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Last updated on Thursday, June 7, 2018
(MARTINSVILLE) - CHAMP Camp, a nonprofit that hosts a camp at Bradford Woods each summer for youth with tracheostomies and who require technological respiratory assistance, recently donated $170,000 to fund construction of an accessible ramp and staging area for a universal zipline.
When complete, the ramp will offer participants of all abilities a universal path to the top of the zipline, eliminating the pulley and haul systems previously needed to elevate wheelchairs to the starting platform. The ramp, designed pro bono by Indianapolis architectural firm arcDesign, is being built by Weddle Brothers Construction and will be complete this summer.
The construction of the ramp and staging area is the third phase of a universal zipline, ramp, and treehouse project envisioned by CHAMP Camp in 2012. The project aims to create a space where youth of all abilities can experience the thrills of ziplining and enjoy a unique treetop experience. The first phase of construction, a 140-foot-long accessible zipline, was funded by CHAMP Camp and completed for the summer of 2013. The second phase, a 375-foot accessible zipline that reaches heights of up to 70 feet, was funded by CHAMP Camp and a grant from the Finish Line Youth Foundation and was completed for the summer of 2014. Since then, CHAMP Camp has continued to fundraise and advocate for the completion of the project through the construction of an accessible ramp and treehouse.
"We are excited that the zipline and ramp provide a unique opportunity not only for our CHAMP Campers, but also for the hundreds of other children who attend camp at Bradford Woods through many other amazing organizations," said Jennifer Kobylarz, the executive director of CHAMP Camp. "We are grateful for the generosity of our donors and the partnerships that have enabled this project to come together."
CHAMP Camp is one of a handful of camps in the country that offer camp experiences for youth with tracheostomies, and will host its annual camp at Bradford Woods from June 15-21, 2018. For more on CHAMP Camp, visit www.champcamp.org.
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