By Kelli Thompson

CLINTON, Tenn. (Aug. 5, 2015) – A faithful member of the United Methodist Men and an Oak Ridge District church member plans to rappel off a 12-story building to raise money for a home serving single-mother families.

Joe Thompson, age 53, is participating in “Over the Edge,” a fundraiser for the Restoration House of East Tennessee's (TRH) capital campaign to help complete the Village. TRH is a faith-based ministry which helps to restore single mothers and their children to God's good intent for their lives. TRH provides supportive transitional housing, ally teams and family advocacy for single-mother families, breaking the cycles of poverty so they may regain hope and a future.
 
TRH has completed (and paid for) the first phase of the Village, a community development project providing transitional housing for these single-mother families. Over the Edge is a fundraiser to help raise funds and awareness for TRH to complete the second phase of the Village, increasing program capacity from eight families to 24. 

Thompson is a member at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Clinton, Tenn., and has been involved in the United Methodist Men for many years, most recently as Oak Ridge District president. He volunteers his time, resources and cooking skills for the Patricia Neal IRC, SPARC and Adventure Amputee Camp to provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to join in recreational activities including water skiing and snow skiing.

Over the Edge is a fundraiser where participants raise at least $1,000 to rappel off a building. For the Knoxville Over the Edge, participants will rappel off the Langley Building in downtown Knoxville. Thompson was the first to register for the event and the first to meet the minimum fundraising requirement of $1,000. He wants to raise the highest amount of funds and scale down the Langley Building on Aug. 29 for the Restoration House. 
 
Thompson has endured psoriatic arthritis for more than 13 years, including replacement of both hips. He is in need of shoulder surgery but has delayed it until Aug. 31. He requests your support as he endeavors to help the Village and single-mother families.