With affordable prices and excellent facilities, Zion Rock Climbing Center provides a great escape from the all-too-familiar flatness of Searcy. However, a fun rock climbing experience is not the sole purpose of the business.
According to Zion’s website, “It is the intention of the organization to use rock climbing as a medium to provide a value-based service to our community. The principal concentration of the organization is to foster mentoring relationships, develop leadership in the community and prepare persons to be successful in life.”
Those lofty intentions fall to the trusty hands of volunteers like freshman Mack Peters. Peters said the job is an all encompassing one, and a lot of the work is carried out by volunteers.
“I get people set up for climbing,” Peters said. “We take them into the gym and I teach them how to belay.”
Peters cited a number of other duties, including paperwork, cleaning and assisting customers in their climbs.
For Peters and the rest of the volunteers, the job never ends there. In fact, the physical aspect of the job is only the half of it.
“(Our mission) is mostly about bringing climbing to the community and then bringing Christ into that environment,” Peters said. “We try to encourage the Christ ideal as much as possible.”
For Peters and the other volunteers, that ideal encompasses a number of services.
“My role is just to be open and be there for anybody who needs me,” Peters said. “I’m there to catch them and guide them if they fall,” both literally and figuratively.
Zion and its volunteers are fully devoted to creating and facilitating a common ground for authentic, significant relationships in the community. Perhaps the most appealing part of Zion’s ministry is the opportunity for students to get involved.
“Right now I know there is a need for a couple more workers,” Peters said. “So anybody can apply.”
Zion also takes on volunteers for other events, such as a Haunted House and black light climbing events. The experience required is very little according to Peters, as the Zion administration will train all new volunteers with the equipment and procedures.
Far more important to Zion’s mission statement is experience as a leader in the area of community values and a desire to teach others those same virtues through meaningful, down to earth relationships. Harding students who are practiced in those areas are encouraged to provide Zion and their community the invaluable service of relationship through the medium of rock climbing.
