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22 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 19, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Dynamic duo rapelling for a good cause By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville's newest Dynamic Duo -- Joe Drexler and his buddy Bob Farkas -- will, literally, be up for a challenge as they are rapelling down the 12storey TD Bank building at 55 King St. in Kitchener Friday, Sept. 26. The local superheroes will be taking part in The Drop Zone, a fundraiser for the Easter Seals Society. Scared? "Yes. Extremely. For sure," said Drexler, 35. "I have a fear of heights. I discovered it as a kid. I was terrified of being on the climber," he said. Now, the father of four -- Tiffany, 19; Samantha, 13; Curtis, 10; and, Madison, 9 -- is teaching his own children about overcoming fear, meeting personal challenge and giving back to others who need a hand. Not even a year ago, Drexler's life turned chaotic. After the break-up of his marriage, he went to work one day, just before Christmas, and learned it had closed, with no notice to employees. "I hit rock bottom in a big hurry," he said. Through inspiration from his landlady, Jennifer Neal, who operates the Jennifer Neal Marketing, Management and Leadership Development organization, Drexler looked at himself in the mirror and decided to stand up and face challenges head on. "I thought, if I'm going to be doing this, why not do it to help someone. I started feeling really good about myself and the more I gave back, things started coming my way." Joe Drexler, Oakville resident MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER FACING FEAR: Bob Farkas, left, and Joe Drexler give the thumbs up as they prepare to drop way down as participants in The Drop Zone on Sept. 26 in Kitchener. Dressed as caped crusaders, they will rapell down the 12-storey TD Bank building in Kitchener to raise funds for Easter Seal Society. By last summer, he had reconnected with a hockey buddy, Chris Giles of Oakville, and landed a job at Giles's new company Dynamic Solutions. He had also begun running. Once weighing in at 212 pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame, Drexler now checks in at 185 pounds. Exchanging his habit of hitting the pub for a beer, wings and televised sports, Drexler hit the pavement -- running. He developed such a passion for it that he now runs an informal boot camp for family and friends. He met Farkas through the boot camp as the 47-year-old Farkas, also of Oakville, had weighed in at more than 300 pounds and has run off his weight by hitting the pavement with Drexler. As Drexler turned his eye to entering shorter distance runs, he began raising funds for those in need by doing so. "I thought, if I'm going to be doing this, why not do it to help someone," said Drexler. There was the Mississauga Marathon, Rebecca Run, Toronto Marathon and more. He will take part in an upcoming Toronto Hospital for Sick Children's run as a friend's daughter died with cancer. Next month, he'll be in Oakville's Trek or Treat 10K run and in November, he'll participate in a fundraising run benefitting the Princess Margaret Hospital. It's all part of the Make A Difference (MAD) philosophy espoused by himself and his new employer -- doing things that make a difference to someone else in life, a pay-it-forward attitude. "I started feeling really good about myself and the more I gave back, things started coming my way," said Drexler. Now, Drexler will turn his own personal challenge of his fear of heights to good, too. See Facing page 25 CRAFT SHOW Over 120 juried crafts people in the Great Gambrel Barn, the Aberfoyle Town Hall and Individual Exhibitor Tents Handmade quality Saturday & Sunday Superior workmanship 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Great gift ideas Country decorating at it's best Adults $6.00 Live entertainment Children Under 12 FREE Beautiful Fall location Parking FREE Food available AT: The Milton Farm SEPTEMBER 20TH & 21ST 8560 Tremaine Road, Milton, ON Call 905-878-8151 Take Hwy #25 North to Milton & follow signs COUNTRY HERITAGE PARK $1.00 OFF ONE ADMISSION WITH THIS AD OB