Valspar Case Study: Award Blue Greets Campers at The Center for Courageous Kids

Summer camp is a cherished tradition for many families, giving kids an outlet to connect with new friends, new skills, and the great outdoors. But for children with life-threatening illnesses, this tradition is one among many that can fall by the wayside, taking a backseat to medical appointments and the need to stay close to care facilities.

That is what the late Betty Turner Campbell set out to change when she founded the Center for Courageous Kids in Scottsville, Kentucky. Turner Campbell remade her father’s 168-acre farm into a medical camp that gives sick children and their families a place to swim, ride horses, boat, fish and more—all free of charge, and all with an on-site medical center that gives kids the support they need to embrace new activities.

Opened in 2008, the Center features 16 buildings with unified white exteriors and metal roofing panels painted in Valspar’s Fluropon coating in a vibrant Award Blue that stands out against the surrounding green acres.

“Ms. Campbell was presented with four color schemes for the building. She decided on the white and blue combo because it was cheerful, happy, and crisp,” says Roger Mutie, President of the Center. “The Center is a happy place, and we’re happy to have our facility represent that.”

The complex uses more than 50,000 square feet of Snap-Clad metal roofing panels provided by Petersen Aluminum. “We decided on the metal roof because of its durability,” Mutie explained. “We wanted to keep longevity at the forefront of the project and knew a metal roof would be able to survive severe weather better than the alternatives.”

Valspar’s Fluropon 70 percent PVDF coating will provide tremendous UV protection to help preserve the cheery blue coloration. Additionally, the coating provides outstanding stain resistance and is certain to stand up to the elements of the environment, all while retaining its brilliant appearance for years to come. Hardaway Construction of Nashville performed the construction, with the roofing handled by Gunter Construction Roofing of Scottsville and Geoghagen Roofing of Bowling Green.

The impressive campus includes a dining hall, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, horse stables, bowling alley, and cabins, along with outdoor facilities for archery, horseback riding, hiking and boating. After having served nearly 18,000 campers since its founding, the Center continues year-round operations to give kids a place to “have fun, find respite, feel normal and forget about their every day struggles.”

The Center for Courageous Kids, 1501 Burnley Road, Scottsville, KY 42164; http://www.thecenterforcourageouskids.org

• Coatings provider: The Valspar Corporation; Minneapolis; http://www.valsparcoilextrusion.com/
• Panel Supplier: Petersen Aluminum; https://www.pac-clad.com/
• Panels engineering, production, Installation: Gunter Construction Roofing; Scottsville, KY; http://www.gunterroofing.com/  and Geoghegan Roofing; Louisville, KY; http://www.goroof.com/
• Architect: Hardaway Construction; Nashville; http://www.hardaway.net/