Climbing down the side of a building is not something Cherry Hill resident, teacher and Councilwoman Carole Roskoph imagined herself doing just a few months ago.
However, she has a little extra motivation from her students at Cherry Hill High School West.
“I want to show them they can go out of their comfort zone,” Roskoph said.
Roskoph will go outside of her comfort zone when she rappels down One Logan Square, a 400-foot tall building in Philadelphia, on Oct. 24 as part of a fundraiser for Outward Bound Philadelphia.
Roskoph got involved with fundraiser thanks to her friend, Jennifer Frederick. She is part of a group of seven people named Team Jenn Fred.
Rappelling is something Roskoph has never participated in before. To help prepare, she practiced on a wall at the Marlkress Fire Station.
“The fire department was very generous and let me practice on the 30-foot wall,” Roskoph said. “The firemen were extremely patient with me. The first time you go over that ledge, it’s a little unnerving.”
Training has gone well for Roskoph, but she admits climbing down a 31-story building compared to just a 30-foot wall in practice is a huge difference.
“I am nervous,” she said. “But I also know that you have to trust the person at the bottom that’s holding the rope. You have to trust they know what they’re doing.”
Roskoph had multiple reasons for participating in the fundraiser. As an English teacher at Cherry Hill West, raising money for an educational organization such as Outward Bound was important.
However, she also wanted to set an example for her own students. Roskoph challenges her students at times, whether it’s encouraging them with their schoolwork or convincing them to participate in a new school activity.
“Every day I ask kids to just trust me, and I ask kids to do things that make them uncomfortable,” Roskoph said. “Sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is.”
Roskoph said she has been through the death of three close friends in the last two years. The difficulty of dealing with their passing has given her a different perspective on her own life.
“One thing I learned in that is life is moment to moment,” she said. “I don’t want to miss any of it.”
In addition to preparing for the climb, Roskoph has also been fundraising. She has asked family and friends to donate money to her page on firstgiving.com. As of press time, Roskoph raised $775. Her goal is to reach $2,000 by Oct. 24.
“It’s been people giving me and $10 and $20,” she said. “Every bit helps. No contribution is too small.”
All of the proceeds go toward Outward Bound Philadelphia, an organization giving youth in disadvantages communities a chance to develop self-confidence, leadership and problem-solving skills through outdoor adventure activities.
As intimidating as the 400-foot climb seems, Roskoph has no doubt she can complete it. She referenced Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who participated in a previous rappelling fundraiser for Outward Bound.
“If Mayor Nutter can do it, I can do it,” she said.
To donate to Team Jenn Fred, visit www.firstgiving.com/team/273787.
