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Skydiving granny takes her leap

It was so exhilarating, the grandmother said she would like to do it again
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Anne Foster, 85, enjoying the views on drift down after going on a tandem skydiving adventure in Vernon to raise money for a charity. Submitted photo

Anne Foster doesn’t consider herself much of a risk-taker, however she recently took a big leap of faith all in the name of charity.

“No, I am not much of a risk-taker at all. But, it didn’t take me long to decide I was going to jump out of plane,” the 85-year-old that lives in Summerland said.

Along with three generations of her family, including her daughter Cathleen Loge and her two granddaughters, they raised $6,000 (with more funds coming in) for a cause close to their hearts by skydiving. It started when Loge made plans to jump our an airplane to celebrate her upcoming birthday. Loge said somewhere her mother grabbed on to an adventurous spirit to make it a family affair.

Related: Senior to skydive in fundraising initiative

Loge, who lives in Kelowna, has spent the past two years helping build the Living Waters Secondary School in Tanzania and thought this would be a great way to raise some money to continue that effort.

“As a former teacher, I see education so important,” said Foster. “The education system is really quite far behind in that country and this will really just boost things up for them. I am so grateful for everyone that has donated.”

Living Waters Secondary School is set to open in January of 2018, the funds they family raised by skydiving will go towards furnishings or equipment for the classrooms.

Foster took the leap in Vernon with Okanagan Skydive, who organized it in conjunction with local NGO Hope for the Nations, on July 8. She said her friends were in disbelief that she was going to go through with it.

“‘What!’ That is what every one of them said. ‘You crazy people.’ I got a lot of comments like that,” said Foster with a giggle.

When it came time to jump, Foster said it went by in a blur.

“It all just went too fast. I wasn’t nervous. With all the great instruction ahead of time, I was quite confident. There wasn’t any reason to be afraid. It was thrilling and knowing we were doing it for a good cause made it that much more special,” said Foster, who jumped on a tandem skydive with an instructor.

It was so exhilarating, the grandmother said she would like to do it again. Except maybe without all the fanfare.

“I’m more overwhelmed with that,” Foster said laughing. “I get a little bit of people recognizing me or coming up to me and asking about it with all the publicity. It’s funny.”

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Anne Foster, 85, getting ready to take off on a tandem skydiving adventure in Vernon to raise money for a charity. Submitted photo