Supporting the Community from 357 Feet Up The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel is known for its exciting atmosphere. For some gamers, it takes guts to go all-in. But for the fifth consecutive year in late July, courage and excitement at the casino will be taken to new heights – literally. The casino will again play host to “Over the Edge,” a fundraising event to benefit Special Olympics New York. Last year, more than 100 participants, each of whom earned at least $1,000 in pledges, rappelled down the side of the 357-foot, 26-story hotel tower at Seneca Niagara Casino. You read that correctly:
More than 100 participants rappelled down the side of the 357-foot, 26-story hotel tower at Seneca Niagara Casino. For some, the thought of scaling the largest hotel tower in New York State outside of Manhattan is enough to make their hearts pump fast. But others are flat-out pumped for the opportunity. This year’s Over the Edge event aims to raise more than $150,000 for New York Special Olympics. In recent years, local celebrities have gotten into the act – including former professional hockey players, current professional lacrosse players, media personalities, and members of the Niagara Falls Fire Department. Natalie Conomos, sales manager with Seneca Gaming Corporation, gets ready to go “over the edge.”
While descending down the south face of the Niagara Falls hotel was new for Seneca Gaming Corporation team members back in 2010, helping the community has been long ingrained in the company’s culture. Over the Edge is just one of dozens of ongoing events through “Team Seneca Cares,” a program that is committed to encouraging community involvement, promoting a positive company image, and creating a unified workforce through team member participation. Members of Team Seneca Cares volunteer at more than 25 events throughout the region each year, such as runs and walks, blood drives, and neighborhood clean-ups. Visiting Niagara Falls was a first for the national coordinators of Over the Edge in 2010, but the organization had already safely conducted about 65 similar events throughout the U.S. and Canada, including places such as Hawaii and Chicago. The organization has quickly grown, having now hosted hundreds of events throughout North America, Europe, and Australia. All coordinators are fully certified for rappelling and safety. For thrill-seekers who missed the action in previous years, another opportunity to be daring for a good cause takes place on July 25, 2014. The event includes live music, raffles, games, food, silent auctions, and a special VIP tent for participants. Corporate teams are encouraged to register. Those wishing to scale the hotel tower and/or donate to the cause should visit overtheedgeny.org.
About Over the Edge: Over the Edge is a signature fundraising event that was launched in the U.S. in 2008. Participants from the community are invited to raise pledges for a once-in-alifetime chance to rappel down an office building. For more information, visit http://www.overtheedgeusa.com.
About Special Olympics New York:
New York
Special Olympics New York provides year-round sports training and competition in 22 Olympic-style sports to children and adults with intellectual disabilities at no cost to the athletes, their families, or caregivers. Nearly 62,000 athletes train and compete with Special Olympics New York, the largest Special Olympics program in North America. For more information, visit specialolympicsny.org.
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