Last year, when Malvern resident Natanya Sortland jumped from a 10-story Lancaster building, she wanted Chester County residents to join her. But worry not; it was done safely and for a good cause, writes Richard Ilgenfritz for the Daily Local News. 

The Eyedrop is a rappelling fundraiser for VisionCorps, a Pennsylvania nonprofit organization whose focus is to help visually impaired individuals regain their independence. 

Sortland, who began losing her vision after a stroke, connected with the organization so she could relearn everyday activities. 

She was the only Chester County resident to participate in last year’s rappel, among the counties VisionCorps serves. Fundraising also showed low stats for the county, as its residents raised only about $3,500, compared with other local tallies of $160,000. 

Nonetheless, Sortland is climbing back up for 2022, inviting the rest of Chester County to join her on June 10. She’ll be easy to spot atop a tall building; she’ll be the one in the Lady Liberty outfit, a tribute to VisionCorps restoring her liberty. 

“She said to me, ‘Whatever questions you have. I’ll find an answer, and we’ll figure it out. There’s nothing we can’t figure out together.’ And it wasn’t just the help they gave. It was the attitude that I was taught,” said Sortland about her VisionCorps aide. 

Read more about Natanya Sortland in the Daily Local News.