Camp News
Dusty Davis Hangs with Lance Armstrong
May 1st, 2012
Dusty Davis, Falling Creek Chaplain and Alum, rides with Lance Armstrong in the big Bike Race in Alabama over the weekend. Way to go Dusty!
Dusty and his wife Mary Lou were on the FCC staff when Yates and Goody were campers and CIT’s. Their son Chase will be returning to main camp for his 7th summer. Their older son, Cole will be returning for his first summer on the FCC staff. Dusty will be returning this summer to be a leader in both of the Father/Son weekends in May and staff orientation.
0 CommentsTalented Team
April 13th, 2012
Falling Creek Camp is excited to announce wonderful additions to our leadership team. Crom Carey has begun his responsibilities as Program Director and Paige Hafner has accepted the position of Administrative Director. Nathan Newquist will be shifting his duties to Operations Director, handling much of the ever-growing logistics which keep camp functioning efficiently for campers, parents, and staff.
Crom Carey Joins Falling Creek Camp As Program DirectorAfter nine summers as a camper and four summers on staff at Falling Creek, we are happy that Crom has accepted the position as Program Director. He will oversee the in-camp activity areas and camp events. Moving from long-time camper to staff member, Crom started as a junior counselor and through the years progressed into activity leader for Mountain Biking and Cherokee Tribal Leader. With his knowledge of Falling Creek and years of experience with camp activities, he has hit the ground running planning for this summer.
Crom is from Knoxville and graduated from The University of Tennessee. He was active on campus, starting the cycling team and serving as vice president of his fraternity. Crom also directed the SAE Boxing Tournament, raising money for Golden Gloves Charities, which is the largest fraternity philanthropy in the country. He also chaired Relay For Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. After college Crom worked in Atlanta for an IT recruiting company.
Crom is especially looking forward to working with Falling Creek’s outstanding counselors to provide the traditions and experience he had as a camper. Although mountain biking was his first love, his new favorite activity is paddling. You can be sure he is out and about in WNC when given the chance. We are thankful to have Crom join our year-round team!
Alison, Paige & Sydney HafnerWe are pleased that Paige Hafner will be joining us starting May 1st in the new role of Administrative Director. She will have management responsibility for camp communications and office operations.
Paige knows firsthand the benefits of a camp experience. As Executive Director of the Henderson County Young Leaders Program, she worked with community partners, schools, and local camps to carry out the mission of the non-profit. The organization provides earned experiences to local youth aged 8-17 with a progression of camp sessions throughout the year as the main medium. She brings a vast amount of logistical, computer, and organizational experience. Along with her capability leading a youth organization, Paige has held many positions as a director of processes, projects, and people.
Paige lives in nearby Flat Rock with her daughters, Alison and Sydney, who are veteran campers. She stays busy cheering them on in their sports activities and serving as a volunteer and board member with several community organizations. Paige is excited for summer when camp is in full swing! She is looking forward to experiencing camp through the eyes of campers and getting to know the wonderful Falling Creek families she has heard so much about. Paige will likely be the person you speak with if you call the camp office, and will greet you at the top of the road on opening day. We are eager to introduce you so you can come to like her as much as we do.
We feel confident that Nathan, Crom, and Paige have taken on roles that match their talents and will continue to keep Falling Creek the best boys camp in the country!. These folks, along with Jim, Ben, Frank, Claudia, Jerry, Simon, Scotty, Drew, and Yates and Marisa, make up a strong team. We have a passion for what we do and enjoy working together to create positive opportunities for boys in the camp environment. We are all enthusiastically looking forward to this summer.
0 CommentsNathan shifts to new role at Falling Creek as Operations Director!
February 21st, 2012
Nathan, a native of Texas and graduate of Texas Christian University began his Falling Creek career in 2001. After many summers serving as cabin counselor, tribal leader, and head of waterfront, Nathan joined the year-round team as Program Director in 2008. Capitalizing on his many skills, he will now shift his energy to ensuring smooth day-to-day operation of camp.
Over the last few years Nathan has been responsible for many improvements at Falling Creek; including publication of newsletters, The Green and Gold book, website design, and online features for camp families and staff. He is definitely our go-to-guy for all things “tech-y.” Nathan’s knowledge of Falling Creek combined with his skills in system’s design and management continues to move FCC to the high bar we set for ourselves…. “takin’ it to a whole ‘nutha level!”
0 CommentsFCC's Climbing Program is Rock Solid
February 19th, 2012
Climber's view up Gilberts Rock in 1978We are pleased to have been able to recently acquire a wooded tract of land encompassing Gilbert’s Rock, an integral part of Falling Creek Camp’s progression-based climbing program. This was a smooth transition from previous owner, Chuck McGrady/Taproots Corporation, Director Emeritus of Falling Creek. This will allow FCC to continue to meet the high instructional level that we have become accustomed. Parts of Gilbert’s surface are highly featured and allow ample hand and foot holds for new climbers, making it a great place for teaching.
Reaching the top of Gilbert's Rock in 1978The long tradition of climbing this beautiful rock began when area rock climbing pioneers Steve Longenecker and a friend (Wally Wallace) made the first ascent as technical rock climbers in 1965. They also were the first to christen it “Gilbert’s Rock”. Local residents called it “Tater Knob” and certainly must have climbed it as a dare many years before Longenecker and Wallace discovered the rock face. Yates’ first rock climbing experience was on Gilbert’s in 1978, with Steve, when he attended June Camp.
Although, recreational climbing by individuals is not permitted, approximately 16 camps and organizations in the area will be offered continued use. Ultimately, all the campers served will benefit from the rewarding feeling when they reach the top!
1 CommentWishing Susan Well
February 18th, 2012
Susan Frame, camp’s Registrar extraordinaire, is moving on from Falling Creek after 22 years of service. She is active in church and community activities and may even get in some golf with her husband Charlie, but she is adamant that she is not “retiring” in the normal sense.
Her son’s business may even keep her hopping, as Sam is the Founder and President of Titan-Pro Drumsticks, the world’s first 100% Green Drumsticks made from recycled carbon fiber. They have received high praise from the industry.
Susan has been a valuable member of the Falling Creek Camp family and the first person you speak with when contacting camp. She voiced that she will miss talking on the phone with camp families that she has developed a strong relationship with over the years.
I know you join us in wishing Susan well in her future endeavors.
8 CommentsCongratulations To Eli Manning!
February 6th, 2012
Falling Creek Camp sends a big Congratulations to Eli Manning (FCC Camper in the early 1990’s), and the NY Giants, for their 2nd Super Bowl Win over the New England Patriots.
0 CommentsGreen's/Rosco's reconstruction is Underway!
January 5th, 2012
We are all very pleased that Rosco’s/Green’s reconstruction is underway after the fire last year. This famous Tuxedo landmark was sorely missed last summer and we are thankful the Green Family will be open for business this summer. Annie Pharr took some pictures of the progress for us all to enjoy.
Two New Exotic Snakes for FCC's Nature Program
January 2nd, 2012
Two beautiful, exotic snakes were donated to Falling Creek by The Wilds, a camp near Brevard, NC. They had used the snakes as part of their Nature Program, but decided that they were too much trouble to keep during the off-season.
A Ball Python, perhaps the gentlest of all exotic snakes!Most problems with keeping tropical snakes involve the feeding and overall enclosure temperature. Unlike our native species that don’t eat between fall and late spring, boas and pythons feed year-round. And as they become larger, they need food that is expensive and sometimes hard to locate.
Normally, our Nature Program restricts itself to critters who are native to the NC mountains. Since Steve Longenecker does many school and Scout programs during the school year, he accepted these snakes to use in those roles and will let them become part of our 2012 program at FCC.
This is 'Hercules', a Columbian Red-Tailed Boa.These two seem to not only eat readily, but have gentle personalities and accept handling quite nicely. They are welcomed as important facets of Falling Creek’s Nature Program and could well-become “camper favorites” by the time summer’s over!
Steve knows, from his many years doing snake programs, that one of the most important aspects of those programs is giving the audience a chance to touch/hold non-venomous examples. He knows that doing that is often a huge breakthrough for “snake haters,” and often permits them to have an entirely-different attitude towards one of the most misunderstood animals on Earth.
If you’d like to keep up with SFL and the snakes and raptors, you can visit his website.
0 CommentsFirst Snow of This Fall Season
November 30th, 2011
Morning Watch, Cherokee Tribal Area and ESEFEL Cabin
The Iroquois Tribal Area and Riflery HutJennifer Pharr Davis, Who Broke The World Speed Record For Hiking The Appalachian Trail, Is Nominated For NatGeo's Adventurer of The Year
November 22nd, 2011
Vote For Jennifer Pharr Davis As NatGeo Adventurer Of TheYearFamous local hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis, who broke the world speed record for hiking the Appalachian Trail, has been nominated to receive National Geographic’s Adventurer Of The Year.
Jennifer was a long-time camper at Camp Greystone for Girls and is the owner of Blue Ridge Hiking Company. Greystone director’s, the Miller Family, founded Falling Creek Camp in the summer of 1969.
Fitz Cahall, from National Geographic Magazine, writes “Records are made to be broken,” says long-distance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis. “It’s not the number. The method and the approach are what matters more at the end of the day.” For the last 40 years, men have held the Appalachian Trail record. In the last 20, it’s been confined to an elite club of ultra-runners who typically covered the requisite 30 to 50 miles per day in an 11- to 13-hour period. Conventional wisdom suggested that breaking the record would mean running faster with the same strategy. And a new record holder would most certainly be male.
Jennifer Pharr Davis Sets World Speed Record For Hiking The Appalachian TrailPharr Davis, 28, took the standard strategy and turned it upside down. Moving from north to south, she covered the trail’s 2,181 miles by hiking for 16 hours a day beginning at 4:45 in the morning and walking well into darkness. To stick to an average pace of 47 miles a day, she slept on the trail or at road crossings to eliminate needless commute times to and from the trail. Her husband, Brew Davis, served as the support crew.
Pharr Davis trained by hiking rather than running—and the novel approach worked. By the time she reached the trail’s southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, she had trimmed 26 hours off the previous record with a time of 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. “Exploration can be twofold. It can be going to a new location or it can mean pushing through a physical boundary,” says Pharr Davis. “We were exploring what people thought was possible, for what was possible on the Appalachian Trail, and what was possible for a woman and a hiker.”
Please VOTE for Jennifer and National Geographic will announce the People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year in February 2012.
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