Despite rain, dozens to rappel 26 stories down side of San Jose hotel
They won’t be singing in the rain. But they will be rappelling in it.
More than 40 people are expected to rappel off the side of the San Jose Marriott as part of a fundraiser Tuesday, despite a massive rain storm that’s covering most of California.
The event is organized by the group Shatterproof to raise awareness of drug and alcohol addiction among children, a disease that the group says takes 15 lives every hour.
The rappellers include relatives of young people who have died from drug or alcohol abuse. It’s the second year the group has rappelled the building. But it wasn’t raining last year, organizers said. The group has done 14 events around the country since last year.
Despite the weather, the show will go on, said organizer Holly Jespersen. Wind and lightning would force them to stop the event but according to rappelling hobbyist websites, rain itself shouldn’t pose a serious problem.
The event is being held amid the second of back-to-back storms hitting California. Inches of rain are expected to pour across the Southland in what the National Weather Service says is the biggest storm of the season.
A rock slide in Ventura County has closed Pacific Coast Highway for the first half of the week and voluntary evacuations were issued in Camarillo and Silverado Canyon.
For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna.
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