The Lebanon Star – Episode 14 | Extravagant Kindness with Kevin Schwieger of Luke 5 Adventures

Episode Summary

In Episode 14 of The Lebanon Star, John and Amy sit down with longtime friend, pastor, neighbor, and adventurer
Kevin Schwieger, founder of Luke 5 Adventures. For more than 30 years, Kevin and his family have quietly
impacted Lebanon, Ohio through ministry, Upward Basketball, missions, mentorship, and now a global adaptive hiking ministry
that takes individuals with mobility challenges into some of the most breathtaking corners of God’s creation.

The story begins with a woman named Debbie in a wheelchair and a “conversation that never happened” at church — a moment that
the Holy Spirit used to spark a completely new calling. That led Kevin to discover a specialized off-road chair, later named
ROSY in Debbie’s honor, and to launch Luke 5 Adventures with one simple goal: hike with people who can’t hike on
their own, not for them.

Since that first hike at Caesar Creek in 2019, Luke 5 Adventures has completed well over 2,000 hikes, launched multiple
chapters across the United States, partnered with organizations like Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and created their
signature “Hike of a Lifetime” experiences in places like Red River Gorge, Mammoth Cave, Hocking Hills, Pikes Peak, the Grand
Canyon, and even Israel. Along the way, volunteers called “Sherpas” have discovered what Kevin calls
extravagant kindness — the joy of refreshing others and being refreshed themselves.

This conversation is packed with powerful stories of hope, faith, and perseverance, including families who had stopped
dreaming because life with disability felt too hard, and how Luke 5 Adventures helped them start dreaming again. You’ll also
hear the biblical inspiration behind the name “Luke 5,” the vision for future chapters, and practical ways you can step in,
raise your hand, and say, “Here I am.”

Watch & Listen

• Watch on YouTube: (https://youtu.be/warHFXrubWw)
• Listen on Spotify – The Lebanon Star:
  
  https://open.spotify.com/show/2jmqUf4BoYeDsaoHrnma4F
  
• Visit The Lebanon Star:
  https://thelebanonstar.com/

About Our Guest – Kevin Schwieger & Luke 5 Adventures

Kevin describes himself as a “target versus tool” kind of guy: the target never changes – introducing people to a loving
Creator – but the tools can be anything from sports to bike trips to hiking. Luke 5 Adventures is the latest tool in that
calling. Through the ROSY chair (part unicycle, part wheelchair, part rickshaw) and teams of trained Sherpas, the ministry
takes hikers with mobility challenges into rugged trails, caves, mountains, canyons, and parks that would otherwise be
impossible to access.

What started with one piece of equipment and one woman in an assisted living facility has grown into an expanding network of
chapters around the country. Luke 5 Adventures now partners with hospitals, disability organizations, churches, and families
to offer local hikes and life-changing Hike of a Lifetime trips. Along the way, they’ve seen stories of restored hope,
families finally taking inclusive “whole-family” photos in places like Mammoth Cave, and even deeply personal journeys, like
returning to the exact spot in Zion National Park where a husband and father passed away so that his wife and daughter could
experience that sacred place together.

The name “Luke 5” comes from the Bible story where friends refused to let obstacles stop them from bringing their paralyzed
friend to Jesus. When they couldn’t reach Him through the crowded doorway, they went up on the roof, opened it, and lowered
their friend down. That same creative, relentless heart drives Luke 5 Adventures today: doing whatever it takes to help
people encounter God’s creation and God’s love in ways they never thought possible.

Get Involved with Luke 5 Adventures

• Official Website:
  https://luke5adventures.org/
• Volunteer as a Sherpa:
  https://luke5adventures.org/volunteer
• Donate to Support Hikers & Hike of a Lifetime Trips:
  https://luke5adventures.org/donate
• Follow on Facebook:
  https://www.facebook.com/luke5adventures
• Follow on Instagram:
  https://www.instagram.com/luke5adventures
• Subscribe on YouTube:
  https://www.youtube.com/@Luke5Adventures

Key Topics in This Episode

• The “conversation that never happened” with Debbie and how it sparked Luke 5 Adventures
• Finding and funding the first ROSY chair and honoring Debbie Rosen through its name
• Early hikes at Caesar Creek and partnerships with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
• How Luke 5 Adventures grew into thousands of hikes, multiple states, and international trips
• The difference between “charity” and hiking with someone, not just “for” them
• Stories from Grand Canyon, Pikes Peak, Mammoth Cave, Hocking Hills, Israel, and more
• What “extravagant kindness” looks like in real life
• The heart behind Luke 5: creative, persistent friends who will stop at nothing to help someone encounter Jesus
• How to volunteer, give, pray, or help launch future chapters

Subscribe to The Lebanon Star Podcast

Don’t miss future conversations with the people who make Lebanon, Ohio such a special place to live, work, and serve.
Subscribe and share with a friend who loves this community!

• Subscribe on YouTube:
  
  https://www.youtube.com/@TheLebanonStar
  
• Listen on Spotify:
  
  https://open.spotify.com/show/2jmqUf4BoYeDsaoHrnma4F
  
• Visit the Website:
  
  https://thelebanonstar.com/
  

Episode Hashtags

#Luke5Adventures #HikeOfALifetime #ExtravagantKindness #SherpaStrong #AdaptiveHiking #AccessibilityMatters #LetEveryHikerHike
#OutdoorInclusion #SeeTheCreation #MobilityAwareness #DisabilityInclusion #HikingForAll #HereIAm #Luke5 #AdventureForAll
#OneWheelOneMission #ROSYChair #MakeADifference #VolunteerSherpa #FaithInAction #AdaptiveOutdoors #GiveHope
#TheLebanonStar #LebanonOhio #LebanonOH #WarrenCounty #OhioPodcasts #LebanonCommunity #LocalStories #LebanonLocal #OhioSmallTown #OhioLife #LoveLebanon