Why We Do It
We get asked a lot about what we do and why we do it and wanted to take some time to explain with Co-founder & Executive Director Shep Roeper, Co-founder Kyle Burnette, and Board Chair Jen O’Farrell.
Beyond Boundaries is dedicated to offering individuals of all ability levels no matter physical, cognitive, or economic situations the opportunity to experience outdoor activities with the surrounding community. We facilitate adventures including fishing trips, paddling trips down the beautiful James River, hiking, climbing at both indoor and outdoor climbing walls, and more.
The organization was founded in 2014 by Shep Roeper and Kyle Burnette ran its first trip in 2015. Both Roeper and Burnette had a background in outdoor recreation through Radford University’s outdoor recreation program and their time at another outfitter on the west coast. After returning to Richmond, they wanted to find a similar organization here to volunteer with but were met with a glaring need for adventure in the community instead. Since then, Beyond Boundaries has facilitated hundreds of trips for thousands of participants with a few guiding principles at the heart of our efforts.
Accessibility for All
“Accessibility is an interesting term,” says Shep. “There’s physical and financial accessibility to consider when thinking about outdoor recreation. There are a lot of barriers and it’s not cheap to get into, especially if you have a lot of different interests or are new to an activity.”
Part of our mission is to provide equal access to participants no matter where they’re coming from or what activity they’re interested in. This may mean providing physical assistance or securing modified equipment to enable a participant to be able to do something. It can also come in the form of financial assistance. Many of our trips are funded in full or in part by corporate and private donations. About 75% of our participants require financial assistance and it’s our goal to make sure they have access to these activities.
“In the early days as we were running trips, we were always asking ‘who’s not here?’, ‘why?’. That’s what lead us to start working with more and more community centers and nonprofit groups–even today we make it a goal to get connected with as many people as possible just to show what we can offer,” says Shep.
Breaking down barriers like financial difficulty, lack of equipment or even lack of knowledge are critical to bringing new people on trips and into the outdoor community. Our skilled volunteers, generous donors, and partners are at the core of this and it’s with their support that we’re able to tear down these walls and let participants try new things and push themselves beyond their own existing boundaries and into new adventures.
“Accessibility in the outdoors matters because accessibility should not be restricted to certain places. Accessibility should be universal. All places should be open and accessible to everyone. The world should not be built and framed for certain groups of people, EVERYONE should have access to ALL places. There is so much joy, fun, growth, and reflection that takes place in the natural world everyone should have the opportunity to experience that.” says co-founder Kyle Burnette.
An Inclusive Community
Studies have shown that having a sense of belonging and identity improves mental health, reduces stress, and improves mood. Further, individuals with disabilities tend to feel more isolated on a daily basis due to factors like ableism and social neglect. As part of our mission, we strive to build a community that welcomes all and that creates a space for all individuals to foster a sense of belonging and face challenges.
“Socialization is so important. A lot of the people we work with feel socially isolated. A really important part of what we do is making sure that the rest of the community understands more about its members and we work to create a space where people can bond. We want to create a place where people are seen for their abilities rather than their disabilities,” Shep says.
“The support and encouragement of our participants' families, our volunteers, our corporate and individual sponsors, and our board are all integral to the success of Beyond Boundaries. Without the support of each and every one of our partners, Beyond Boundaries would not be able to offer the many opportunities it does,” says Board Chair Jen O’Ferrall.
Our community extends beyond our trips, however. With our Disability Inclusion Training program and Adventure Camp, we’re able to make a lasting impact with business partners and facilities like the Faison Center. These programs bring people together and create spaces for education and connection between participants, community members, volunteers, and sponsors.
“I think community and our participants go hand in hand. Beyond Boundaries would not be where it is today without the support of the Richmond community,” says Burnette.
Room to Grow
“I get a lot personally out of an outdoor adventure. I think it’s important to challenge ourselves. Personally, I hate heights, so some of my favorite trips are the climbing ones because I get to challenge myself and literally reach new heights. I want to give everyone the same opportunities I have to learn and grow,” says Shep.
Pushing yourself, facing challenges, and growing are a big part of what makes adventure in the outdoors so amazing. Oftentimes, our participants are faced with being told a lot about what they can’t do, versus what they can. We make it a goal to help reverse that dialogue and work to open up a world of possibilities– helping participants push themselves beyond their boundaries.
“Whether fishing, hiking, or climbing, Beyond Boundaries' participants are consistently setting an example by stepping out of their comfort zone in order to fully participate in the experience. Overcoming challenges, in some way, shape, or form, is part of most of their everyday lives; the way in which BB participants embrace a challenge before them without fear or restraint is something we can all learn from and aspire to do in our own lives,” echoes board member Jen O’Ferralll.
While these three factors are critical parts of our programming, they’re definitely not all-inclusive. The special energy that happens on all of our trips is truly something to behold. Watching people overcome fears, learn new skills, and make new friends is irreplaceable magic and we’re thankful to be able to help facilitate that. Want to learn more or get involved?