Our Story

The Cleveland Home

Our story began with The Cleveland Home, an orphanage in Versailles, Kentucky, shortly after the end of the Civil War. John Cleveland established the home and willed his estate to its success. Our current property was partially owned by Judge Field McLeod, an early board member of the home. At the end of his lineage, Judge McLeod willed his vast property to The Cleveland Home.

Life Adventure Camp

In the 1970s, a group of community leaders, led by Ross and Cathie Brown and their children, joined together to form Life Adventure Camp in Estill County, Kentucky. The camp worked with behaviorally challenged youth through a skill-building program that instilled resiliency and self-efficacy using a wilderness experience to teach communication and coping skills.

Life Adventure Center

In the early 2000s, The Cleveland Home and Life Adventure Camp merged, and we moved to our current property among the rolling hills of Woodford County.

We re-opened our doors at our current address in 2005 with a new moniker: Life Adventure Center of the Bluegrass. In the last few years, we have further narrowed our mission to working directly with groups affected by trauma. Thanks to our board’s excellent stewardship of John Cleveland’s estate (which now covers most of our overhead each year), and because of the generosity of our donors and supporters, we are able to subsidize in whole or part every non-profit and school group we work with!

Values Statement

We are committed to making both the emotional and physical safety and well-being of children, individuals and families a priority.

We seek out and provide best practices of trauma-informed care to our participants that is humane, evidence based and research supported.

We aspire to maintain programs with high standards of community and social responsibility.

We believe every individual deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and sensitivity regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, color, family, marital status and life circumstances and regardless of religion, political affiliation, and viewpoints.

We are committed to teaching appreciation for all living things and an understanding about the interdependent relationships within the natural environment while encouraging sustainability principles.

“The equine and administration team were amazing to work with. They understood the needs of our clients and adapted well. Each session gave insight and aligned with previous goals set and the girls looked forward to returning every week.”

Joyia Johnson

Maryhurst Academy

“Life Adventure Center has become an integrated part into our school’s growth and goal towards individual resilience. I think the involvement of this program has been critical for some of our students in their path of healing and learning how to be accountable and problem solve.”

Rhiannon Ashcraft

MA, M Ed., LPCC, School Counselor Safe Harbor Academy

"LAC has been an excellent partnership for our bereavement camp for the past two years. The staff is dedicated to going the "extra mile" for collaboration purposes with our agency, but also for the children to have a fun and meaningful experience at camp."

Holly Bender

Bluegrass Care Navigators

Life Adventure Center

The Cleveland Home

Life Adventure Camp

Life Adventure Center

Mission & Vision Statement

Values Statement

Our Story

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