Youngstown, Warren mayors to be first off 18-story Metropolitan Tower

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A few spots remain, for a minimum of $1,000, to rappel down the 18-story, 195-foot-high Metropolitan Tower building in downtown Youngstown on Friday and Saturday to benefit the women and children of Beatitude House.

In partnership with Over the Edge, Beatitude House is presenting a new event for the Mahoning Valley that will kickoff at 1 p.m. Friday with the mayors of Warren and Youngstown, Doug Franklin and John A. McNally, rappelling down the side of the tower. The fundraising goal is $125,000.

The mayors will be followed by Youngstown State University president Jim Tressel; Sister Janet Gardner, executive director of Beatitude House; and building owner Dom Marchionda.

Beatitude House is celebrating its 25th year of serving homeless and disadvantaged women and children in Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula counties.

On Saturday, registration will begin at 8 a.m., and public rappels will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Federal Street between Market and Phelps streets will be closed from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Among Saturday’s rappellers will be Jess Briganti of 21 WFMJ-TV at 9:25 a.m.; state Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, 11:25 a.m.; Troy Loney, retired Pittsburgh Penguin/Phantom co-owner and Joe Charboneau, retired Cleveland Indian 1980 Rookie of Year, 2:25 p.m.; and Ursuline and Mooney high-school students, 2:35 p.m.

Other attractions will include Tommy Christmas of Christmas Automotive in Boardman, who appears on the TV show “Fat ’N Furious, Rolling Thunder”; presentation by General Motors Lordstown Complex, Lil’Steel Derby Girls; Greenwood Chevrolet; Youngstown Phantoms, NOAH Reptile Assoc.; OH WOW! (free admission); Chuck E Cheese; Rock Wall; Chess is Life; Mahoning Valley Scrappers; DJ Dynomyte; Mahoning Valley Brawlers; Captain McFinn; Video Party Express; Eastern Gateway Gator; The Big Green Thing; Tropical Sugar Shack; Youngstown Fire Department; and the Boardman High School drumline.

Also, the Phantoms will give away a free ticket for their home opener at 7 p.m. Saturday for every $10 donation to Beatitude House received at the event.

There will be at least 86 rappellers Friday and Saturday.

Event highlights can be tracked on the Over the Edge Youngstown Facebook page. Registration and general information is available at www.overtheedgeytown.com.

Major event sponsors include John and Denise DeBartolo York, NYO Property Group, Home Savings, Covelli Enterprises, LinqMy Team, and Profectus Creative. A full list of sponsors is on the event website.