Kids climb rocks to build character

Few things teach teens and children self-confidence and the will to succeed like clinging to a rock 60 feet above the ground.

‘It’s just like facing obstacles in life,’ said Mark Mara of the Kids of the Community adventure program. ‘You can either run into that obstacle and give up or you can be determined to get past that obstacle, maybe ask for a little help from others, and achieve your goal.’

The most recent goal of eight kids in the adventure program was to scale a 60-foot cliff at Fall Creek Falls State Park. The adventure program is part of Kids of the Community, which seeks to help at-risk and delinquent children by providing them activities and positive role models. The adventure program is the most demanding of all the programs.

‘It’s designed for children eight years of age and older,’ Mara said. ‘Rock climbing is probably the toughest and most physically demanding thing we do because it does take strength.’

However, Mara said most participants are able to at least give the cliff wall a good assault, even if they are unable to reach the top.

‘It’s about challenging yourself,’ Mara said. ‘It’s about finding that internal drive.’

In addition to rock climbing, adventure program participants also go the other way, rappelling off the towering Fall Creek Falls cliffs.

‘We do more rappelling than climbing because climbing takes longer and is more physically demanding,’ Mara said. ‘When we rappel, we’ve been known to rappel over 180 feet down. Even with that drop, we’ve never had anyone who backed out of doing it.’

The adventure program has been active for four years with several events each year. Mara and others in the group have undergone many hours of training and are accompanied by an accomplished climber during their outings.

Mara said the events are publicly funded, noting climbing is especially expensive, costing about $400 per child when the rigging, helmets, ropes and other items are considered.

‘Things like ropes have to be updated pretty regularly for obvious reasons,’ Mara said. ‘We just couldn’t do it without the help of local businesses.’

Mara said All-O-K’-Sions, Woodlee’s and Norrod’s garages, and Bridgestone are key supporters of the program, a program Mara said the kids love.

‘I’m a police officer and often we have kids come up to us and ask if we’ve arrested anybody. Now, I have kids come up and ask me when we’re going to go rock climbing or rappelling again,’ Mara said.