Out of the Woods: The Villages, Inc.
By Jen Leclair
Photos by Brian Peters
Tucked away on more than 400 acres of rolling hills, wooded trails and quiet creeks on the edge of Topeka, The Villages, Inc. has spent six decades providing services to children in need. Founded in 1964 by psychiatrist Dr. Karl Menninger, the organization has often had to evolve to meet the changing needs of vulnerable populations.
Originally designed as a foster care model with “house parents” providing stable, home-like environments for children, The Villages later pivoted to serve children in need of care and juvenile offenders as state systems changed.
In 2018, the organization entered a new chapter, partnering with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide short-term shelter for unaccompanied minors arriving in the United States. For nearly seven years, children from across the globe found temporary safety, education and compassion on the property. At full capacity, the program served 60 minors and supported a staff of nearly 95.
But in early 2025, the program was suspended, and by November of that year it had come to a close, taking with it their primary funding source.
“We had to rediscover ourselves,” said Mark Burenheide, who stepped into the role of chief executive officer after the program ended. “We were essentially starting from the ground up, asking what our next chapter should be.”
STARTING FROM THE GROUND UP
One answer was a need the organization’s leadership identified in the community: safe housing and support for expectant mothers.
In early 2026, The Villages opened a newly renovated maternity home, now one of only three such homes in Kansas. The home provides shelter for up to six pregnant women, all 18 or older.
Residents receive financial literacy training, parenting education and hands-on instruction in daily life skills from budgeting and cooking to newborn care. Through initiatives like the Village Pantry Program, mothers learn how to stretch resources, prepare meals and build sustainable habits.
“They’re not just here to live,” Mark said. “They’re here to learn the skills they need to succeed once they leave.”
Women can stay through their pregnancy and up to a year after giving birth, though many choose to transition to independent living sooner, with continued support from The Villages.
RETURNING TO NATURE
Dr. Menninger believed in the therapeutic value of nature. When he established The Villages, he chose expansive natural land with that in mind.
“We have this incredible property,” Mark said. “It only made sense to create something that allows people to experience it.”
Hidden beyond the crest of “the Hill” and nestled deep in the woods, the newly revitalized Sugar Works Adventure Challenge Course feels worlds away from the city, and yet it’s only minutes from downtown Topeka.
What was once a ropes course built by staff and volunteers has beenrebuilt as a professionally designed, safety-certified experience, guided by standards from the Association for Challenge Course Technology and industry experts.
“Participation in the experience isn’t about athleticism or physical exertion,” said Zach Force, chief adventure manager. “It’s about empowering people to grow.”
BLAZING A TRAIL
Unlike traditional adventure parks, The Villages’ course is entirely group-focused and fully customized, designed for businesses, nonprofits and other organizations looking to develop teamwork and leadership skills.
Before participants arrive, facilitators connect with group leaders to understand their goals, whether improving communication, strengthening trust or simply reconnecting after time apart, and design a program around them.
On site, participants move through a structured but flexible program that includes safety training, team-based challenges and reflective debriefs, with activities adjusted in real time based on group dynamics.
“No two groups will have the same day,” Zach said.
Central to the course philosophy is the concept of the “stretch zone”: that space just beyond comfort but short of fear.
Participants are encouraged, but never forced, to step into that zone. For one person, that might mean climbing 30 feet up the iconic Power Pole to ring a bell. For another, it might simply mean offering an idea or supporting a teammate.
“You don’t have to be the one on the rope to contribute,” Zach said. “Problem-solving, communication, encouragement and observation are all essential to the group’s success.”
Through these experiences, participants work on self-discovery, group problem-solving and interpersonal communication.
A FRONT PORCH
The course winds through dense forest and natural terrain, a setting that feels far removed from everyday life.
“There’s something about being out here,” Zach said. “It is amazing to watch a group flourish in ways they might have never thought of. The insights they walk away with are priceless.”
The Sugar Works Adventure Challenge Course has also made The Villages more accessible to the public.
For years, privacy requirements limited public interaction with the organization and its work. Now, the course serves as what leaders call a “front porch”: an invitation for the community to step onto the property and experience the organization’s work.
“This is how people can engage with us,” Mark said. “They can come here, experience the land and be part of what we’re doing.”
Plans are already underway to expand offerings, potentially including zip lines and aerial parks that would allow for more individual participation. Meanwhile, discussions with the state could soon bring social services back to the historic homes on the Hill, completing a full-circle return to the organization’s roots.
“We’re getting back to who we are,” Mark said. “But we’re also becoming something new.”
