Special Olympics Wisconsin
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Over the Edge questions
- What is Over the Edge for Special Olympics Wisconsin?
- What can I expect when I'm participating in Over the Edge?
- What are the requirements to participate in this event?
- What if I am unable to raise the minimum amount prior to the event date?
- How do I reserve my rappel spot?
- What will training be like?
- What should I wear?
- Is there any experience required?
- What can I do to practice?
- Can I bring my camera and phone?
- Can friends and family watch me as I go Over the Edge?
- Who should I contact if I have more questions?
Website questions
- I forgot my password. What should I do?
- I forgot my user name. What should I do?
- I accidentally registered twice. What should I do?
- I never received an e-mail after registering online. How do I know I'm registered?
- How do I add or change a photo to my online donation page?
- Where did my website picture go?
- How can I tell my friends and family how to donate to me online?
- Can I enter donations that I have received in cash or check to my online total?
- How quickly can I expect an online donation to be posted on my web page?
- I am missing a donation that was made online. What should I do?
- I can't participate in the event that I have registered for. What happens to the donations I've received?
- A donor wants a receipt. What should I do?
- A donor would like a tax ID number. How can I get it?
- Are donations tax deductible?
- What credit cards are accepted in the secure online donation website?
- Is there a donation form that I can use for cash and check donations?
- How can I thank donors who have donated to me online?
Over the Edge questions
What is Over the Edge for Special Olympics Wisconsin?
Over the Edge for Special Olympics Wisconsin is a signature fundraising event that sends participants rappelling down the side a building. Not only is it a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it raises money for a great cause - Special Olympics Wisconsin!
What can I expect when I'm participating in Over the Edge?
You will be wearing a full-body industrial harness and using an industrial descender to go down. To go down you will be squeezing a handle, and to stop you will need to let go of the handle (or pull back). You will be anchored to a back-up line, which is controlled from the top. You will control the speed of your decent. Should you go too fast, or should the equipment fail, the back-up line will engage.
Getting your weight off the roof and into the harness is the difficult part for most people. Once you’re over the edge you are on your own. You can stop and take in the view, you can look into peoples’ windows, you can flip upside down if you want.
It will take between 8 and 15 minutes to get to the bottom. The harness will squeeze your hips, and scrunch-up your shoulders. Some people feel as though rappelling is a good abdominal workout because of the semi-sitting position it requires. The squeezing motion to activate the descender requires quite a bit of force and using the same hand the entire way down can be tiring. You can stop to rest, or switch hands when you need a break. In general, inexperienced rappellers tend to find themselves with tired hands at the bottom. If you keep your feet on the concrete/glass it is easy to maintain the correct position. You won’t spin around, or fall into the building. If you push off with your feet you can bounce outwards. The further out you bounce, the more difficult it is to control your spin. Large bounces outward can result in crashes back into the windows, so bounces should be kept small.
What are the requirements to participate in this event?
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You must raise the minimum amount to participate.
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Due to equipment limitations, participants must weigh between 110 and 300 pounds.
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Participants must be at least 18 years old on the day of the event to participate.
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By registering for this event, you are agreeing to allow Special Olympics Wisconsin use of all event-related photography and video for marketing needs.
What if I am unable to raise the minimum amount prior to the event date?
If you are unable to raise the minimum amout by the event date, you can either decide to donate your proceeds to Special Olympics Wisconsin and not participate in the Over the Edge event or you can supply a credit card to Special Olympics Wisconsin to make up the difference.
How do I reserve my rappel spot?
Once you've raised the minimum amount or turned in the Credit Card Commitment Form, the Special Olympics Wisconsin staff member in charge of your Over the Edge event will contact you to reserve a rappel spot.
What will training be like?
When you arrive on site you will have the opportunity to practice rappelling from a lesser height. This will give you a chance to hang in the harness, find a comfortable position, and practice using the descender. You can practice as often as you’d like before heading to the roof. The same safety procedures are used in the training as in the long rappel so you will be familiar with them when you get there.
What should I wear?
You’re going to be walking down the side of a building so wear good shoes. Sneakers, light hikers, climbing shoes, something with a soft, light colored sole. No slippers, sandals, slip-on shoes, high heels, or steel toed boots. Wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. Athletic pants, tights, and jeans are suitable. The harness goes around your legs, waist, and shoulders, so it is best to avoid anything too bulky. Shirts should be comfortable and without draw cords. Individuals with long hair should tie it back. You will be given a pair of leather gloves and a helmet when you arrive.
Is there any experience required?
No. No previous rappelling experience is required for Over the Edge.
What can I do to practice?
The most common complaint from participants after rappelling is that their forearm got sore during the descent. The squeezing motion required isn’t difficult, but over a long time it can get tiring. Proper technique and switching arms makes a lot of difference, but using a squeeze ball once in awhile doesn’t hurt either.
If you'd like more practice, go rock climbing. Not only does rock climbing strengthen your forearms, but also it allows you to hang in a harness. Although the harnesses we use are different, you will still get the idea of where you will be squeezed, and what muscles it takes to stay up-right. Get psyched. Tell your friends.
Can I bring my camera and phone?
We do not want any objects dropped over the side. If you bring your camera rappelling please make sure it has a lanyard that we can tie to your harness. Sorry, no phones on the roof.
Can friends and family watch me as I go Over the Edge?
Friends and other supporters are encouraged to come to the event site and watch you rappel down the building. There will be special activities going on throughout the day that they can take advantage of.
Unfortunately friends of the participants will not be allowed on the rooftop since only those with safety harnesses and anchors will be admitted. If you really want someone up there with you, convince them to go Over the Edge with you! There will be a photographer ensuring that each participant gets pictures of him or herself going Over the Edge.
Who should I contact if I have more questions?
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For Over the Edge Madison, contact John Weichelt at (608) 221-2900
- For Over the Edge Milwaukee, contact Kelly Lang at
(262) 241-7786
Website questions
I forgot my password. What should I do?
Use this form to retrieve a lost password. If you are still unable to retrieve your password, contact info@specialolympicswisconsin.org or call Christina Harris at (800) 552-1324.
I forgot my User Name. What should I do?
To retrieve a lost User Name, email info@specialolympicswisconsin.org or call Christina Harris at (608) 442-5671 or toll free (800) 552-1324.
I accidentally registered twice. What should I do?
In order to properly track your online donations, it is best that you only have one online registration record. (unless you are participating in multiple events)
If you have accidentally registered twice, please contact info@specialolympicswisconsin.org or call Christina Harris at (608) 442-5671 or toll free (800) 552-1324 and one of the records will be deleted. Donations linked to the deleted account will be credited to the active account.
I never received an e-mail after registering online. How do I know I'm registered?
Either Log In using your user name and password, contact info@specialolympicswisconsin.org or call Christina Harris at (608) 442-5671 or toll free (800) 552-1324.
The online registration confirmation e-mail is generated automatically and may be filtered by your e-mail program as spam.
How do I add or change a photo to my online donation page?
Log in to manage your fund raising web page. Under the heading "Your Web Page Photo" click on "Browse" to choose a photo file from your computer. Then click on "Update Photo". Photos must be jpg format and under 2 MB.
Where did my website picture go?
Special Olympics Wisconsin closely monitors all pictures uploaded to the Over the Edge website. We reserve the right to delete any inappropriate content including pictures.
How can I tell my friends and family how to donate to me online?
You can use the fund raising e-mail tools (Log In Required) to send a message to your friends and family and direct them to your personal donation page.
Your online fund raising web page can also be found if someone searches for you using the search form, which is available from the Over the Edge home page.
Can I enter donations that I have received in cash or check to my online total?
To track donations received in cash or check, contact the staff member in charge of the event:
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For Over the Edge Madison, contact John Weichelt at (608) 221-2900
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For Over the Edge Milwaukee, contact Kelly Lang at
(262) 241-7786
How quickly can I expect an online donation to be posted on my web page?
Donations should be posted to your web page immediately after the online donation is submitted.
I am missing a donation that was made online. What should I do?
If you don't see a donation, first try to refresh, or reload your browser (hit F5). If you still do not see the donation, contact Christina Harris at (608) 442-5671 or toll free (800) 552-1324 or e-mail info@specialolympicswisconsin.org.
I can't participate in the event that I have registered for. What happens to the donations I've received?
Online donations received will be credited to your local Special Olympics Wisconsin office. If you have raised enough donations to be eligible for an incentive, you can still receive that incentive.
A donor wants a receipt. What should I do?
If someone donates to you online, he or she will receive an e-mail receipt if he or she provided a valid e-mail address. To request an additional receipt, contact the Special Olympics Wisconsin staff member in charge of your Over the Edge event.
A donor would like a tax ID number. How can I get it?
Call (608) 222-1324 or toll free (800) 552-1324 Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. CST
Are donations tax deductible?
Special Olympics Wisconsin is a 501(c)3 Charitable organization. Contact your tax advisor.
What credit cards are accepted in the secure online donation website?
Visa, Mastercard and Discover
Is there a donation form that I can use for cash and check donations?
Yes. You can print out a donation form and use it to track your cash and check donations. Then you can turn this in during check-in for the event. Download the donation form.
How can I thank donors who have pledged to me online?
If the donor provides an e-mail address during the online donation process, this e-mail address will appear on your "Online donations received" page (log in required). There is also an e-mail form you can use to thank your donors on this page.
