Over the Edge for Kids' Sake is not a virtual experience. It's not a video game, and it's not imaginary. It is the real deal, an opportunity to rappel down the PNC Bank Building in downtown Columbus. And we mean way down: about 300 feet down, in fact.

That means harnessing up on October 12 and leaning backwards over the face of the building, then descending past 19 floors of windows and offices until you reach the safety of the landing area on the sidewalk below.

The View from the Top!

It's a very special kind of fundraising experience for very special daredevils. We call them Edgers. To become an Edger, all you need to do is raise $2,000 from supporters and we will reserve you a spot on the ropes. Or grab an adventurous friend and raise $3,000 between you, and you'll both rappel on October 12!

And for those who are not so sure that being tied to a rope and descending about 300 feet is on their bucket list?

• You can involve your company or organization by becoming an event sponsor.
• You can donate to sponsor an Edger who is braver than you.
• You can sponsor a Big-Little match to rappel (yes, youth can make the descent if they weigh more than 100 pounds and have parental permission!).
• You can organize your co-workers and "Toss Your Boss" by raising money and giving your "fearless leader" the Boss's Day gift of a lifetime...an opportunity to rappel.

Trust us, it is scary, but it is also very safe thanks to our team of experts from the national Over the Edge organization. Agency CEO and President Ed Cohn has already committed to go over the edge for the kids, and he is challenging you to join him! For more information, please email Lori Brown at lbrown@bbbscentralohio.org or visit www.bbbscentralohio.org. To register and begin fundraising, visit www.overtheedgeforkids.kintera.org.

School is starting up, and the 2012-2013 school year marks the SIXTH year of Project Mentor, our collaboration with Columbus City Schools. If you haven't volunteered to mentor a student yet, now is the time! Project Mentor volunteers give us excellent feedback about how much the program has helped them develop skills beneficial to their work and family relationships while they are giving back to the community by helping a child. Project Mentor is seeking volunteers to go to a nearby school for only an hour at the same time each week to mentor a student. For more information or to volunteer, please visit the Project Mentor website. 

Thousands of kids converge on soccer fields in Dublin during Labor Day weekend each year for the Dublin Charity Cup. 2012 is the 23rd consecutive year for this event, and this year, organizers expect to welcome 180 soccer teams from Ohio, surrounding states and Canada! Since 1996, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio has been the charity beneficiary of this huge tournament, resulting in donations totalling about $400,000 over the years! Stop by this year, and watch some great youth soccer action! For more information, visit the Dublin Charity Cup website.

It's not often you have the opportunity to spend an evening with a nationally known biologist, who is also a photographer and writer! On September 23, you can do just that in the beautiful new dining lodge at our Camp Oty'Okwa in the gorgeous Hocking Hills. Surrounded by Camp's natural beauty, our special guest John Hess will present a fascinating program that integrates the point of view of an experienced naturalist, the knowledge of a biologist, and the aesthetic skills of an artist. For more information about this special evening, please visit the Camp Oty'Okwa website.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, a United Way member agency, has been matching children with mentors since 1933. The third largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in the country, we serve thousands of children each year through our community-based mentoring program, school-based mentoring program (including Project Mentor) and mentoring programs at Camp Oty'Okwa in the Hocking Hills. We serve children in Franklin, Delaware, Union, Clark, Madison and Champaign Counties through our offices in Columbus, Delaware, Marysville and Springfield plus Camp Oty'Okwa. In addition, our Mentoring Center of Central Ohio is helping increase the quality and quantity of mentoring throughout Ohio. Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, professionally-supported matches between volunteers and children. We provide ongoing evaluation and support which independent studies prove have positive impacts: helping children perform better in school, avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Learn more at bbbscentralohio.org, projectmentorcolumbus.org, campotyokwa.org and mentoringcenterco.org.