Testimonials

“…I have known Mr. Cryer for over twenty years. He is a respected professional in the field of experiential education and my relationship with him has been that of a colleague. The main thrust of this reference is Mr. Cryer’s professional ethics. He began calling me on the telephone many years ago to chat about ethical issues on an informal basis. These chats have evolved into in depth discussions and analyses of various ethical issues facing professionals. My impression is that Mr. Cryer has the intellectual ammunition to handle ethics competently and thoroughly.

…He and I offered an ethics seminar in 1991 at the national Association for Experiential Education Conference in Asheville, North Carolina along with Charles Gregg, an attorney. Mr. Cryer was a vital member of that team and contributed a great deal to the discussions. Since then he has done additional seminars concerning professional ethics.

…I just wish there were more people like him who have their feet planted squarely on the ground and who are willing to think and speculate about ethical matters.”

“Joel has always been patient and supportive of our unique needs…extremely flexible in scheduling, working with our volunteers, and budgetary constraints. Through the many years he has trained literally hundreds of our staff, designed ropes courses and constructed (or supervised construction) of three courses…with an attention to detail…in a manner that models the attitude consistent with an effective facilitator.”

“On behalf of the board of Candlelight Ranch, I would again like to express our gratitude for developing our “Ropes” Course that will be used by our shared community of children with special needs. I would especially like to thank you for constructing such a high quality Course. We really enjoyed your training as you instilled confidence in each of us in every aspect of our Course and the equipment required to use it. Your professionalism and customer service are a credit to your company.”

“I just wanted to thank you for the great effort you have put into my camps over the past fourteen years. I believe that each staff member gained both confidence in their skills and walked away with a feeling of accomplishment that only comes from long hard hours covering the manual and being out on the course with a professional such as yourself. As always, your construction of the new elements was as polished as any master craftsman.  Your attention to detail on construction, training and industry standards is much appreciated and gives me peace of mind while our clients and staff are out on the course. Last but not least I wanted to thank you for the very personal service you have given both the camp and myself. It is a genuine feeling of respect and friendship that is not often found in the business world.”

“We have now conducted programs for high risk and peer leadership youth, drug prevention, two college outdoor leadership groups, and other scout based organizations. I am pleased to note that the success of these programs were largely reflective of the comprehensive construction, training and consultation provided by your organization. No other organization was able to provide me with such a clear understanding of the evolution of the industry, current standards, litigation issues, and custom program design. The actual course…has even impressed my clients with its attention to safety and aesthetics.”

“My first project as Director was to build a ropes course at one of our club sites in Pulaski County. Your expertise in building the ropes course and your methods of training the staff were valuable assets. You have been very supportive, calling periodically and making yourself available for consultation regarding all aspects of the projects development. I would certainly highly recommend you to any prospective developers of a ropes course program.

“Sweden was on its way into a recession when I brought you half way around the world to build Scandinavia’s first ropes course. I took a big risk…I’m glad I did. My ropes course has proven to be extremely popular…I’m busy all the time. I knew I had picked the best man for the job on first meeting you. Your concern for safety and professionalism instilled trust and confidence in everyone that worked with us on the project. I’m very grateful to you Joel!”

“On August 18, 1994, I was appointed to be the Project Director of Adventure Huntington…in Huntington, W.V., to build a ropes course. I began the process by contacting a number of ropes course builders. From my early conversations with you…I was impressed that you did not seem to be “selling” anything and were willing to provide advice about building a quality ropes course and program…I felt that I was talking to someone of broad experience who would be able to provide a programmatic context to meet the differing needs of our four organizing agencies. I think what continually set you apart from the others was your focus on the overall quality of the total program, and not just the hardware of the ropes course itself. My experience with you and your staff over the past six months…has validated my first impressions.”

“It’s important to the accomplishment of DCC’s mission that new personnel receive quality instruction and experiential education with ropes challenge courses. We are confident that you helped us achieve that quality. Your expertise as the ropes challenge course instructors and inspectors will help us remain in compliance of ropes challenge course operations, policies and procedures. The course renovation was greatly received by DCC personnel. Thank you for your willingness to help us out in the monumental task for training of DCC employees and looking forward to future inspections.”

Chianti Austin
Training Administrator
Arkansas Department of Community Correction (DCC)