Bronston, Ky. — On September 7, final repairs were completed on the Alpine Tower and Odyssey Course on the campus of Cumberland Adventure Program (CAP) in Bronston, Kentucky. CAP is one of five therapeutic residential programs owned and operated by Sunrise Children’s Services. CAP provides treatment for up to 56 boys ages 12 to 18 with the oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and other issues. The Alpine Tower and Odyssey Course promote teambuilding, trust, and compassion in the boys who live there.
Major repairs were necessary to bring the courses up to code for the safety of the participants. These repairs included the replacement of rails, cables, nets, and ladder, along with the installation of a new course exit and treatment of all wood services. Neither of these courses has been in use since 2016 due to their previous condition.
Because of a generous grant from the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program and significant donations from President Leah Taylor of Cumberland Lake Shell, Inc., Sunrise was able to move forward with repairs and complete the project in September. Training is scheduled with Alpine Towers International beginning November 3. Sunrise staff and clients at CAP will begin using the tower and course on November 6.
“The tower is important to CAP because the vast majority of the boys we serve come from broken homes in which they suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in a generational culture of drugs, crime, and instability,” said Sunrise CAP Program Director Darren Neal. “These challenge courses have been extremely beneficial to the young men we serve in developing self-confidence, the trust of others, accomplishment, how to encourage others, and learning to work as part of a functioning team.”
Sunrise President Dale Suttles shared that partnering with the USDA on this project was a blessing: “What a dedicated group of individuals we have met at the USDA offices. These individuals work hard each and every day to make sure Rural Kentucky has a voice.”
Neal expressed his appreciation to Cumberland Lake Shell: “We are humbled by Mrs. Taylor’s partnership with CAP and greatly appreciate what she and Cumberland Lake Shell have done for the youth in our care. They have put Matthew 25:40 into action!”
Neal shared that both the boys and staff are eager to begin using the renovated equipment. Neal also is looking forward to this and is grateful for the needed repairs. “The completion of the repairs is a result of lots of hard work and several community partners coming together to accomplish something worthwhile,” stated Neal. “These challenge courses are going to provide our boys with a unique opportunity that they may never get again that will challenge themselves both physically and mentally.”
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