Nathan Creveling was brimming with confidence as he stood beside a 20-foot wall Saturday morning, a thick rope attached to the harness he wore around his midsection.
“I can do this,” the 25-year-old from Sinking Spring announced to the small crowd gathered nearby.
He certainly could.
Carefully placing his hands and feet on blue holds jutting out from the wall, he began his ascent. He moved steadily, rising 5, 10, 15 feet.
Creveling made his climb to the top of the wall inside Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness, Hyde Park, look easy. His descent, however, was a bit of a different story.
He bounced gently off the wall as he received help being eased toward the ground, wriggling to keep his feet from catching the holds he had used on the way up.
Krista Weller belays Nathan Creveling as he climbs down the wall during an IM ABLE foundation adaptive rock climbing session at Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness, 550 George St., Muhlenberg Township. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
“It was fun,” Creveling said. “It was hard getting down.”
Despite how deftly he had climbed, looking every bit a seasoned pro, Creveling said Saturday was his first time tackling a climbing wall. And he got that opportunity thanks to IM ABLE, an organization focused on providing activities for people with disabilities.
IM ABLE held a special event Saturday to give individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to climb. The session, which drew 18 climbers, was held through the organization’s IM FIT program, which offers adaptive and inclusive group fitness classes at IM ABLE’s Wyomissing gym.
Reading Rocks provided certified adaptive climbing trainers to help meet the unique needs of those who wanted to climb.
“They’ll ensure everybody makes it to the top, if they want to keep going all the way up,” said Becky Rennix, program director for IM ABLE.
Rennix said the idea is to provide another activity for the teens and adults who take part in the twice-weekly IM FIT sessions.
“We wanted something different than the normal gym workout,” she said. “We wanted to push them out of their comfort zone a little bit.”
Creveling said climbing the wall was only a bit out of his comfort zone. He loved climbing as a kid, often scaling playground equipment.
Krista Weller high fives Nathan Creveling after his successful climb during an IM ABLE foundation adaptive rock climbing session at Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness, 550 George St., Muhlenberg Township. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
“I conquered my anxiety,” he said. “It was fast and quick climbing up the wall; that was the easy part.”
Kyle Wolf was climbing for the second time, having done it once before in 2012. He said he enjoyed the experience.
“I like it,” the 28-year-old said. “It makes me strong. I want to do it again.”
Krista Weller belays Kyle Wolf as he climbs the rock wall during an IM ABLE foundation adaptive rock climbing session at Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness, 550 George St., Muhlenberg Township. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Saturday was also Ali DiPiazza’s second time taking on the challenge of a climbing wall. It had been a number of years, however, so she was feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation.
“Since I’m getting older, I’m a bit hesitant,” she said. “But I think it’ll be fun.”
Brandon Anchant, general manager of Reading Rocks, helps secure a climbing harness with Ali DiPiazza during an IM ABLE foundation adaptive rock climbing session at Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness, 550 George St., Muhlenberg Township. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
For more information about IM ABLE visit imablefoundation.org.