Adventurer Feature–The Fletchers
At Beyond Boundaries, we believe in challenge by choice. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner, it’s essential that you take on adventures at your own pace. In the case of our latest Adventurer Feature, we’re proud to be able to introduce you to an entire family that has embraced our challenge-by-choice ethos and redefined the way that they adventure together and connect in the outdoors.
As the parents of three boys with autism, Kate and her husband Gary have worked incredibly hard to create a lifestyle centered around the outdoors and adventure. After connecting with the Autism Society of Central Virginia, the Fletchers were later introduced to Beyond Boundaries, joining us on a hike as their first family adventure.
Since then, the Fletcher family has become a welcome fixture on so many of our trips. Over time, each of the boys, Matt (16), Wesley (13) and Henry (9) has each gravitated towards different events that we offer. As a challenge-by-choice family, the Fletcher parents have been fully on board, taking up the adventures themselves and overcoming fears and challenges right alongside their kids.
“Henry did the spring break camp with ASCV and he’s constantly in our backyard. We had the crew from True Timber come and set up tree swings and he’s always outside,” says Kate about the avid hiker and explorer.
“Wes is super into anything involving water. He’s a super good swimmer and he and I have done a ton of kayaking together this summer. Matt really got into rock climbing after doing it once with Beyond Boundaries and ASCV, he always asks to go regularly. Gary and I took a ‘Learn the Ropes’ course at Peak Experiences to get belay certified so that we can take Matt more often,” says Kate adding that she’s not a fan of heights and Gary has become the primary belayer in the family.
“I 100% hate climbing, I’ve never been more uncomfortable than in ‘Learning the Ropes’. We’ve bought some new gear and have really seen a change in how the boys engage with us and with the gear. Wes has gotten really excellent at the ratchet. Gary has really taken to rock climbing and I stay with Wes at the kayaking,” she says.
These trips are about more than just spending time together as a family, however. “We’ve always realized that being outside is the best therapy for our boys. They’re all in insane hours of speech, behavioral, and occupational therapy. Having them out and active and engaged has had so many benefits for them. We’ve always been a family that takes hikes, and during COVID, we hit a state park every weekend,” Kate explains.
Aside from the benefits of spending time in nature unwinding and connecting as a family, the Fletcher boys are also able to build new friendships and strengthen their bodies.
“Having a larger network of friends through Beyond Boundaries for Wes to kayak with has been great and allowed him to make more friends,” says Kate. “It’s really good for them to build up their physical strength and core strength as well. It’s always been important from a medical perspective for them to be physically active to help them develop and be healthier.”
Trips like the ones that we provide offer the Fletcher family a unique opportunity to pursue their passions and adventure together. Our challenge-by-choice model lets participants rise to their individual challenges on their own timeline– giving them space to experience and fall in love with outdoor activities.
Kate goes on to explain that the Beyond Boundaries crew has been a big factor in their decision to join us on so many trips.
“It’s been really beyond awesome. We’ve been involved with other organizations and have found that having access to people who just really get it has been huge. One of the things that struck me about Katie is that she makes such an effort to meet everyone exactly on their level. She truly understands the challenges that their participants face and meets them on the level that they’re bringing to the event,” says Kate.
We love seeing people find new connections and new passions on our trips. It’s inspiring to see parents like the Fletchers rise to the challenge in such a huge way. Challenge by choice is about building confidence, trust, and connection. Together, we can all rise up and become better.
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