![]() ![]() Jumps are done in small groups throughout the weeklong event in a variety of spots around Moab, Laj said. "Between those people and their strengths, and the places where we're allowed to BASE jump or BASE jumping is possible, it's just an amazing combination." "It has introduced me to people who essentially say yes to life," Laj said. Laj, who now lives in Moab, says BASE jumping - leaping from a fixed structure or a cliff, then gliding to the ground with a parachute or wing suit - has taken him all over the world and introduced him to remarkable friends. If the fundraiser hits its goal, Laj notes, the event will have raised $50,000 in five years. Now, organizers hope the event's annual raffle will bring in $12,000 to be shared between the searchers and the Bureau of Land Management and the National Parks Service in the area. Over its first four years, Turkey Boogie raised about $38,000 for Grand County Search and Rescue, Laj said. GGBY is scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday. While the event was free in previous years, it has grown large enough to necessitate permits and other facilities for participants and now requires a ticket. Participants at the gathering balance their way along lines of flat webbing stretched across the red rock crevices in the Fruit Bowl Highline Area. GGBY started as an unofficial highline event 10 years ago, according to the event's website. The fundraiser is one of several outdoor events happening in the area this week, including the GGBY Slackline event, which is being officially organized for the first time this year. ![]() "Moab embraces it, and in fact most of Utah allows us to BASE jump, and it's kind of our way … of giving back and maintaining positive relationships with a community that is good to us." It can be very taboo or scary or polarizing," Laj said. "A lot of people formulate opinions of the activity or the community without really knowing much. The event is both a way to celebrate the controversial thrill sport and to raise money for those who support it. The fifth annual Turkey Boogie is expected to bring between 60 and 70 BASE jumpers to the area, along with their family, friends and supporters, organizer Matt Laj said. MOAB - A group of BASE jumpers is celebrating Thanksgiving around Moab this week as they show their appreciation for search and rescue teams and outdoor management agencies. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |