More Than 40 People Rappelling to Battle Addiction

By Tim Darnell

United Way Atlanta’s 17-story downtown headquarters will be the site of a unique fundraising effort designed to highlight the struggles of people with addictions.

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, more than 40 people will be rappelling off the building to raise awareness of addiction and provide support to impacted families.

The event is being hosted by Shatterproof, a non-profit organization designed to give young people and families support and information to overcome addiction.

Woodstock resident Kim Allison is one of those who will be rappelling.

“I accepted this challenge to honor the life of my son, Adam Edwin Allison,” Allison said. “He battled his addiction for many years and finally life took him a year ago at the age of 28, on October 4.

“One of the most tragic and traumatic losses life can deal out to a person is the death of a son. The death of a son means the loss of more than just a precious life. It represents the loss of future experiences and future hopes.”

Shatterproof is hosting over 20 of these events in 2015 in cities across the United States; the first time in history that there has been such a coordinated program to end the shame and stigma associated with this disease.