Going ‘Over the Edge’

It takes all kinds to go “Over the Edge.”

The only prerequisite is to be willing to conquer the tallest building in the Granite State.

Heidi Cloutier wanted to raise money to pay for food and activities that her university program doesn’t provide, so she braved 95-degree heat to rappel down the south side of the Brady Sullivan Plaza, a 24-story tower in downtown Manchester.

Cloutier, director of Collegiate Recovery at the University System of New Hampshire, raised nearly $1,200 through the United Way of Greater Nashua event on June 24.

The program Cloutier oversees helps college students make informed choices about alcohol and other drugs at college campuses in Durham, Manchester, Plymouth and Concord.

“Our funding for this year is pretty restrictive and doesn’t allow us to purchase food and support some student engagement activities,” said Cloutier, who also serves as director of training at the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability.

Cloutier was among about 100 “edgers” who rappelled this year, including Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who has made the descent multiple times. The reward is a major rush of adrenaline and beautiful views of the city.

“It was amazing,” Cloutier said after she touched ground. “I went a little bit too fast and locked up a couple of times, but it was nice hanging out there and checking out the view when I walked.”

Heidi Cloutier, director of Collegiate Recovery at the University System of New Hampshire, rappels down the side of the 24-story Brady Sullivan Plaza on June 24. (Photo by Mike Cote)

This was the eighth Over the Edge, which has taken place annually since 2017, except for 2020 during the pandemic. It was a scorcher with a silver lining.

“This is the hottest day that we’ve had — it’s the only time that we haven’t had to stop at all for weather-related events,” said Mike Apfelberg, president of the United Way of Greater Nashua. “Last year, we had to stop for an hour or two for wind. We’ve had other years that we’ve had thunderstorms.”

The event raised more than $160,000 for about two dozen nonprofits.

“Some are just one person participating on a team, and some are full teams. We had a nine-person team today, which is the largest team that we’ve actually ever had,” said Apfelberg, who has rappelled down the Brady Sullivan Plaza three times but not this year.

At Thursday’s event, Apfelberg playfully issued a challenge to Matt Fentross, executive director of Nashua Children’s Home. The nonprofit, which provides shelter and other services for children 6 to 18 years old who are unable to remain with their families, had two staffers rappel this year, its third time participating in the fundraiser.

“I’m going to go next year if Matt Fentross goes next year,” Apfelberg said as the latest pair of rappelers made their way down the 275-foot-high tower, a former office building that has been converted into apartments.

Fentross is considering joining the team next year, now that the challenge has been thrown down but was not ready to commit. The Nashua Children’s Home promotes the event in its social media channels, generating attention for the nonprofit.

“It’s a smaller fundraising event for us, but it’s very meaningful. I think it’s big for the staff to do something that pushes their comfort limits,” he said.

While Over the Edge began as a fundraiser centered around Nashua-based nonprofits, its reach has expanded, Apfelberg said. Participating nonprofits this year included the Children’s Advocacy Center of Coös County, the Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack Counties and Children’s Dyslexia Center of the Seacoast.

“We’re seeing more nonprofits from different parts of the state joining in,” Apfelberg said. “It’s becoming more of a statewide event, which has always been our vision.”

Outside my comfort zone

Both times I’ve participated in Over the Edge I was prompted by someone else’s courage. In 2022, when I represented the New Hampshire Union Leader with reporter Paul Feely, I was inspired by Randy Pierce, president and CEO of Future In Sight, a Concord-based nonprofit that provides services to the blind. Pierce, who is blind, has joined Over the Edge several times.

Mike Cote, editor of NH Business Review, does a safety check before rappelling down the Brady Sullivan Tower on June 24. (Photo courtesy of United Way of Greater Nashua)

I signed on this year after making a pact with Adam Hamilton during a NH Business Review event. The co-founder of Shire’s Naturals, a plant-based cheese company based in Peterborough and VP of business development at BankProv, was among a group of rappelers who descended the building on June 23, the event’s first day, which is generally reserved for volunteers.

“He’s a friend of Arthur Sullivan,” Apfelberg said, referring to the co-owner of Brady Sullivan, which provides access to the building at no charge to the United Way. (Sullivan also is on the board of directors at BankProv.)

“They have a team that rappels the first day. It’s kind of something they raffle off to their employees. We give them 10 spots, and it’s sort of an incentive.”

Hamilton said via email that he’s already committed to rappelling again next year and even recruited a first-timer to join him.

“Growth looks a lot like fear, until you lean into it,” he said.