The annual Veterans Climb event took place Friday evening at Boundless Adventures, an aerial adventure park located in Kenosha County’s Bristol Woods Park. The event allowed military veterans, active-duty personnel, and their families to participate in high-ropes obstacle courses at no cost.
Participants included Navy veteran Paul Santell and Army veteran Robert Blasi, who completed the courses together. “It’s great,” Santell said. His wife, Beatrice Flores, also took part and commented, “It’s a little hard, but good exercise — a good challenge.”
About 150 people attended the event. Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman said, “This is truly special and really giving back to our veterans. That’s what this is all about.”
Non-veterans were able to join the event by paying for admission, with proceeds supporting American Legion Post 21 in downtown Kenosha. Post 21 Commander Matt Christiansen stated, “This means the world to us, it really does. So, thank you.” He explained that the funds would help support veterans through the organization’s network.
Boundless Adventures operates as a public-private partnership with Kenosha County Parks and features six acres of obstacle courses with varying levels of difficulty. Brian Funtleyder, who co-owns Boundless Adventures with his wife Lorrie, addressed attendees and reflected on recent global events: “Yet again, the world has changed forever. But now, more than ever, you guys and gals — brothers and sisters — you deserve to know and feel that you’re appreciated and that you are heroes, and no one should ever forget that.”
Army veteran Jason Church, who lost both legs while serving in Afghanistan in 2012, also spoke at the event. He highlighted how activities like those at Boundless Adventures can help people overcome challenges: “(Boundless Adventures) gives everybody an opportunity to overcome obstacles in front of them, and do it in a safe environment that allows them to not only feel that sense of accomplishment here, but that ability to overcome obstacles in life outside of this wonderful place,” Church said.
Bristol Woods Park is located at 9800 160th Ave., Village of Bristol. More information about Boundless Adventures can be found at boundlessadventures.net/wi-park. Details on Kenosha County Parks are available at parks.kenoshacounty.org.
During the 2023-24 school year in Kenosha County, white students made up just over half of the student body (55.6%), while Hispanic students were the second largest group at 25.7%, followed by Black students at 10.4%. American Indian students were among the least represented groups at 0.2%. Additional data about enrollment trends can be found through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website (https://dpi.wi.gov/).
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