My Nonprofit Reviews

I am the coordinator of a YMCA based Mentoring Program. We recently visited Ramblewild through a generous grant from Feronia Forward. The students are ages 13 and 14. The mentors are in their 20's and 30's. If anything levels the playing field and reduces the generation gap it is facing a physical challenge together. The ropes courses and zip lines are ingeniously designed to lead one around the forest through the tree tops. Each crossing from tree to tree is carefully set up to be difficult and safe at the same time. The students were dubious about many of the crossings, but once the courage was found, they experienced joy and the pride of overcoming fear. This park is a beautiful way to experience nature while having the fun of climbing around in the tree tops.

Our experience at Ramblewild made the kickoff for the YMCA Mentoring Program so successful!

The eighth grade students from Drury HS were meeting their mentors for the first time. The ropes course at Ramblewild was the perfect environment for the students and adults to get to know each other.

The kids were blown away by the challenges they found in among the trees. They discovered courage they didn't know they had and support for each other that would never show up in the socially competitive environment of school. The adults were also thrilled with the experience. Nervous as they were to meet their mentees for the first time, the forest provided a fun and exciting challenge to be navigated together.

I appreciated so much the esthetic beauty of the courses and that while flying or cake walking from one tree to another, our safety was never once in question.


Our guide created a safe and supportive place both physically and emotionally for us to launch ourselves as a group.

Feronia Forward's immediate and unwavering financial support for this event was something I have never experienced in my years of working in education. Your commitment to exposing kids to nature and physical challenge is extraordinary.

A sincere thanks from us all'
Carolyn Brooks, Berkshire Family YMCA Mentoring PRogram