FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 3, 2023
Contact:?Eric Hyde, Peninsula State Park Superintendent
[email protected] or 920-365-6112

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Peninsula State Park Receives Adaptive
Wheelchair Donation

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Peninsula State Park now has an all-terrain wheelchair available to loan. / Photo Credit: Kinect M1

MADISON, Wis.?? The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that Peninsula State Park now has an all-terrain wheelchair that is available to loan. The outdoor wheelchair is a donation from local business Kinect M1.

Peninsula State Park is partnering with the Friends of Peninsula State Park to offer the first outdoor wheelchair loaner site in Wisconsin state parks and forests. Users of all ages and abilities will now have access to miles of the park?s beautiful hiking trails.

Peninsula is becoming one of the most accessible state parks in the Midwest after adding Eagle Tower, one of the only accessible observation towers in the country, a new universal playground, and plans to construct three new universally accessible trails. Peninsula State Park had almost 1.5 million visitors in 2022, and visitation continues to grow.

?This is a great opportunity for us to partner with our Friends Groups and local community groups of Door County to expand accessible opportunities for all our visitors,? said Steve Schmelzer, DNR Parks and Recreation Management Bureau Director. ?The DNR is committed to opening the outdoors to visitors of all abilities and expanding our adaptive equipment is one approach to meeting that commitment.?

Although the wheelchair was donated to the park, the Friends of Peninsula State Park will work with the park to loan it out. Visitors can check out the wheelchair for free on the Friends' website.

?We are fortunate to have so many wonderful organizations in Door County that support access to the outdoors for our local community and tourists. We hope to leave park visitors of all ability levels with many fond memories and experiences in nature,? said Chris Holicek, president of the Friends of Peninsula State Park group.

The Friends of Peninsula State Park is one of 60+ Friends groups across the Wisconsin state parks that is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose members have an interest in Wisconsin?s natural resources and volunteer their time, services and support to enhance Wisconsin's state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas. They provide direct support to individual properties.