Participants rappel down Halifax hotel to raise money for Make-A-Wish

HALIFAX – It’s not often you spend your Saturday rappelling down the side of a hotel, but that’s exactly what 76 brave people did today — all to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Each participant had to raise a minimum of $1,500.

Rappelling 150-feet isn’t for everyone but many conquered their fears to help kids in their own community.

“I’m excited. I’m not nervous at all. I’m ready!,” said Judy Stevens as she got her gear on to rappel.

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One group, known as the South Shore Seagulls, actually surpassed their goal of raising $9,000. In total, they collected $13,000 in donations.

“We all joined to give a child a wish,” said Annette Conrad. “Our child’s name was Cassidy and she went to Disney to dance with a prince”

A crowd gathered to watch participants rappel down the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel. Among those watching was the Rodenhiser family, who had a personal reason for being there.

“Hailey is a wish child,” said Jaunita Rodenhiser, Hailey’s mother. “She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in December and she was approved for a wish.”

Hailey is only 7-years-old and her wish may surprise you.

“A camper,” the little girls said. When asked why a camper, she replied, “because then I could go somewhere and it would last longer.”

Fundraising events like this have helped the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant more than 324,000 wishes since 1980 to children across Canada who have life-threatening medical conditions.

“Make-A-Wish is solely dependent on all the money we raise from donations to grant the wishes of kids. So when the community comes together and does something like this — all it means is that more kids get their wishes granted,” Mills told Global News.

While the participants were having a once in a lifetime experience rappelling, they were also helping to grant much-needed wishes.

“It’s nice of them to rappel to get some money to help some kids,” Hailey told Global News.

It’s hoped she will receive her wish sometime next year.