There’s a desire for adventure in all of us. For many people with disabilities, finding ways to experience outdoor adventure can seem almost impossible. Janie Willis is a rock climber, kayaker, and angler based in Richmond. She also lives with multiple disabilities. Prior to discovering Beyond Boundaries, she had very few options for spending time outdoors. Her first trip with Beyond Boundaries was a rafting trip, which left her with a newfound sense of what was possible.
“We were invited by my friend’s mom to go on a Beyond Boundaries rafting trip. We set out from Huguenot Flatwater for a run down the James. It had been dry and the water was low. The low water presented many obstacles. [The adventure crew] spent more time in the water wrangling the raft off the rocks than they did in the raft. It is a great memory, and I couldn’t wait to do it again,” says Janie.
After her first trip, Janie became a regular with Beyond Boundaries, expanding her adventures into fishing, climbing, hiking, and other activities. Katie McLernan, program director at Beyond Boundaries, says Janie takes part in dozens of trips a year, bringing her incredible energy to everyone around her.
“I like seeing Janie on trips because she’s kind and thoughtful and really funny. I know walking into a trip with her that even if things don’t go according to plan, she’s got the best attitude and we can laugh about it later,” says McLernan.
Over the last nine years, Beyond Boundaries has served thousands of participants while partnering with dozens of nonprofits to further the mission of inclusive adventure. The organization is based on the simple principle that outdoor adventure should be available to everyone, no matter their abilities or background. Using adaptive equipment and highly trained staff and volunteers, Beyond Boundaries runs more than 200 trips a year, all around the Richmond metro area.
“We provide outdoor adventure and environmental education opportunities to people with disabilities, underserved youth, groups in substance recovery, and veterans.
“Half of our mission is about getting people connected to experiences they haven’t had before, while the other half is about building a stronger community through inclusion,” says Shep Roeper, who co-founded Beyond Boundaries.
Since Janie became involved with Beyond Boundaries, her frontiers have expanded professionally as well. “Beyond Boundaries hooked me up with Virginia Tourism. They hired me to write a 350-word article on accessible adventure for the Virginia 2023 Travel Guide,” she says.
Beyond advancing all of the outdoor resources that Richmond has to offer, Beyond Boundaries also focuses on building community around accessibility and the people they serve. They work to open doors for their participants, helping them find jobs, explore personal passions, and develop as people.
Roeper says through his work at Beyond Boundaries, he has seen that the benefits of outdoor adventure extend beyond just learning a new skill or having an incredible rafting trip. Janie is proof of that.
“Beyond Boundaries has helped me become more confident; they’ve also introduced me to new friends. I feel like I fit in. I can join a conversation about another’s adventure and add to it because I’ve been out there and done it, too,” says Janie. “No more sidelines for me. I plan on many more adventures!”
