A double-sided traverse wall was installed at camp this summer. This exciting new feature would not have been possible with the support of The Lindsay A. & Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, The Ricky J. Parisian Foundation, Coughlin & Gerhart LLP., Walter Gladstone, and other private donations raised on #GivingTuesday. A layer of mulch spread during May’s annual Volunteer Day provided the finishing touch.
Campers got a full body work-out while developing working memory; confidence; goal setting; risk management; and trust on 4-H Camp Shankitunk’s new traverse! This exciting build was inspired by a camper who had recently experienced their first climbing wall and expressed wishing they could climb where they lived. Who knew that an off the cuff comment would get the wheels turning in the mind of the Camp Director and eventually materialize into this exciting new feature?
Opportunities for exposing youth to climbing are limited in Delaware County and several organizations and donors stepped up to make this project a reality.
Campers of all ages enjoyed this new addition to camp where the volleyball court once stood vacant. The wall is double-sided and features a cutout window allowing for multiple users or relay races to spice things up. Some youth were determined to make it around the full wall while others were happy if they finished one panel. Athletic youth who zipped across the wall as if they were monkeys were encouraged to try traversing without the use of a certain color hold. This project is sure to benefit youth for years to come.
