ABOUT
Built from lived experience. Designed for All.
AccZess Europe Lake Cabins began with a simple but deeply personal question:
Why is it so hard to find a truly accessible place to rest in nature?
We are the DeGuire family — Kristy and Jeremiah, our three children — along with our close friend Chad. Jeremiah and Chad use wheelchairs for mobility, and our youngest son lives with cerebral palsy and uses a forearm crutch or walker. Travel, for us, has always required extra research, extra calls, and often extra compromise.
“Accessible” too often means partial.
It means one step at the entrance.
It means narrow bathroom doors.
It means beautiful settings that simply aren’t usable.
After years of searching for the kind of place we wished existed, we decided to build it.
Why “AccZess”?
We spell it with a Z on purpose.
The word “Access” itself can’t be protected — but what we’re building isn’t generic access. It’s intentional. It’s personal. It’s designed from the ground up by people who rely on accessibility every single day.
The Z represents:
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Zero steps
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Zero barriers
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Zero “almost accessible”
Accessibility here is not retrofitted. It’s not decorative. It’s not an afterthought. It is the foundation.
The Land That Started It All
In January, two years ago, we purchased 11 wooded acres along the shoreline of Europe Lake in Door County, Wisconsin. It felt peaceful the moment we strolled it — tall trees, gentle lake edges, and even a quiet internal wetland tucked into the heart of the property.
We didn’t just see land.
We saw possibility.
We imagined mornings on a screened porch.
Evenings by a fireplace.
Kayaks launching from an accessible dock.
Boardwalks weaving through wetlands so no one has to sit out the experience.
That vision became AccZess.
AccZess Europe Lake Cabins began with a simple but deeply personal question:
Why is it so hard to find a truly accessible place to rest in nature?
We are the DeGuire family — Kristy and Jeremiah, our three children — along with our close friend Chad. Jeremiah and Chad use wheelchairs for mobility, and our youngest son lives with cerebral palsy and uses a forearm crutch or walker. Travel, for us, has always required extra research, extra calls, and often extra compromise.
“Accessible” too often means partial.
It means one step at the entrance.
It means narrow bathroom doors.
It means beautiful settings that simply aren’t usable.
After years of searching for the kind of place we wished existed, we decided to build it.
What We’re Building
This summer marks the beginning of preparing the land for utilities and access. We will build:
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A larger 3-bedroom cabin
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A thoughtfully designed 2-bedroom cabin
Every cabin will include:
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No-step entries
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Wide doorways and clear turning spaces
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Fully accessible layouts
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Washer and dryer
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Dishwasher
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Fireplace
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Screened porch
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Accessible lake access, dock, and kayak launch
We are committed to creating spaces that feel warm, welcoming, and beautiful — not clinical. Accessible design can and should feel cozy, restorative, and joyful.
Affordable + Intentional
Over the past year, we’ve redesigned and refined these cabins multiple times. We had to adjust our original “dream cabin” plans to create something more financially attainable without compromising our accessibility standards.
It hasn’t always been easy.
But we stayed true to the mission: build something real, sustainable, and achievable — so this place can exist not just for us, but for others who have been waiting for it.
Beyond the Cabins
AccZess Europe Lake Cabins is about more than buildings.
It’s about belonging.
We also plan to share honest information about accessibility in and around Door County — restaurants, trails, attractions, and outdoor experiences — because true access doesn’t stop at the front door.
We are in the process of establishing a nonprofit component to help offset accessibility costs and make these cabins available to families and individuals who need them most.
This is a long-term vision.
Join the Journey
Right now, we are just getting started — finalizing interiors, preparing the land, and taking the first visible steps toward construction.
If you’ve ever searched for a place like this…
If you’ve ever felt limited by barriers in beautiful spaces…
If you believe nature should belong to everyone…
You’re in the right place.
We’re building the retreat we’ve always searched for — and we can’t wait to welcome you.