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Over The Edge SONC Story KMM2011

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Kathryn Mogg

This document summarizes the author's experience participating in and writing about the Over the Edge event for Special Olympics North Carolina. The author interned for SONC and volunteered at a bowling tournament, which led them to apply for an internship. They enjoyed making people smile and feeling like they were helping make events possible. For Over the Edge, participants had to raise $1,000 then rappel down the side of a 32-story building. Though nervous, the author was excited for the opportunity and to help athletes. Their involvement reminded them how lucky they are and how important it is to give back.

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The Following is an article that I wrotethatwhile working forSpecial OlympicsNorth Carolina.After interning and then coming back to workfor the organization asa freelancewriter, I also decided to participatein one of their biggestevents,Over theEdge. Participantsmustraisea minimumof $1,000 to then be able to rappeldown theside of a (32-story) building in the downtown area of Raleigh,NC.I wasinvited to create a story for theSONCwebsitethat featured a lookinto performing therappel from my own perspectiveas botha participantand formerintern.Though thearticle is now archived on the website,its oneof my favoritepieces of workfromthe over thepastfew years.I also received honorable praise on the story fromthe presidentof Special OlympicsNorth Carolina. More everythingitstwowordsthathave a heavierimpactwhenyouputthemtogether.At24 years old,these twowordsseemtohave more meaningnow thanjustan order of letters;itsareminderof the way I wantto live mylife. Asfarback as my brainreaches,Ican still feel memoriesof beinga,not one,buttwo-hands-full-type-of-kid.Some childrenwanttoplaysoccer,some wantto ride horses,some wantto dance andsing,but I didntwantto choose;Iwantedto have itall.Lookingback onit now,I guessImone of the luckyfewwhoneverreallygrew outof thatfeeling. It seemslike whenyouhave areal hungerforlife itshardto everfeel full,andImstarving. Inthe past yearalone I competedin a 7500-personrace, ina bikini duringFebruary,where the objective wastoeat a dozendonutsin the middle of the fourmile run withoutthrowingup.Ive spentthe mostamazingfive weeksof mylife travelingand studyingthroughoutItalywhere Idideverything fromwatchingan impromptuoperainthe middle of Florence,tokayakingalongthe ItalianRivierainCinque Terre.Ive evenparticipatedinacharityeventthatallowedme and100 studentstodonate the clothesoff our backs andrun throughNC State UniversitysLibraryinourunderpants. Iwantto squeeze everydropof happinessoutof eachhour that Imluckyenoughtohave,so whenIfoundout aboutthe Special OlympicsOverthe Edge event,Isigneduprightaway.Since Iwas alreadya fanof Special Olympics,I knewitwould be an awesome experiencethe perfectcombinationof beingalittle crazy,alittle outof my comfortzone,anda whole lotof helpdonatedtoagreat cause. My involvementwithSpecial Olympicsstarted nearlyayearago whenI volunteeredtohelpoutata bowlingtournament.Igotto spendthe day makingpeople smile andleavingwithsuchagenuine sense of satisfaction thatIdecidedtoapplyforan internshipwiththe organization.BeinginvolvedwithSpecial Olympicseventswas incredible,andhelpingmake the eventspossible feltevenbetter.Iwaslucky enoughtolandan internshipthat notonlyprovidedme withreal careerexperience,butone thatalso gave me a sense of purpose andmade me feel goodatthe same time. The days I have spentworkingfor Special Olympicsandwithourathleteshave remindedme of how luckyIam to have the life thatI do, and howimportantitis to give back to othersso thattheycan feel the same way. Overthe Edge isan eventthatletseveryone involveddosomethingamazing.Raisingthe fundsto participate makesme feel 30storiestallnotjustbecauseImabouttorappel downa building,but because IknowIm lendingahandinmaking Special Olympicspossible.Of course the obviousquestion is,am I nervous?Well,mostdefinitely,Imonlyhuman.Implanningonscalingdownthe buildingina
superherocostume;partlytodisguise mynerves,butmostly becausethose whoknow me wouldexpect nothinglessfromme than take on thisexperience withalittle bitof personal,Super-Katystyle. Butno matterwhat small doubtsI mighthave,I remindmyself thatthisisaonce ina lifetimeopportunity,and hey, youonlylive once.Besides,some sayif youdoitright,once isenough. And,inthe end, beinga part inhelpingourathletesdosomethingpositive andshine,thatsanevenbiggerrushthantakingthat firststepoverthe edge.

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Over The Edge SONC Story KMM2011

  • 1. The Following is an article that I wrotethatwhile working forSpecial OlympicsNorth Carolina.After interning and then coming back to workfor the organization asa freelancewriter, I also decided to participatein one of their biggestevents,Over theEdge. Participantsmustraisea minimumof $1,000 to then be able to rappeldown theside of a (32-story) building in the downtown area of Raleigh,NC.I wasinvited to create a story for theSONCwebsitethat featured a lookinto performing therappel from my own perspectiveas botha participantand formerintern.Though thearticle is now archived on the website,its oneof my favoritepieces of workfromthe over thepastfew years.I also received honorable praise on the story fromthe presidentof Special OlympicsNorth Carolina. More everythingitstwowordsthathave a heavierimpactwhenyouputthemtogether.At24 years old,these twowordsseemtohave more meaningnow thanjustan order of letters;itsareminderof the way I wantto live mylife. Asfarback as my brainreaches,Ican still feel memoriesof beinga,not one,buttwo-hands-full-type-of-kid.Some childrenwanttoplaysoccer,some wantto ride horses,some wantto dance andsing,but I didntwantto choose;Iwantedto have itall.Lookingback onit now,I guessImone of the luckyfewwhoneverreallygrew outof thatfeeling. It seemslike whenyouhave areal hungerforlife itshardto everfeel full,andImstarving. Inthe past yearalone I competedin a 7500-personrace, ina bikini duringFebruary,where the objective wastoeat a dozendonutsin the middle of the fourmile run withoutthrowingup.Ive spentthe mostamazingfive weeksof mylife travelingand studyingthroughoutItalywhere Idideverything fromwatchingan impromptuoperainthe middle of Florence,tokayakingalongthe ItalianRivierainCinque Terre.Ive evenparticipatedinacharityeventthatallowedme and100 studentstodonate the clothesoff our backs andrun throughNC State UniversitysLibraryinourunderpants. Iwantto squeeze everydropof happinessoutof eachhour that Imluckyenoughtohave,so whenIfoundout aboutthe Special OlympicsOverthe Edge event,Isigneduprightaway.Since Iwas alreadya fanof Special Olympics,I knewitwould be an awesome experiencethe perfectcombinationof beingalittle crazy,alittle outof my comfortzone,anda whole lotof helpdonatedtoagreat cause. My involvementwithSpecial Olympicsstarted nearlyayearago whenI volunteeredtohelpoutata bowlingtournament.Igotto spendthe day makingpeople smile andleavingwithsuchagenuine sense of satisfaction thatIdecidedtoapplyforan internshipwiththe organization.BeinginvolvedwithSpecial Olympicseventswas incredible,andhelpingmake the eventspossible feltevenbetter.Iwaslucky enoughtolandan internshipthat notonlyprovidedme withreal careerexperience,butone thatalso gave me a sense of purpose andmade me feel goodatthe same time. The days I have spentworkingfor Special Olympicsandwithourathleteshave remindedme of how luckyIam to have the life thatI do, and howimportantitis to give back to othersso thattheycan feel the same way. Overthe Edge isan eventthatletseveryone involveddosomethingamazing.Raisingthe fundsto participate makesme feel 30storiestallnotjustbecauseImabouttorappel downa building,but because IknowIm lendingahandinmaking Special Olympicspossible.Of course the obviousquestion is,am I nervous?Well,mostdefinitely,Imonlyhuman.Implanningonscalingdownthe buildingina
  • 2. superherocostume;partlytodisguise mynerves,butmostly becausethose whoknow me wouldexpect nothinglessfromme than take on thisexperience withalittle bitof personal,Super-Katystyle. Butno matterwhat small doubtsI mighthave,I remindmyself thatthisisaonce ina lifetimeopportunity,and hey, youonlylive once.Besides,some sayif youdoitright,once isenough. And,inthe end, beinga part inhelpingourathletesdosomethingpositive andshine,thatsanevenbiggerrushthantakingthat firststepoverthe edge.