Camp News
Skiing with Friends
January 29, 2010
Last Saturday, a group of Falling Creek staff decided to meet at Sugar Mountain and ski. Robert Kirby, Andrew Smith, Corey Hopkins and Nathan Newquist decided to take advantage of the good weather and recent snowfall.
Will, Ben, Kirby, James, Nathan, Andrew and Corey.
While the group was getting their boots and skis on, Nathan heard somebody call his name. It was Ben, an alumni camper, from Mount Airy, NC. He and his brothers James and Will, who are Falling Creek alumni, were at the resort with their family and church group for the weekend.
The group skied, some snowboarded, until the lifts closed for the day. It was a great Saturday that was made even better by meeting up with friends.
0 CommentsDustin and the AT
January 18, 2010
Dustin Sharp, staff member and former camper, is home for the holidays after hiking the Appalachian Trail.
He completed the journey in a little under five months. Dustin said the hike was great, but trialing at times.
He is already planning another adventure, and might stop by camp this summer. Dustin's future plans include joining the US Coast Guard.
0 CommentsBlackwood, Stec, FCC and the ACA
December 11, 2009
Friendships formed at camp are lifelong.
FCC Alumni at the Green River in 1995.
Wade Blackwood and Christopher Stec worked together at the Yak Shack on the paddling staff at Falling Creek in the summer of 1995.
Fourteen years later the two FCC alumni have reunited as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the American Canoe Association, the oldest non-profit paddle-sports organization in the country.
Wade was a camper in 1979 and staff member in 1995. Chris was a counselor from 1995 to 1999 and served as a director from 2000 to 2007.
Coincidentally, during their initial staff training, they both took an ACA Whitewater Canoe Instructor Certification Workshop (to find out how they did, email Jim Goodrum!)
Chris and his son, Andrew.
The relationship forged over those three summer months created a common bond that has culminated in a strong partnership dedicated to providing people of all abilities with the opportunity to paddle on America's waterways.
For more information about how Wade and Chris are making a positive impact on paddle-sports education, stewardship and recreation across the country, please visit the American Canoe Association's website.
0 CommentsOnline Historical Archive
December 07, 2009
1969 Green & Gold
There are only a handful of people who have seen this image. Now it, and many more, are available to everyone!
We are proud to announce the creation of the Falling Creek online Historical Archive.
Currently it contains the Green & Gold books from 1969 to the early 90s, and in a short while the complete 40-year collection will be available. We also plan to put the early brochures online and other historical photographs.
Check it out, and check it often! It will continually expand as more photos and items are digitized.
Labels: alumni
0 CommentsAwesome Asheville Attendance
November 20, 2009
On Sunday Frank and Elizabeth Tindall hosted the Falling Creek Camp movies at their home in Asheville. It was a great time to reconnect with the existing campers from the area, and the new families interested in camp had a chance to meet a large group of staff and alumni who came to support FCC.
Asheville, North Carolina
Gordon and Laurie Strayhorn directors and owners of Camp Illahee for girls in Brevard, showed their camp movie at the Tindall's right before our FCC movie show. Gordon and Laurie are alumni of Falling Creek. They met here in 1983 while Gordon was the program director and Laurie was on the paddling staff.
Other alumni included David Brown, who came with his son Joey, a veteran camper who will return for his fifth summer in 2010. David and his brother Bucky were the heads of the paddling program when Yates and Goody were campers in the late 70's and early 80's.
Joey has followed his father's and uncle's footsteps in becoming a great paddler, having the opportunity to experience the HUCK Paddling Adventure this past summer. Check out this incredible trip by watching the trip movie on our website.
Ellison Smith, who served as a camp doctor, brought his son Matt who will be returning to camp this summer. Matt has signed up to be a part of the 2010 HUCK Adventure, as well.
Phil and Jessica Hoffmann drove over from Brevard where they own and operate Looking Glass Outfitters. Phil is a former FCC camper, staff member and director.
There was a banner group of top Falling Creek staff (Staff Bios) in attendance including the entire Pharr family, Jim Goodrum, Nathan Newquist, Ben Williams, Robert Kirby, Natasha Johnson, Jim and Nancy Kurtts and Steve Longenecker. Jim is returning to FCC for his 41st summer and Steve for his 32nd summer. Courtney Long helped SFL present Lil Red the Screech Owl, who is the newest addition to the FCC Birds Of Prey Family, for the families to meet. Jim, Mary Ellen and Sydney Parham, drove an hour and a half to be at the show!
What an amazing way to finish our Falling Creek Camp Movies Fall tour. We are so thankful that we had a chance to visit almost 40 cities where we were able to reconnect with many of the current campers, staff and alumni and introduce our awesome camp community to the new families who came to learn more about camp. We want to especially thank all of our family representatives for serving as such wonderful ambassadors of Falling Creek and opening their doors to host these fun camp gatherings.
Please keep in touch with our regular news updates and visits to your area when we are interviewing staff.
Know of an awesome young man in your neighborhood or church who is in college now and would be a super role model on our staff? Please let us know how we can meet him.
Our Falling Creek crew sends Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you all!
Labels: alumni, huck, movie show, staff
0 CommentsTexas, Connecticut, and New Jersey
November 17, 2009
On Sunday, November 8, Yates traveled to Hal and Paula Mentz's home in Houston to reconnect with current Falling Creek families and alumni as well as meet new families interested in learning about camp. All three Mentz boys will return to camp this summer and Henry is planning to be a Counselor in Training.
Houston, Texas
Laffy Herring, whose son is returning to camp this summer, brought his family. Laffy was a camper in the 70s and 80s with Yates. A special thanks to all of the veteran campers who attended as they were a big help in answering questions about FCC.
Yates then drove north to Dallas where Julie and Andres Diaz hosted the movies for the families in the area on Tuesday. Their son Peter will return to camp this summer.
Dallas, Texas
In addition to the large group of new and returning families, Tyler Vaughan, one of our top first year staff in 2009, took time out of his busy schedule at SMU to come see us. Tyler is a sophomore from Birmingham majoring in engineering. Tyler plans to return to camp to be on staff this summer.
Rick and Emily Broad brought their three boys over from Richardson to the show. Their two oldest boys will return this summer. Rick and Emily were on FCC staff with Marisa and Yates in the late 1980's. Rick was the program director in the early 90s. They now own and operate a physical therapy business in Wylie, Texas.
On Wednesday, Yates traveled to Julie and Clarke Futch's home in Greenwich, where he connected with a large group of families from the area. Their son Hayden is planning to return to camp this summer.
Greenwich, Connecticut
Yates then made his way south to Princeton on Thursday to Tasha and Mark Gajewski's home where he met a number of both returning and new families interested in Falling Creek. Dana's younger brother Reid will be joining him this summer at camp.
Parker Vaughey, a five-year main camper from '78-'82 from Jackson, brought his son Aidan who plans to return this summer.
Princeton, New Jersey
Robert and Thomas Naylor get the award for the longest drive to the movie as they traveled from Pennsylvania (more than 1.5 hours) to learn more about camp. Thomas is excited to be going to the Main session for his first time at Falling Creek.
We would like to thank the Mentz, Diaz, Futch and Gajewski families for their support by hosting and providing awesome venues for reconnecting and learning more about Falling Creek Camp.
Labels: alumni, CIT, movie show, staff
0 CommentsAlabama, Florida, and South Carolina
November 16, 2009
Montgomery, Alabama
On Sunday, November 1, Yates traveled to Montgomery to show the camp movies at David and Leslie Little's home. Their sons, Mason and Tucker, have been going to FCC for several years.
Joining the group of boys who came to reconnect and learn more about Falling Creek were alumni, Brooke Lawson and Walton Vaughan. Both were campers in the 70's and 80's. What a thrill it is for their sons to now have the chance to go to FCC like they did.
Yates met up with a large group in Jacksonville on Tuesday at Cindy and John Glover's home. Their boys, Patrick and Christian are veteran FCC campers.
Jacksonville, Florida
Patrick's shop.
In a combination of inspiration from Patrick's great uncle, a famous artisan blacksmith, and his experiences blacksmithing at Falling Creek, Patrick has created his own shop at his home and is busy working on projects. He hopes to launch a website soon. Congratulations Patrick.
Ormond Beach, Florida
The next stop was on Wednesday, where Yates visited Ormond Beach. Fred Share, whose three oldest boys went to Falling Creek in the early 2000s, is happy that his youngest son, Kevin and several of his friends will be going this summer for their first time.
Yates then drove up to Columbia on Thursday, where Robert and Shana Adams hosted the Falling Creek movies. Young Robert and Joel will be returning for another summer at FCC.
Robert was a camper at Camp Deerwood with Frank Tindall and also served as program director there for a few summers.
Columbia, South Carolina
Billy Cantey, an FCC camper in the 80's was happy to introduce his family to everyone who attended. His oldest son will be going to Falling Creek for his first time this summer.
Will Adams (no relation), who was a top Falling Creek counselor this summer, took time out of his busy college schedule to come visit. Will is a senior at the University of South Carolina, and congratulations are in order as he recently announced that his engagement with plans set for June.
Labels: alumni, blacksmithing, employment, movie show, staff
0 CommentsThe Green River Race
November 11, 2009
In football you have the Super Bowl, in baseball you have the World Series, and in Hockey you have the Stanley Cup. In the world of whitewater paddling, you have the Green Race.
The uniqueness of the Green Race lays in history of the event. It was started by friends and it has continued to be run by friends and supported by volunteers. For the racers it is a chance to showcase the river that they love so much, and for a chance to win the small handmade glass trophy.
Andrew Holcombe
Sporting events create their own feel and excitement, and for some the event seems to start weeks ahead of time. For me the changing of the leaves, the cool mornings, and the line of eleven-foot-plus kayaks on top of car roof racks driving on I-26 between Saluda, NC, and Hendersonville, NC, means it is once again time for the annual Green River Narrows Race.
Andrew Holcombe
The Narrows of the Green is a world class stretch of whitewater tucked away on the Henderson and Polk County line. With Falling Creek's proximity to the Green river, it seems that each year several campers, counselors, and alumni show up to watch the race... and a few brave souls that compete.
Along the banks of the Green River on Saturday, I ran into Mel Ringler (counselor), Asa Walker (camper), Corey Hopkins (counselor), Andrew Smith (counselor), James Boyd (camper and counselor), Adam Secrest (counselor), Polk Deters and his son Scout (camper and counselor), Michael Welch (camper), Steve McGrady (camper), Brent Denys and his father (camper), Sean Thompson(camper), Charles Jordan (counselor), Annie Martin (counselor), and Andrew Holcombe (Huck counselor).
The Gorilla Rapid
The race is roughly a mile long and the winning time this year was 4:18 which was set by Andrew Holcombe and is the current course record. The course is made up of several class IV and V rapids, with Gorilla being the marquee rapid of the event.
Gorilla is a five-foot-wide flume that drops 18 vertical feet, truly a remarkable sight. Standing and watching paddlers come through the notch and soar off the horizon line of Gorilla every minute for well over three hours, can take one's breath away.
- Ben Williams
Labels: alumni, huck, paddling, staff
0 CommentsKentucky to Tennessee
November 02, 2009
Yates made his way south from Cincinnati to Lexington on Wednesday, where Amy and Darren Duzyk hosted the Falling Creek Camp movies for the first time. Their son Connor, who will be returning for his third summer. He was a big help to Yates in answering questions from the parents and boys interested in learning more about camp.
Lexington, KY
Taylor Ward, an FCC alumnus from the 80's brought his son to share his great camp memories. Clay Willet, a top Falling Creek staff member and long-time camper, came by also to offer his support. Clay is a senior psychology major at the University of Kentucky and grew up in near-by Louisville.
Continuing south, Yates met a number of new families in the Chattanooga area on Thursday. Beth and Alan Janney hosted the FCC movies for their first time.
Beth, however, is no stranger to the camping world. She was a long time camper and counselor at camp Merrie-Woode, having made "captain rank" as a camper and served as the sought after "leader of the docks" while on staff. Their son Cole will be coming to the June session for his first summer at Falling Creek Camp.
We want to thank the Duzyk's and the Janney's for their support in hosting Falling Creek movies in their homes.
Labels: alumni, chattanooga, lexington, movie show, staff
0 CommentsTennessee to Ohio
October 28, 2009
Yates traveled to Libby and Ross Cheek's home in Nashville on Sunday to show the camp movies. He was thrilled to catch up with a big group that included new families, veteran campers, staff and alumni.
Nashville, Tennessee
Jamie Kaplan, a seven-year camper and staff member at Falling Creek, came by to offer his support and insight to the new parents and boys who are thinking about coming to camp this summer. Jamie is a junior civil engineering major from Atlanta, who is enjoying his experience at Vanderbilt University.
Margaret Anderson, a veteran FCC nurse, is an instructor at the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Her son Gage is returning to camp for his fifth summer. We feel fortunate that Margaret is returning to serve as a camp nurse in June.
Will Weaver and Brendan Finucane were Falling Creek campers in the 80's. They are certainly pleased that their sons are getting to share in the same FCC experience they received. We are also excited that the Cheek's son William will be returning for his sixth summer and attending Main camp.
Louisville, Kentucky
Yates then made his way north on Monday to Louisville, to meet up with several families at Franklin and Hollis Stark's home. The photo includes a portion of those that attended. Franklin and August, who are cousins and campers at FCC, were a big help to Yates in answering questions from the families who are new to Falling Creek. We know the boys are excited to be returning to camp this summer, August for his fourth and Franklin for his sixth.
Cincinnati, Ohio
On Tuesday Yates was delighted to visit Chalky and Beth Thomas' home in Cincinnati to show the camp movies. Chalky, an FCC alumnus from the 70's is pleased that their son Blake will be returning to FCC for his fourth summer to attend Main Camp.
Chip Skidmore, who attended FCC in the 70's, brought his son Carson, who plans to return to June camp this summer. Carson's cousins will be attending June camp this summer for their first FCC experience. Their father, Jeff, attended Falling Creek in the 70's as well.
We want to thank the Cheek's, Stark's and Thomas' for graciously hosting the Falling Creek Camp movies in their homes and offering the chance for new families to learn more about FCC and allowing the returning campers, staff and alumni to reconnect.
Labels: alumni, cincinnati, louisville, movie show, nashville, staff
0 CommentsFCC in FL
October 23, 2009
Miami, FL
Yates made his way down to the southern tip of Florida on Sunday to show the camp movie at Betsy and Art Murphy's home for the Miami area families. It was a beautiful day with the temperatures getting to a high in the low 70's. Their sons, Teddy and Anderson will be returning to Main camp this summer.
Naples, FL
On Monday, Yates traveled to Naples to reconnect with a number of FCC families. Susan and Jeff Nunner hosted the show. Their son Alex will attend Main Camp this summer and Sam will attend the August Session. Also in Naples, Doug Newell, a Falling Creek alumnus from the early 70's, came by to be a part of the fun and see the new DVD.
West Palm Beach, FL
Yates had the pleasure of driving back to the west coast of Florida on Tuesday to show the movies at Tim and Inge Skelly's home in West Palm Beach. Their son Tommy will be coming back to June camp for his 5th summer. Tim and Yates were campers and counselors at camp for 12 years (1978-1989).
Mariano and Andres Garcia came by to provide their support. They were a part of the B.A.M. Father/Son Weekend at camp in late September.
Paul R. took time out of his busy schedule to come by as well. Paul is a junior in high school and will be returning to Main Camp for his 5th summer. Paul is also one of the stars of the new HUCK Paddling Trip video. If you have not seen this yet, take a look at the amazing accomplishments these boys have worked up to over the last couple of years paddling at Falling Creek.
On Wednesday, Yates trekked up to Tampa to connect with a good mixture of returning campers and families new to Falling Creek. Preston and Laura Farrior hosted the show. Their sons Gator and Wyatt are FCC campers and Gator will be returning to Main camp for his 6th summer.
Orlando, FL
Yates then drove to the middle of the state to connect with the families in the greater Orlando area. Lori and Robert Brand hosted the show for their first time. Their son Robert attended camp for the first time last summer and will return to the August 2-week session. Robert, Sr. went to Charlotte Country Day with Yates and was a star running back for the Buccaneers.
Dr. Floyd Livingston and his son Erickson attended the show. Floyd was the camp doctor during the first week of Main camp last summer and his wife Kathrynn was a nurse during all 4 weeks of Main camp. Erickson is coming back to Main camp for his 5th summer and both of the Livingston's will be a part of the Falling Creek medical team again this summer.
We want to thank the Murphy's, Nunner's, Skelly's, Farrior's and Brand's for all their hard work in organizing and hosting the Falling Creek Camp movies this past week in Florida.
Labels: alumni, huck, movie show
0 CommentsAlabama to Louisiana
October 16, 2009
Birmingham
Yates remained in Alabama on Tuesday and visited Birmingham. Mary and Crawford McInnis hosted the group of FCC families who came to reunite, and the new families who wanted to learn more about Falling Creek.
Crawford, and his brother Proctor (who lives in Miramar Beach, FL and whose son Sterrett attends FCC), were campers with Yates back in the 80's. Their son Ford will be returning for his 4th year at camp.
Jim Williams and Dusty Davis, both FCC alumni were there to support Falling Creek. Both of their sons are multi-year FCC campers.
Dusty and his wife Mary Lou were on staff when Yates was an older camper and CIT. Dusty, who is the chaplain of varsity sports at University of Alabama - Birmingham, has returned to camp as a part of the camp staff for the last four years. He is also a key leader of our B.A.M. Father/Son weekend.
New Orleans
On Wednesday Yates traveled to "The Big Easy". Maria and Noel Johnson, and Noel's mother Marian, hosted the show for all of the New Orleans area families. Their son Lawrence will be returning to FCC this summer to continue following in his dad and uncle Todd's footsteps as an FCC camper.
Rob Vosbein and Miller Engelhardt, who came to the movies for the first time with their sons, are FCC alumni from the 70's and 80's. They enjoyed the chance to reconnect and watch the movie.
We want to thank the McInnis' and the Johnson's for their support in hosting these Falling Creek Camp movie shows.
Labels: alumni, movie show
0 CommentsSuperb Start to the Show Season
September 23, 2009
Yates and Nathan traveled to Charlotte Sunday afternoon to kick off the Falling Creek Camp movie tour. Anne and Ed Henegar hosted the show. In addition to the large group of families, Eric Osterhus, FCC counselor and recent graduate of Wingate University, came by to help us greet new families and say, "Hello," to the returning campers and their parents.
FCC campers, staff and alumni at the Greenville movie show.
Yates was in Greenville Tuesday night to greet a large group of interested FCC families at the home of Parker and Alex Crawford. Suzanne and John Sanders brought their crew. John served as the camp doctor during the second week of August camp and Suzanne shared very kind words about her experience at camp for that week. Richard McIntosh, the head of the woodworking program at camp, whose family lives in the area, also came by to offer his support and tell stories.
We thank both the Henegar's and Crawford's for their support as hosts for showing the camp movies in their area. We look forward to seeing you out on the road this fall. Check out the Travel Schedule to see when we'll be in your area. Our next show is in Atlanta!
Labels: alumni, movie show
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