THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509120097
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
TIM ROBINETTE and Bob Callahan have spent years intervening in the lives of problem children and troubled families, bringing them renewed inner strength and tranquility through contact with Mother Nature.
Their special form of counseling, via their business, Adventure Alternatives, includes rope obstacle courses, rock climbing, sea kayaking and more. The concept has worked well in teaching family members how to perform together, how to communicate and how to pull from within to overcome obstacles.
``When you see the raccoons playing or meteor showers, you tend to forget anything supposedly bad,'' said Callahan, president of the company. ``Everything we do is related to the outdoors. We create metaphors to take back with us.''
The men are carrying these same principles over to other clients - businesses that are interested in improving employee performance, loyalty, and teamwork.
The men recently took a group of 12 corporate executives on a canoe trip to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. The trip was planned and organized to give the men, all scientific engineers, a taste of the outdoors while learning teamwork, risk taking, problem solving, stress management, trust and self-confidence.
Because the adventures have goals and objectives, each employee is an integral part of each activity. For instance, the canoe trip required that the men stop, unload and then carry their canoes some distance before they could get back in the water.
``At first, they were like, `Forget you. I'm taking my stuff and that's it,' '' said Robinette, 50. ``After a while, they began to realize that working as a team to each carry things improved the whole process.''
Whether they're bicycle riding or completing a rope obstacle course, when the day's adventure is over, the partners take the time to grill the participants on what they learned and how to bring that knowledge back into their everyday lives.
They have traveled to California, Texas, Puerto Rico, Atlanta and New Jersey on adventures ranging from one to 10 days. The price of their services depends on the type of adventure chosen and where it will take place. Their fees include all equipment and meals.
Most of the companies that hire them are internationally known rather than local, they said.
When contacted by a business the men negotiate an adventure to fit the group's needs. Sometimes that adventure can be a four-day camping trip or just a brief try at the portable rope obstacle course.
``Big businesses still like to control their costs,'' said Callahan, 45. ``We've flown all over the country just to put up the mobile rope course.''
When Robinette and Callahan aren't working with private companies, they're spending six months at a time working with juveniles as contract vendors for the Department of Youth and Family Services in Hampton Roads.
They began their special brand of outdoor counseling 10 years ago, starting the business after both had been probation officers.
Robinette was a probation officer and a resident of Chesapeake for 10 years and Bob Callahan worked with the Virginia Beach parole and probation systems for the same amount of time.
Callahan, who lives in Virginia Beach, was instrumental in beginning the outdoor program within the probation system.
The men met over a rope course in Northwest River Park and have been fast friends ever since.
Both Callahan and Robinette are Outward Bound and National Outdoor Leadership School graduates. Both are certified cave, river and cliff rescue workers as well as emergency medical technicians. Callahan is also a rescue squad volunteer emergency medical technician.
They began their business because they realized that sitting behind a desk wasn't half as interesting as say, rock climbing.
``We're still doing what we used to do as probation officers,'' said Callahan, a graduate of Princess Anne High School and Old Dominion University. ``We love the outdoors and we believe in the outdoors.''
Robinette said, ``Our hearts and expertise are with the kids.'' MEMO: Juveniles in the Adventure Alternatives program are referred by parole
and probation officers or judges.
Businesses interested in Adventure Alternative's services can call
468-4669.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff Photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Using outdoor adventures as a tool, Bob Callahan, left, and Tim
Robinette work with private companies on employee performance and
with troubled juveniles.
by CNB