New Horizons Un-Limited Inc. New Horizons Un-Limited Inc.
For more information, contact:
New Horizons Un-Limited
P.O. Box 510034
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Phone: (414) 299-0124
Email: horizons@new-horizons.org
When Arthur Miller, founder of New Horizons Un-Limited became involved, in 1990, with the accessibility issues and design of the first accessible cabin for the Wisconsin State Parks at Mirror Lake State Park in the Wisconsin Dells area, he remembered, "We believed that this was only the beginning and that five more should be built throughout the state." Constructed by the Telephone Pioneers of America volunteers for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, this first project became the road map for future cabins and for the concept of building the cabins with the contributions of design, local Friends of State parks groups, other community organizations, volunteer labor, and contributions of materials and furnishings.
It was while involved on this first cabin Art Miller formed the idea for New Horizons Un-Limited, a non-profit organization for people with disabilities. He believed for people with disabilities to be included in access to life opportunities, they needed to form a group that could bring them together to impact their collective futures. Three more cabins followed using the original design, built by the Telephone Pioneers, but in 2001, the State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, then Accessibility Coordinator, Dotti Krieger, approached Art Miller to assist in standardizing the accessibility concept of the cabin plans for the DNR's "Cabin in the Woods, initiative." Through a collaboration with the DNR, New Horizons Un-Limited, Miller Engineering Information Technologies Group and Strass-Maguire & Associates, architects, they set forth a directive of the accessible cabin design for future Wisconsin state park accessible cabin projects. In 2004, the next and 5th accessible cabin was built at High Cliff State Park near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin developed from these concept plans. "The history of the Cabin in the Woods program is a tribute to the people of Wisconsin," Krieger said.
These previous cabins inspired the Friends Group of the J.M. Kohler-Terry Andrae State Parks near Sheboygan, Wisconsin and the Kiwanis Club of Westosha-Salem for the Richard Bong State Recreation Area near Burlington, Wisconsin. In 2006, these groups approached the design collaboration team for assistance on their respective 6th and 7th cabins for the Wisconsin State Parks. In April 2008, New Horizons Un-Limited has been very excited to announce and celebrate the opening of not one, but these two, new accessible cabins at their respective dedications and open houses.
Art Miller at each of the cabin openings said what had started as a seed of an idea has grown now to include the 6th and 7th cabins for the Wisconsin State Parks. The original cabins have become the Tom Sawyer fence that others have come to continue and expand upon. It has been particularly rewarding to see each group, each led by people who had first-hand knowledge of disability, to dream of expanding the vision of including people with disabilities in the outdoor experience. Both groups were led by individuals with knowledge of construction, and with tremendous community support and effort achieved their dreams.
On April 12th 2008, an accessible cabin opened in the Wisconsin State Parks at Richard Bong State Recreation Area. The cabin has been the dream of Dave Schultz, a resident of Raymond, Wisconsin who after seeking out and visiting the accessible cabin at Mirror Lake State Park with his son, Nick Schultz, looked for the opportunity to build a cabin at Richard Bong State Recreation Area closer to home. Nick's wheelchair had proven to be at a disadvantage in rough terrain on other family campouts, and they found the cabin to be everything they needed to provide a great camping experience.
Nick said he didn't realize on that first visit, that his dad, a builder, contractor, was already dreaming of how to build another cabin closer to home. After he collaborated with New Horizons Un-Limited, Miller Engineering and Strass Maguire to design the cabin, Dave joined with the Kiwanis Club of Westosha-Salem to assist in raising the funds needed to build the cabin. Ken Anderson, DNR Southeast Region Construction Representative, coordinated the design and construction with the state.
Michael Wagner, President of the Kiwanis, said that this project has been a community project. Everyone came together to make this happen, from fundraising, design, to building the cabin.
The cabin originally called the K-cabin has been dedicated as, Nick's Place, in honor of Dave's son. At the opening, Nick Schultz spoke of how much this cabin has meant to his family and all that worked on the project; also, how much it would mean to visitors with disabilities. Nick, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where he is studying Web site design, created a website that journals the cabin’s construction at http://www.kcabin.org.
Gloria McCutcheon, regional director of the Southeastern Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, was eager to point out that the cabin project has been very good to the region with the completion of five accessible cabins now in this area of the state. She accepted the key to the cabin on behalf of all of the people of Wisconsin.
The Richard Bong State Recreation Area accessible cabin cost $150,000, along with volunteer labor and many donated materials. The Kiwanis raised over $80,000 and several fraternal organizations were recruited by Karen Stiles, of the Catholic Knights and raised $50,000 through a community fundraiser. The Bong Naturalist Association President, Carol Samsa, said the friends group also raised money for the project and received a matching grant from the state. Laura Van Slykes and John Meyer spoke of the wonderful asset this cabin will be for years to come.
The quality of the craftsmanship of interior finishes, attention to accessible detail and the homey touches of the furnishings reflect the group’s effort and devotion to this project. The accessible cabin features numerous accessible amenities, ensuring that all people with disabilities can freely use the cabin and the park's amenities without fear of hidden barriers. Features include a fully accessible bathroom and kitchen and an accessible sleeping porch. The cabin sleeps four to six people.
All rooms are large enough to allow for people in wheelchairs to move freely about the cabin from the entrance ramps, doorways, undercounter space and a roll-in shower. Special furnishings include two hospital beds, a lift and pedestal tables. Furthermore, all fixtures and controls are accessible, including the faucets, toilet, door and cabinet handles and light switches. An accessible ramp allows visitors entrance to the cabin and is outfitted with a gate for delivering those in wheelchairs from vans equipped with lifts.
Richard Bong State Recreation Area with the assistance of the Kiwanis and local boy scout groups will continue to develop the space around the cabin for a fire pit, outdoor picnic table and accessible trails to access other areas of the park. The recreation area offers many other features for the disabled visitor including the following accessible amenities: campsites, restrooms and showers, picnic shelters and playground at the beach, observation ramp, nature center and amphitheater, hunting blinds and fishing pier.
New Horizons Un-Limited through memorial gifts from cabin participants gifted accessible fishing gear and reversible rods and reels.
The Schultz family believed Richard Bong State Recreation Area was the perfect place for an accessible cabin. The recreation area is close to many populated areas of Wisconsin, yet it is in the middle of large prairieland so one can really enjoy being outdoors close to home.
The recreation area is taking reservations for the cabin for the 2008 season and dates are going quickly. It can be rented for $34 per night including fees. For more details on how a person with a disability can reserve the cabin or to download a reservation application, go to the DNR website at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/access/bigcabin.html or call the park at (262) 878-5600.
On April 25, 2008, the 6th accessible cabin opened in the Wisconsin State Parks at J.M. Kohler-Terry Andrae State Parks. The Friends Group of Kohler-Andrae State Parks inspired by the cabin at High Cliff began to fundraise and plan the accessible cabin in 2005. Dottie Krieger, then accessibility coordinator for the DNR, introduced the Friends Group to the design collaboration group of Miller Engineering Information Technologies Group, New Horizons Un-Limited, and Strass-Maguire Associates, architects, to offer the design. Ken Anderson, DNR Southeast Region Construction Representative, coordinated the design and construction with the state.
James Buchholz, Natural Resource Property Supervisor said at the opening ceremony that the cabin would not have been possible without the support of the Friends Group of Kohler-Andrae State Parks and Bryan Casper, who volunteered his time as general contractor for the cabin construction.
The Friends Group raised money and sought almost $50,000 in funding from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program, which provides state development funding through a 50/50 match grant to Friends organizations that support local state park and forest properties. The cabin cost $125,000 including parking areas, picnic area, landscaping, deck, accessible trail and interior furnishings. $76,000 were donated by individuals, foundations corporations in cash and in-kind gifts.
At the open house/dedication ceremony several dignitaries came to dedicate the cabin. Jim Mohr, President, of the Friends of Kohler-Andrae State Parks, Art Miller of Miller Engineering and New Horizons Un-Limited, State Senator, Joseph Leibham and State Representative, Terry Van Akkeren, Gloria McCutcheon of the DNR Southeast Region Director and Bill Smith, DNR Bureau of Parks and Recreation Director.
The Wisconsin accessible cabins are filled to capacity throughout the season and there is a need for additional accessible cabins statewide. Kohler–Andrae State Parks is just south of Sheboygan along the Lake Michigan shoreline. This park is one of the busiest in the state with more than 400,000 day users and 60,000 campers a year. There are many people with disabilities who use the park. The site that was chosen for the cabin is located in the Family Campground and overlooks the Black River marsh in the southwest corner of the park. An accessible trail leads the disabled visitor from the cabin to the accessible board walk over the marsh. Kohler-Andrae State Parks new accessible cabin is no exception to the others in the state with many of the dates full for the 2008 season.
For more information or a reservation application, call the Kohler-Andrae State Parks at (262) 878-5600 or go to the Wisconsin DNR
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