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Paul L. Hayden
Linda Nervick of Lake Superior Magazine is ready to rappel down the Sellwood Building in the Over the Edge fundraiser.
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Paul L. Hayden
Anna Tanski, president and CEO of Visit Duluth, prepares to rappel down the Sellwood Building on Superior Street.
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Paul L. Hayden
Linda is over the top and moves down the face of the Sellwood Building.
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Bob Berg
Linda Nervick, on the left, and Gavin Devich-Erickson make their way down the face of the Sellwood Building.
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Bob Berg
Linda makes her way down.
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Paul L. Hayden
Linda and Gavin reach Superior Street.
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Bob Berg
Gavin Devich-Erickson, 14, of Duluth, and Linda Nervick after they rappelled down nine stories Thursday.
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Bob Berg
Food, merchandise and sunny conditions draw people to Superior Street for Sidewalk Days.
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Paul L. Hayden
Mouth-watering burgers are among the street vendors to lure shoppers on Superior Street.
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Paul L. Hayden
Superior Street retailers display merchandise during the Sidewalk Days Festival.
Who knew that fundraising to help revitalize downtown Duluth businesses could be so thrilling?
Rappelling down a nine-story building on Superior Street is how it’s done, with an event called Over the Edge.
Through the Greater Downtown Council – working with its local sponsors and Over the Edge USA – participants signed up to rappel down the face of the Sellwood Building Thursday, July 10.
First, they had to get pledges totaling at least $1,000 for the fundraiser. And because it happens during the annual Sidewalk Days, there’s a pretty good crowd on the street to cheer for the brave rappellers.
Among those to rappel down the building was Anna Tanski, the new president and CEO of Visit Duluth.
“It was awesome,” Anna says of the experience. Linda Nervick, Vice President of Marketing Partnerships and Advertising Sales for Lake Superior Magazine, also said yes to the challenge because she wanted “to show support for the Greater Downtown Council.” She got pledges from friends in Chicago, Minneapolis, Duluth and Indiana.
Although she’s done some rock climbing before, she’s never done rappelling. “It took some convincing,” Linda concedes. But once she learned that Nikki Anderson of the Inn on Lake Superior was an Over the Edge participant last year, then she was intrigued by the idea.
During the event, two people rappel down together and Gavin Devich-Erickson, 14, of Duluth went over with Linda.
"It was exhilarating,” Linda says of the experience. From last year’s Over the Edge event, the Greater Downtown Council provided seed money for a revolving loan program.
Donations this year will build up the zero-interest loan fund to help small business owners in downtown Duluth invest in refreshed storefronts. The nonprofit Greater Downtown Council produces numerous events, from the Sidewalk Days Festival to Movies in the Park, as well as managing the popular Clean & Safe Team.
Sidewalk Days, running through Friday, July 11, will have more than 50 vendors joining downtown merchants. Superior Street will be closed to traffic starting at 8 a.m. each day between Lake Avenue and 4th Avenue West. Also part of Sidewalk Days are the Sidewalk Shuffle 5K and the 14th annual Classic Car Show and Harley Review, with seven blocks of live music. The Friday Night Street Dance is on 1st Street and the Saturday Night Street Dance on Superior Street is in front of Dubh Linn Irish Pub. For more information, call 218- 727-8549 or go to www.downtownduluth.com.