An Airdrie resident will be conquering her fear of heights in the name of charity this fall, when she rappels down the side of a skyscraper in downtown Calgary.
Along with other FortisAlberta employees, Nicole Haacke, a customer service representative and acting call quality coordinator for the electricity provider, will rope down the Sheraton Suite in Eau Claire on September 10, as part of a Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser called Rope for Hope.
The event, which is one of the charity’s biggest fundraisers, calls on participants to raise money to support local wish-granting efforts for critically ill children and their families. In exchange, those partaking in the fundraising event will descend a city skyscraper, using ropes and a harness.
According to Debbie Bowering, community investment advisor for FortisAlberta, the company has supported Make-A-Wish for a number of years. However, this is the first time FortisAlberta has put together a team for Rope for Hope. Haacke is one of nine other employees in the Calgary area who will be participating in the event, along with three members from Fortis’ Edmonton office.
“We’re really pleased that we have such a huge buy-in from our employees to support this program,” Bowering said. “We are really wishing Nicole and everyone else who’s participating well.”
Bowering added FortisAlberta hopes to raise as much money as possible for the foundation, with the ultimate goal of providing many more wishes to sick children.
In both Calgary and Edmonton, participants will rappel from the roof of the hotel toward an audience below filled with supporters, Make-A-Wish recipients and their parents, as well as volunteers.
Haacke said the proceeds will help the foundation grant wishes to critically ill children, with wishes ranging from trips to Disneyland and shopping sprees, to a pool in their backyard.
“[FortisAlberta] asked people to take part and I thought lots of people would,” Haacke said. “Our linemen who are out there, they’re climbing poles and they don’t have any fear of heights, but surprising enough for a lot of them, rappelling off of a building was not something on the top of their list.”
According to Haacke, Make-A-Wish Foundation’s mission really “pulled on [her] heartstrings” because she has five kids of her own, which motivated her to sign up to take part in Rope for Hope.
“When your kids are sick, you’d trade places with them in a heartbeat if you could,” she said. “I thought if I can do this and – whether it’s [for] an hour or a day – take back all that fear and what they’re going through, it’s the least I can do.”
“I have a healthy fear of heights, but if they can face their fears, I can definitely do the same.”
As the date looms, Haacke admits she feels a bit of pressure, but is encouraged by all the support she has received, with half of the minimum fundraising requirement of $1,500 already met. She said she would like to double that amount and is encouraged by the support Airdronians continue to show.
Aside from her fundraising goals, Haacke said she would like to show her children and others that they can conquer their fears too.
“The Wish kids are going to be there, some of them are repelling as well, and I just want to go up there and I want my kids to be proud of me,” she said. “My first two donors were my two youngest [kids] and they donated from their piggy bank and said ‘You have to do it now, mom.'”
Haacke said her advice to others hoping to conquer their fears is to “just do it,” and whatever your fears are, face them head on.
“I think if anything, the pandemic has really shown us that we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” she said. “I thought that there was always time to do things and I lost my dad three years ago to cancer. It was very quick – I thought I had tons of time.”
She added her father’s passing also played a part in her decision to participate.
Anyone looking to donate is asked to visit Make-A-Wish Canada - Make a Donation (donordrive.com)
Carmen Cundy, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @carmenrcundy
