A new, fully accessible treehouse for children with paralysis and other physical challenges officially opened on June 29 at Rochester Rotary Sunshine Campus in Rush.
Club President Tracy Armstrong and President-elect Peter Sarratori participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the treehouse to campers this summer. The first of its kind in the Finger Lakes region, the treehouse features wheelchair-accessible ramps, wide platforms, sensory equipment for enhanced learning, a cabin enclosure and treetop views for campers. Built between existing trees at the campus, the treehouse gradually rises to a maximum height of 22 feet above the ground.
The treehouse is the latest amenity at Rochester Rotary Sunshine Campus, which is a resource for children and adults across the Finger Lakes region. The facility hosts summer camps held by Rochester Rotary, as well as by the American Diabetes Association, AutismUp, Camp Haccamo, Camp Joy, Heritage Christian Services, Mary Cariola Children’s Center, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Reach for the Stars, and Volunteers of America.
“Our fully accessible treehouse provides a unique ‘climbing experience’ for thousands of kids with special abilities who have never felt the independence or joy of climbing a tree or of playing in a treehouse,” said Rochester Rotary President Tracy Armstrong.
The newest addition to the Rochester campus is named “My Treehouse” to allow each camper to feel personal ownership and pride about the treehouse. More than 100 campers, camper families, and current and former camp staff have their names permanently placed on the treehouse for donating or raising at least $100 to help build it.
The Treehouse Guys, a nationally renowned firm that has constructed accessible treehouses across the country, designed and built the treehouse. A new, national television series on the DIY Network − also called “The Treehouse Guys” − will feature the Rochester Rotary Sunshine Campus treehouse on an upcoming episode to be broadcast later this year.
