San Francisco’s City Skyline Challenge 2014, sent Meetings Focus editor Kelsey Farabee “over the edge” of the Hyatt Regency San Francisco in March, rappelling more than 230 feet as part of the Outward Bound fundraiser.
The two-day event raised $273,000 for scholarship programs for low-income youth, funding their participation in Outward Bound’s wilderness education programs. More than 100 people rappelled from the roof of the Hyatt, landing a few minutes later on the street 23 stories below, to the cheers of passersby.
In addition to its youth programs, Outward Bound offers a strong line-up of corporate teambuilding opportunities and CSR programs for groups looking to give back. Adventure activities like backpacking, rock climbing, rafting and more focus on technical skills, environmental education and team cohesiveness.
As Kelsey learned firsthand, Outward Bound is all about empowerment through overcoming obstacles. During the Skyline Challenge, that obstacle was mustering the courage to lean backwards off the edge of a skyscraper and trust the harness to catch you.
After getting geared-up in one of the Hyatt’s meeting rooms, participants travelled to the roof and ran through a quick training session, covering safety procedures and learning how to operate the rappel lever.
The adrenaline-filled event provided a great way to connect with Outward Bound’s mission; to get adventurers, be they school-age kids or buttoned-up businessmen, out into the wilderness to explore, push their boundaries and gain a deeper understanding of their coworkers, teammates and themselves.