Horn Field Campus Open House Sept. 9

University News

Staff at Western Illinois University's Horn Field Campus offer a low ropes course, as well as team-building activities.
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The climbing tower at Horn Field Campus is a 40-foot vertical wood structure, with three sides for climbing, complete with rock like handholds, and one side for rappelling. One tower wall is slightly inclined for those new to the climbing experience. Harnesses, helmets and safety ropes are provided. Two or more facilitators assist with the tower.
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Buildings on the WIU Horn Field Campus near Macomb.
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Horn Field Campus Open House Sept. 9

August 27, 2010

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MACOMB, IL -- Just a short trip from Western Illinois University's Macomb campus, the WIU Recreation, Park and Tourism (RPTA) Department's 92-acre outdoor educational jewel, Horn Field Campus (HFC), offers a plethora of learning and nature-based activities. To provide a taste of what HFC has to offer members of the Western, Macomb and surrounding communities, Mindy Pheiffer, HFC program coordinator, and her HFC staff, will be hosting an open house 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 at Horn Field Campus (directions are listed below).

"We wanted to provide an open invitation to the campus and community to explore the beautiful campus and facilities," Pheiffer explained. "Many of us take for granted how many people in the community have been to Horn Lodge long ago for social events, but many people do not know what we currently offer in regard to programs, educational events and community activities."

While Horn Lodge and the buildings on the campus provide a private and peaceful setting for retreats, meetings, family reunions and weddings, Pheiffer noted that HFC, most of all, is an outdoor educational facility, which is used for education and research by Western students, faculty, staff, as well as community members. In addition to Horn Lodge, there are trails and plant life to explore, and HFC features a 40-foot climbing and rappelling tower (with rock-like handholds) and a high ropes course and low ropes course.

"During the open house, we will provide tours of the programming areas, and buildings will be open for viewing. We will also have challenge-course activities that will be demonstrated by our student facilitator staff members," Pheiffer said. "We will have brochures available about the birds and trees of HFC, along with a self-guided interpretive map of Oak Hollow trail, all of which have been put together by students."

Pheiffer added that open house attendees will want to bring their binoculars, as they will have an opportunity to check out HFC's terrain and natural environment from the elevated vantage point on the restored prairie and wildlife-viewing tower. In addition, information about the current timber-stand improvement project taking place in the woodlands areas will be shared with attendees.

HFC often holds open climbing tower hours on specific dates, as well as the popular annual Corn Maze, which this year will be held 1-4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in October. The Haunted Corn Maze is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30. Pheiffer noted that use of the HFC facilities are reservation based, and while she encourages community members to come out for planned and reserved events, HFC is not a drop-in facility.

"The open house will give us a chance to provide campus and community members with an overview of all the educational opportunities, activities and facilities HFC has to offer," Pheiffer said. "HFC is a multi-purpose venue, and it is my goal to encourage the use of it in whatever way it will serve group outings."

The Horn Field Campus Sept. 9 open house is open free to the public. For more information, contact Horn Field Campus at (309) 833-5798 or HF-Campus@wiu.edu. Visit HFC online at wiu.edu/coehs/rpta/horn_field_campus/. For special accommodations, please notify Horn Field Campus staff in advance.

Directions
HFC is located south of Macomb on China Road. From South Johnson Street (past Macomb High School), turn right on China Road and follow the road one-quarter of a mile to the Horn Field Campus entrance. Parking is permitted on the HFC lot.

The following video, produced by a WIU student, includes highlights of HFC's climbing wall and high ropes course, as well as information about how students utilize Horn Field Campus for research. (This video is close-captioned. For captions, go to youtube.com/watch?v=rKiPLI6pw7g and click on "cc" in the lower left corner of the video player.)