Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Washington State University 4-H, and the Camp Long Advisory Council celebrated the opening of a challenge course at Camp Long today. Camp Long is at 5200 35th Ave. SW.

The event featured hot dogs and cake for attendees. The official ribbon cutting took place just after 4 p.m. to a small crowd of nature-lovers young and old.

Some of the organizers stopped to talk to the West Seattle Herald before the ribbon-cutting.

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Scott Vanderwey, Director, 4-H Adventure Education, which runs programs in 19 Washington State counties, including ropes course, rock climbing, right-of-passage, kayaking, back-packing, and other adventure programing. He works for Washington State University extension branch.

"Four-H has been running challenge programs for over 25 years," he said. "The program is an educational opportunity for positive youth development. We bring church groups out, sports teams, train teachers for their students, all different groups focused on life skill development. We focus on education rather than recreation."

Sheila Brown, Camp Long Education Supervisor, said, " The team-building low course has 12 elements. There are two high elements down on the trail. You get roped up and go up in the air 30 to 50 feet. All of these require supervision. You call our manager. Set up a time for your group, pay for the facilitator and for your group. This morning we had the group Girls Rock. The next closest course is in Bellevue."

Eric Friedli, Deputy Superintendant, Seattle Parks, said, "What I'm here to do is celebrate the partnership of Camp Long, 4-H, Parks & Recreation, WSU Extension, Department of Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Matching Fund, King County Youth Sports Facilities grant, all came together to make this happen. I think it's awesome. I can't wait to go through the tire. I assume somebody at some point in the future is going to lift me up there. It's all about group dynamics. The group works as a team."

Aparna Rae attended the ribbon-cutting. She is Youth Development Programs Coordinator for Neighborhood House in High Point. She will train on the challenge course in a month then have children participate.

"I work a lot with (Muslim) girls and they often wear abayas and hijab which can get in the way of doing physical things," said Rae, who is from India. "We found they could still rock climb with all of that garb. They'd just tuck their Abaya into their jeans and had a really good time."

For more information, call Camp Long at 206-684-7434.

The West Seattle Herald will follow up this story by reporting on participating groups as they work the elements within a week or two.