A new all-accessible sensory trail is in its final stages of being completed at Alley Park in Lancaster, Ohio, thanks to Lancaster High School junior Sara Kallenberg, who designed it and raised money to fund the project. Kallenberg’s trail will give access to many people who would not have been able to use trails at Alley Park before this interactive trail was created. People in wheelchairs, parents pushing strollers, and anyone who has difficulty walking will now be able to go into the woods. The trail will be ready for visitors this summer.
Kallenberg designed the trail as a project for her Girl Scout Gold Award. The ultimate goal for a girl scout is to earn the Gold Award, which very few scouts accomplish.
¨It is made interactive through the stations I have created that will be along the trail. All of the stations will have braille and will be wheelchair accessible so those who are physically and visually impaired will be able to enjoy the trail,¨ Kallenberg explained.
After discussions with the Alley Park staff, Kallenberg knew that this was the right place to do her project. Kallenberg and her family identified a problem in our community and took action to solve it.
¨My mom is a teacher for students with disabilities, and because of this I would always hear stories about how due to physical limitations, many of her students were not able to participate in school field trips at the parks. We decided that creating this trail that would be able to provide that experience would be perfect for my project,¨ Kallenberg said.
Kallenberg earned the prestigious gold award by being resilient in her creation of the interactive trail. She earned over $35,000 in donations by collaborating with community members.
“Meeting with various different organizations, businesses, and clubs in the community. I organized meetings and presented my project to all of them to share my project and to see how they could help,¨ she said.
LHS Key Club Advisor Rachel McCoy has worked closely with Sara on her project.
¨I helped Sara make some connections with local agencies such as Fairfield DD, SOCIL, Kiwanis, Rotary, etc. who have made donations to her project,¨ McCoy said.
Sara’s mother, Thea Kallenberg said that her daughter has grown in many ways through the development of the interactive trail.
¨She has visited numerous community groups to tell them about her trail. Her confidence and composure as she spoke to these groups was awe-inspiring,¨ T. Kallenberg said.
There were many challenges as Kallenberg progressed through her journey to earn the gold award, but being optimistic and persistent helped her reach her goals.
¨Sara is a very determined young woman. She had many obstacles thrown her way such as changes in planning, pricing, time frames and opinions of what her plan should look like. She kept going and also kept a positive attitude through the trials,¨ McCoy said.
Greeting anyone with open arms no matter what limitations someone may have was Kallenberg’s goal with this trail.
¨My personal goal is to be able to provide an area where anyone and everyone can feel welcomed in the park,¨ Kallenberg stated.
Kallenberg’s parents said that their daughter took on and succeeded at such a high level project.
¨Sara’s father and I are extremely proud of her. This is one of the biggest scout projects that we have heard of. Sara’s trail will be used by thousands of people from all over Fairfield and surrounding counties who visit the park for many years to come,¨ T Kallenberg said.
