Richmond may be known as the River City, but if a person has never felt connected to the river, whether through paddling, fishing or being on a boat, the nickname doesn’t resonate.
Shep Roeper has been a pioneer for inclusion in greater Richmond. It was at Radford University that he learned about the field of therapeutic recreation and began doing workshops that took people with brain injuries canoeing or hiking. He went on to intern at the first U.S. nonprofit offering adaptive whitewater adventures for people with disabilities.
Five years ago, Roeper founded Beyond Boundaries in partnership with his Radford friend, Kyle Burnette. The nonprofit organization provides outdoor recreation experiences to those with disabilities, along with youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, veterans and people overcoming addiction. “I’m able to share everything I’m passionate about with people who never saw these activities as options for themselves,” Roeper says. “We see people for their abilities, not their disabilities.”
Beyond Boundaries works on a partnership model, rather than a calendar listing of events. They partner with over 35 community-based organizations including the McShin Foundation, the Autism Society, Faison Center, Boys to Men Mentoring, and Veterans and Athletes United, as well as schools and associations. Through partnerships with such organizations and a large community of volunteers, they’re able to facilitate adventure.
So far this year, Beyond Boundaries has organized 300 programs to provide over 2,500 individuals with outdoor adventures. Roeper sees their impact in participants’ smiles, as their confidence goes up and their quality of life improves. “Hobbies are created as they get involved with new communities like boaters and anglers, and begin to identify with new groups,” he says. “On the physical side, when you’re in a wheelchair most of the day, being 40 [feet] up on a climbing wall gives you a whole new vantage point.”
As executive director, Roeper’s job is different every day and immensely rewarding. So where does a guy who guarantees that something positive comes out of every day on the job expect to be in 20 or 30 years? “I got to create a career around my passions, and I love what I do,” he says. “When I retire, I’m going to do the same thing as now, only I won’t get paid for it.”
