Rope climbing course offers free access to veterans, relatives
BRISTOL, Wis. (CBS 58) -- When he saw the opportunity for a free Friday night out with his two kids, Justin Hinds was quick to sign up.
Hinds is one of the veterans who took advantage of free access to the Boundless Adventures aerial ropes course. Once a year, the course offers free access to veterans and two family members.
The course is in Bristol Woods County Park, and Friday's free outing was the third 'Veterans Climb' since the course opened in 2019.
"The fact that it was free and you could bring two family members with was a big selling point," Hinds said.
The Kenosha County course is the third Boundless Adventures course; the other two are in the Northeast. Owner Brian Funtleyder said he got the idea for the business from his own kids.
"They were a little bit on the shy side, and we found this concept in West Virginia on a smaller scale," Funtleyder said. "And they did it, and they blossomed."
The idea is to do something similar for veterans. Hinds, who served in the U.S. Army from 2003-14 with a deployment to Iraq, said he remembers having some difficulties readjusting to civilian life once he retired from military service.
"That's a little daunting," Hinds said. "There's not a whole lot of uses for certain skillsets from the military."
Hinds said events like Friday's climb could be valuable resources for veterans still working to reacclimate.
"I think it's great for networking with other likeminded individuals that's been in the same situations," he said. "And any veterans that are looking for some sort of outreach, you can probably find somebody that knows a little something here."
Funtleyder said about 150 people had signed up to take advantage of the two hours of free climbing. That number included both veterans and their two relatives.
While climbing was free for veterans Friday, 100% of admission fees paid by non-veterans went to the Pleasant Prairie VFW.
John McCoy, commander at the Pleasant Prairie post, said that particular VFW doesn't have its own building, so any money it raises goes directly toward addressing veterans' needs.
"Last year, we replaced two water heaters for veterans, put a furnace in for a gentleman, installed two Acorn stairlifts," McCoy said. "And the other day, put a set of tires on gentleman's car so he can get to his doctor's appointments."
Boundless Adventure's hours for the rest of October at from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm. on Sunday.
From November 1 until the end of the season on November 19, the course is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.