The Brightside: Salisbury goes Over the Edge for ALICE members
SALISBURY, Md. — In the newest edition of The Brightside, WMDT went over the edge with the community in support of ALICE members. The event was sponsored by Choptank Electric Cooperative.
Just days ago, the community went over the edge for ALICE families—households living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet.
Pam Gregory, CEO and president of United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore, said, “It’s exhilarating. I mean, what an amazing opportunity to just really make a bold statement about how much this community cares for each other.”
One by one, 56 rappelers stepped over the edge, raising money and awareness for neighbors struggling to get by. The event raised more than $108,000 for United Way’s ALICE program.
“Nearly five in 10 households are struggling to just get by every month. All of us are feeling the pressure even more now—at the pump and at the grocery store,” Gregory said.
The event also proved that age is just a number, with an 81-year-old woman edging her toes off the 14th floor.
“My name is Mary Anne, and I’m 81. I’m doing it because my son dared me, and it’s a fundraiser for people who need the money,” she said.
Despite it being her first time rappelling, she never lost her nerve.
“It can’t be much worse than zip lining, right? So I figured, I did a lot of zip lining. I’ve done a lot of fundraising, so here we are,” Mary Anne said.
Her determination inspired everyone watching from below.
“It’s really amazing to see that at any age, with any kind of ability, we can do hard things—and we can do it for a really cool reason and overcome challenges,” Gregory said.
I had the opportunity to go over the edge. The hardest part, I learned, is trusting the rope enough to take that first step, as your body fights every instinct to lean back. After a few false starts, I called in some help.
When I landed on the ground, WMDT photographer Mike Lawrence asked me about the helping hand. I recalled the moment: Todd, one of the Over the Edge staff, said, “You swing your legs over, and I’m going to give you a little push.” and when he said that I literally got the push—but we made it.
Once past the edge, fear quickly turned into adrenaline—all for a cause that hits close to home. “So, you know what we keep saying? ALICE lives on the edge, so we’re going over the edge for ALICE,” Gregory said.
Do you have any Bright ideas? Email us at newsroom@wmdt.com
