Camp News
Congratulations 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.
0 CommentsMovies and Reunion in Asheville
November 15th, 2011
Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion at the Tindall's home in Asheville, NC on 11-13-11Yates and Marisa, and their girls, Annie, Lucy and Mary, traveled with Nathan and Simon over to Asheville, NC on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011, where Frank and Elizabeth Tindall, and of course LuLu, the black Lab, hosted the Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion. There were many veteran campers present that shared their camp experiences with the new families who came to learn more about Falling Creek.
Steve Longenecker showing Sage, the Peregrine Falcon, to Matt and Ellison Smith at the Asheville Movies on 11-13-11A highlight of the afternoon was Steve Longenecker greeting the families with Sage, the Peregrine Falcon. You could see the interest in their eyes as they got a chance to visit with, up close, the fastest animal in the world. Steve, a 30 plus year FCC staffer, cares for about 7 birds of prey year round that he has to educate groups every week. We’re very excited to say that Falling Creek, we understand, is the only traditional summer camp that has a Birds of Prey program.
It was also wonderful to reconnect with many Falling Creek Staff from the area who took time out of their busy work and school schedules to come and support FCC. These folks included Tisha Mason, Robert Kirby, Virginia Anderson, and Tyler Biggs, all of whom, we are super excited to say, have formally committed to returning for the 2012 summer on staff.
0 CommentsCamp Movies and Reunion in Greenwich, CT
November 9th, 2011
Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion at the Futch's home in Greenwich, CT on 11-9-11Yates traveled up to the Northeast where Clarke and Julie Futch hosted the Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion at their home in Greenwich, CT. Their son Hayden will be returning to Main camp for his 6th summer. Hayden was a big help for Yates in managing the movie and also shared his camp experiences with the new families who came to learn more about Falling Creek. We especially enjoyed seeing all the projects he made in Blacksmithing, as Hayden is a “Warrior”, the highest level of progression.
Robert Eshleman, a long-time FCC camper and counselor from New Orleans, took time out of his busy schedule to come and support us. Robert, who recently graduated from the University of Virginia this past May, is working in New York City.
Yates was also very pleased to see Ashley Hutto, an Alumnus who was at FCC in the 80’s and 90’s and was in Yates’ cabin in the late 80’s.
Bryan Milo, also an FCC Alumnus, came to reconnect as well. It was great fun for them to share their stories about their camp experiences at Falling Creek.
Dan Martin, also an FCC Alumnus in the 70’s, brought his son Spencer, who is returning to camp this summer, going to the August session.
We thank the Futch family for again opening up their beautiful home for the Movies and Reunion.
0 CommentsMovies and Reunion in Space City
November 8th, 2011
Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion at the Mentz's home in Houston, TX on 11-8-11Yates made his way southeast to Houston, TX, where Hal and Paula Mentz hosted the Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion. Their sons, Henry, James and Philip are long-time FCC campers. Henry is a freshman at Sewanee now and Philip is coming back to main camp for his 6th summer.
Yates enjoyed the opportunity to meet with so many new families who came to learn more about Falling Creek. With there also being a large group of veteran campers present, these boys were a huge help in answering the new families questions and we all enjoyed them sharing stories about their camp experiences.
Yates was also pleased to reconnect with Laffy Herring, an FCC Alumni who went to camp with Yates and Goody in the 70’s and early 80’s. His son, Lafayette, will be returning to the June session for his 4th summer. Carleton Riser’s 3 boys came to see why his dad enjoyed going to FCC for many summers in the 80’s. He was in a cabin with Yates one of those summers during Main camp. Seth Barrett, also a Falling Creek Alumni, brought his son Bobby to see the camp movie. Although he is too young to go now, Bobby can’t wait.
Many thanks to the Mentz family for opening up their beautiful home to host this large group of families.
0 CommentsReunion and Movies in Big D
November 8th, 2011
Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion at the Singhal's home in Dallas, TX on 11-7-11Yates made his way out to the big state of Texas where Dotti and Nupe Singhal hosted the Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion in Dallas. Their sons, Jackson and James will be returning to the August session this summer. James did an excellent job setting up the DVD for Yates and making sure that the video was playing when cued, and at the right volume. Jackson shared some stories about his experiences at camp and showed the big group of families present the very special project he made in Woodworking class. It even had removable shelves!
Yates was very happy to reconnect with long-time friends and Falling Creek Alumni Rick and Emily Broad, who Yates and Marisa were on staff with in the 80’s. Marisa, Emily and Goody were swimming instructors together in the 1989 summer. Rick’s first summer was 1985 and then went on to become an Assistant Director at Falling Creek until 1994. They are so pleased that their sons have been enjoying their own FCC experiences. Both Charles and Bennett will be going to Main camp for their 5th summer at camp.
Michael Rowland, also an FCC alumni from St. Louis, went to camp with Yates, and his brother Stephen and Goody from 1980-1989. Michael was also sharing some of his favorites memories of camp. He and his wife, like Yates and Marisa, have only girls, and they go to nearby Camp Greystone. The Miller Family, Greystone’s Director’s, founded Falling Creek Camp back in 1969.
We were also very pleased that Tyler Vaughan, a top FCC counselor during the summers of 2009 and 2010, took time out of his busy senior year at Southern Methodist University, to reconnect. Tyler helped Yates answer questions from the parents, like how he communicated with them by writing “mama letters”. It was a great way for the new families to hear his counselor’s perspective on camp.
We thank the Singhal’s for their wonderful hospitality, welcoming so many families into their home.
0 CommentsCamp Movies and Reunion in O-Town Area
November 3rd, 2011
Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion at the Spafford's home in Windermere, FL on 11-3-11Yates made his way up to the center of Florida where Amy and Jeff Spafford hosted the Orlando area Falling Creek Camp Movies and Reunion in their home in Windermere, FL. They have three sons who all go to Falling Creek. Rocs will be returning to Main camp for his 5th summer, Jeffrey to August for his 5th summer and Jacob to August for his 3rd summer. They all did a wonderful job helping Yates with the movie show and asking some key questions, breaking the ice for other boys and parents to ask what questions they had.
We were very pleased to find many of the families were learning about Falling Creek Camp for the first time. We want to thank the Spafford’s for inviting these families into their beautiful home.
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