel rappelled over 80 feet.
“The highlight of this event is the view,” said Todd Medeiros, technical coordinator for adventure company Over the Edge. “It’s always a highlight for locals who constantly drive by an establishment to be given the opportunity to rappel off its roof. They get to experience what most never get to do.”
DREAMS is a nationally award-winning nonprofit dedicated to building creativity by providing youth in need with high-quality, free-of-charge programming in the literary, visual, multimedia and performing arts.
To garner more attention, the nonprofit paired with Over the Edge as a more headline-grabbing way to fundraise.
“The event makes participants step out of their comfort zone,” said Medeiros. “Having members of the community partake shows a child who may be introverted that they too can let go.”
After the preview, local community members will also be going over the edge from 9-2pm on Saturday.
“Three members of DREAMS and 65 locals are rappelling Saturday,” said Carvin.
According to Carvin, Members of DREAM will also be escorting participants to the roof on Saturday and high-fiving them when they arrive on the ground.
Thirteen local folks from groups such as the fire department will be helping out with Saturday’s event, said Medeiros.
At the time of Friday’s event, DREAMS had reach roughly $80k out of their $100k goal for the event.
Each participant must raise $1,000 before the event. If they have not done so, they may either sign a waver to continue fundraising after the event or they will be billed for the remaining amount on Monday, Carvin said.
