Members of the Pennsylvania Conservation Corps (PCC) will complete a wheelchair-accessible high ropes course on upper campus this Tuesday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The course is part of Quest's high ropes and climbing wall features behind the Montgomery Place Apartments, and will be the only ropes course on the east coast for people with disabilities.
Tabitha Chlubicki, Quest's staff development coordinator and a Bloomsburg University 2009 graduate, said that the course is mainly designed for use by children and adults with spina bifida and other disabilities, and military veterans who have been disabled in combat.
"It's great to push yourself, and it shouldn't just be limited to those of us who can run and jump," Chlubicki said of the course. "There's no reason a disability should stop you from being outdoors, from pushing yourself."
The rope and climbing elements of the course are currently complete, due in part to financial support from the Degenstein Foundation, but Quest plans to use the extra help from the PCC next week to pour concrete pads and ramps to allow wheelchair-bound individuals to access the course.
The course contains zip line and climbing wall elements, all of which are reachable from the ground for easy access for people with disabilities and those too young to use the large ropes course. A flexible fabric climbing wall, the first of its kind according to Chlubicki, allows users to pull themselves up with their arms independent of leg mobility, and removes the risk of them falling into traditional handgrips if they fall. The bottom on the wall can be moved to give it an angle and make it easier to climb.
"We're hoping that by the beginning of summer [the course] will be completely ready to go," Chlubicki said.
Quest keeps climbers safe at all times with harnesses, helmets, belays, and trained supervision.
"Quest is an outdoor education and leadership program," Chlubicki explained. The non-profit organization leads students and members of the community in outdoor recreation activities like rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, and rafting, and trains them on techniques and safety protocol. It stresses teamwork, leadership, developing personal potential, and a sense of adventure.
"When someone gives you an opportunity, say ‘yes,' and then figure out how you're going to do it," Chlubicki said.
The PCC is, according to its website, "a statewide program that offers work experience, job training and educational opportunities to young people who complete conservation, recreation and historical preservation projects on the state's public lands." Members between the ages of 18 and 25 participate in the program, and have worked in every Pennsylvania county.
The PCC is participating in the building the ropes course as a "signature project," a short-term project designed to impact the community and highlight the corps' abilities.
For more information on the wheelchair-accessible course, Quest trips, or volunteer opportunities, visit http://quest.bloomu.edu/ or contact Quest at (570) 389-4323.
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