Sunshine School receives rock climbing cube

Sunshine School recently took delivery of a unique, custom-built rock climbing cube specially designed for pre-school aged children. The four-foot square cube has approximately 40 hand-holds and is sized to be safe yet challenging for young children.

The cube was constructed using surplus materials donated by the Presentation School and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley. Sunshine parents, Mitsuyo and Andrew McDermott made the cube possible by enlisting support for the concept and design from Santa Rosa-based non-profit Professional Climbers International and El Dorado Climbing Walls. The cube was assembled on a pro-bono basis by Jim Gage and his crew at Sonoma-based Benchmark Construction.

Sunshine School’s Director, Mary O’Hern says, “We are thrilled to add this unique rock climbing cube to our children’s playground. Young children love to climb and this cube will certainly present new climbing challenges for them to master.” Adds McDermott, “Rock climbing is a sport that appeals to all ages and both genders. It is a sport that is easy to learn but hard to master and I hope that between these cubes and the new indoor rock climbing walls installed at the Presentation School and the Boy’s and Girl’s Club that we will be fostering an entire new generation of kids who are passionate about the sport.”

Colorado-based El Dorado Climbing Walls is a leader in high quality rock climbing walls and realistic rock landscapes. For more than 15 years, El Dorado has combined inspired designs and state-of-the-art climbing wall construction.

Sonoma-based PCI is a consortium of dozens of top professional rock climbers around the world. PCI, under President Kevin Jorgeson, was created with the goal of increasing the visibility of bouldering and rock climbing beyond present boundaries; increasing access to the sport for all new entrants; expanding and enhancing the opportunities for sponsorships, promotion, advertising, media exposure, and competitions; promoting and encouraging individual behavior and public policy that preserves, protects, and honors the increasingly stressed outdoor environment: and creating a vibrant and viable class of professional climber.
Though this climbing cube was constructed for Sunshine School’s pre-school aged children, it is the desire of the McDermott family, PCI and El Dorado Walls to have other climbing cubes located in Sonoma Valley to promote the world of climbing to young children.

Some of Sunshine’s children have had their first taste of rock climbing at a pre-school rock climbing workshop, hosted by The Presentation School earlier this winter. The climbing event was so well received by local families, that Presentation will host a second rock climbing workshop for pre-schoolers on Sunday, March 6, 2011. Parents can register at rockclimbingsonoma-eorg.eventbrite.com.

Sunshine School is an outreach program of Sonoma United Methodist Church, located at 109 Patten Street and has been serving the community since 1978. The school’s philosophy is based on the understanding that each child is a unique individual with his or her own background, interests, needs and abilities. For more information about Sunshine School, call 996.2702.