The front door of a house is like a friendly face welcoming you home. At the Cannaley Treehouse Village, entry doors will invite visitors to their home away from home as they begin a family adventure in Oak Openings Preserve.

The warm, modern look of the Therma-Tru doors, the first of which was installed in December, provides the aesthetic and performance that the Metroparks planning team was looking for, with the added bonus of working with a company deeply rooted in the community.

Therma-Tru, founded in 1962 and based in Maumee, provided 15 entry doors from its premium Classic-Craft product line valued at approximately $40,000, plus a $10,000 cash donation, making the company one of the leading contributors to the only treehouse village in a public park anywhere in the nation.

“With the look of wood and the durability of fiberglass, our Classic-Craft American Style doors will provide reliable access and security for visitors of the treehouse village for years to come,” said Kyle Rhine, brand public relations and advertising specialist for the company.

Rhine explained that Therma-Tru's local involvement focuses on contributions that are making lives better, corporate citizenship and employee involvement. The company's Charitable Contributions Committee, he said, felt the treehouse village met the criteria.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this one-of-a-kind project that will make it easier for Toledo area residents to experience and interact with nature in a new and unique way,” he said.

Ally Effler, Metroparks director of philanthropy, said that working with Therma-Tru was a natural fit because, like Metroparks, it focuses on the consumer experience.

"When you talk to the folks at Therma-Tru, they speak about their doors welcoming people and providing a sense of security," Effler said. "When we talk about the treehouse village, we think in terms of quality family experiences in nature."

Effler said Metroparks challenged the company to craft "just the right esthetic to make each treehouse welcoming and functional - and they delivered!"

Because of its ties to the community, Therma-Tru, like other partners in the project, have an interest in fostering the region's quality of life, including its natural assets – and now, a treehouse village where people can immerse themselves in one of the region's most important natural areas, the Oak Openings.

"We really value partnerships with companies that share our commitment to serving and enhancing our local community," Effler said.