Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse to be a Haven for Military Members and Challenged Athletes
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By Katie Terhune
onstruction on a state-of-the-art new facility aimed at helping Idaho military members, their families, and adaptive athletes across Idaho is underway now. The Idaho Outdoor Fieldhouse, funded by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, is set to house both the military-focused organization Mission43 and the Challenged Athletes Foundation of Idaho. But the sprawling campus, situated on more than six acres along the Boise River Greenbelt, will be more than just headquarters space, says Bryan Madden, Program Officer for the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. The estimated 46,000-square-foot fieldhouse will include an aquatic center, a gymnasium, a climbing wall, performance fitness spaces, and a hyperbaric oxygen therapy area. The facility will only be available for use by members who meet the eligibility requirements for either Mission43 or the Challenged Athletes Foundation, although Idaho residency is not a requirement to join. “It definitely has the potential to be a national spotlight. Adaptive athletes are already moving to Idaho because of CAF and military families are coming because of Mission43, and that’s for the same reason: they see the meaningful opportunities and the incredible people who are part of those communities,” Madden says. “We want the best in Idaho - these are talented and amazing people, and the Fieldhouse is only going to draw more into our state.”
“ It definitely has the potential to be a national spotlight. Adaptive athletes are already moving to Idaho because of CAF and military families are coming because of Mission43, and that’s for the same reason, they see the meaningful opportunities and the incredible people who are part of those communities.” 14 BUILDING IDAHO • 2022 SPRING/SUMMER