National Ability Center gets a helping hand from Home Depot volunteers

The Home Depot Foundation Heads to the National Ability Center to Enhance its World-Class Accessible Recreation Facility Photo: TownLift//Randi Sidman-Moore

PARK CITY, Utah — Close to 400 members of “Team Depot,” Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, gathered at the National Ability Center on Wednesday to kick off a series of improvements designed to make the adaptive recreation facility more accessible and welcoming for participants.

The volunteers, dressed in Home Depot’s signature orange, helped build raised garden beds, construct a dog park, work on a sensory garden, and more.

“You name it, we’re doing it,” said Heather Prill, a representative of the Home Depot Foundation.

The work is part of a collaboration with The Home Depot Foundation, a nonprofit supported by The Home Depot, aimed at strengthening the facilities that support the NAC’s year-round recreation programs.

“Such an incredible opportunity for us to give back with this organization,” said Prill.

The NAC serves about 6,200 participants and relies on approximately 1,500 volunteers and 150 employees each year. Their programs range from skiing and snowboarding to mountain biking, archery, climbing, and equestrian activities. The organization also provides programs for Veterans and people with disabilities of all ages and abilities.

“This is about creating a space where everyone belongs,” the NAC said of the project.

The upgrades also reflect the importance of the physical environment to the NAC’s programs. From equestrian facilities to outdoor recreation spaces, the campus serves as a base for experiences intended to help participants develop skills and confidence.

The orange hard hats marked the beginning of the project, helping create a campus where accessibility is built into the experience.