(Fall 2022) Grow & Behold: A Publication of Falling Creek Camp

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Fall 2022

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ATLANTA, GA PERMIT NO. 3259

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A Publication of Falling Creek Camp

Post Office Box 98 Tuxedo, North Carolina 28784 828.692.0262 www.fallingcreek.com

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behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

—Psalm 133:1

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executives and teams at non-profits, engineering firms, airports, hospitals, universities, national parks, etc. I competed around the world on the U.S. Whitewater Team for 13 years. It is with pride and joy and not a little reverence that I describe Falling Creek as the model for an aware, intentional, value-driven, accountable organization.

The leaders here consider themselves stewards of the place, the people, and the traditions. They lead with reverence, compassion, and the long-term health of everyone in mind. They are attentive to every camper, every counselor, every activity, every building and trail and vehicle and boat so that the campers have the best possible experience, every hour of every day.

After every day or event or trip, they ask “what went well today, and what could we do better?” Counselors, directors, line heads, the maintenance crew, the kitchen geniuses, all are expected to ask and answer those questions. They are self-analytical, they listen and take feedback beautifully, they are humble and curious, and they are inspiring.

The FCC leadership team lead by example, hold themselves accountable, hold the staff accountable, and ask of the kids an appropriate amount of self-direction

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and responsibility. Each cabin engages in a tradition known as “Evening Embers,” in which the boys are asked to contribute to a meaningful conversation about their day. What went well, what they learned, who was kind or helpful to them, how they may have given of themselves to someone else or to camp in some way. It is a powerful first step into self-awareness and other-awareness.

I have worked for and in many great organizations since my first job at Camp Mondamin as a clueless 18-year-old counselor. I have been lucky and am now intentional to work with great leaders who run valuedriven organizations. My luck has been continuous: to have parents who sent me to camp at age 11, to have embraced outdoor activities as great learning vehicles, to reconnect with the camp community in Henderson County, to connect with the fine leaders at Falling Creek.

Finding great mentors may not be all luck—I seek out folks like them who lead the way I want to be led.

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“. . . from the lake, from the hills, from the sky: all is well, safely rest, God is nigh.” The end of another great day at Falling Creek. I am grateful to have come full circle.

—John Burton (“JGB”)

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Grow behold CONTENTS

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13 Camp as a Catalyst. Christian Wright developed a love for the outdoors as a camper, and now continues to inspire responsible recreation through his role in the National Park Service.

Food For Thought. Mealtimes in the Dining Hall nourish more than just the body.

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The Endless Summer Experience. We asked notable alumni how their summers at camp helped set them up for success.

Fan The Flame. A window into camp life.

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Announcements. Find out what the camp community is up to, all over the world.

20 It’s Your Time. Returning to camp as counselors, and bringing their experience full-circle.

On the Cover: Two brothers explore the natural world while sharing the camp experience together.

Back Cover: A cabin overnight at one of the many shelters on Falling Creek’s property.

4 Yates’ Yak 10 Parents’ Perspectives 12 Morning Watch 28 Scholarships 42 Guts & Glory 76 A Call to Quarters

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Falling Creek’s sailing facility is located about 10 minutes from camp on Lake Summit.

Lake Summit is approximately 300 acres and has about 10 miles of shoreline. The docks and boathouse were renovated in 2021, and our fleet of boats includes Sunfish, Aquafin, and Laser Picos. In the smaller photo, boys are enjoying the scenic and peaceful waters on a summer day in 1977 - as you can see today, not much has changed!

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yates’yak

JOURNEY of growth In 1988 I was a young counselor at Falling Creek, eager to improve my paddling instruction and take campers on some fun adventures. During June Camp that summer, some fellow counselors and I began dreaming up an epic trip that would combine all four adventure activities: hiking, climbing, paddling, and mountain biking. Like much of the camp experience, we knew it would be exciting, challenging, and W memorable, but we didn’t realize how much the lessons we learned on our camp adventures would have an impact on our personal and professional development for the future.

We hope and believe that the Falling Creek experience—whether you’re the youngest camper, a college-aged staff member, or older alumni—will help give you the tools, skills, and connections to succeed in life after camp, wherever it may take you.

Pharr Family from left to right: Zeb Ramsbotham, Annie (Pharr) Ramsbotham, Jasmine, Marisa, Yates, Danielle, Mary, Lucy.

James Bryan, Rick Broad, and I worked together to plan the five-day “Quad-venture,” with the assistance of Donnie Bain (Head of Outdoor Adventure Programs) and Perry White (Program Director). We announced it at the beginning of the session so the boys would have time to do qualifying trips in each one of the programs in order to prepare for the adventure ahead. The boys had to paddle the Lower Green, work up to a three-day backpacking

trip, do two mountain bike trips, and complete both Gil 1 and Gil 2 climbing trips at Gilbert’s Rock. We also had several meetings during the session with the campers to pre-pack supplies and review the route details. The trip itself was an intermediate skill level (with advanced backpacking), but it took advanced organizational skills and persistence from both the campers and the staff.

We began the “Quad-venture” by paddling a full day’s journey on the French Broad River. After taking out at Bent Creek, we hiked the 16-mile-long ShutIn Trail all the way to the top of Mt. Pisgah, with 3000 feet of vertical ascent. From there, we rode mountain bikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Devil’s Courthouse. We finished the trip by rock climbing the routes at Devil’s Courthouse, which is now a protected area for peregrine falcon nesting. Each time we transitioned between activities, we had a coordinated pre-packed trailer from camp meet us with the necessary gear and a food re-supply.

We had never incorporated four activities before, so it was an exciting and rewarding experience.

We ran into typical weather and rain challenges in Pisgah, which made it even more gratifying to finish.

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THE MAGAZINE

Grow behold

Left: Transition from biking the Blue Ridge Parkway to climbing Devils Courthouse Rock (left to right) Yates Pharr, Jim Uden, Bryan Garcia, Chris “Sleepy” Young, James Bryan, John Barrett, Blake Hayunga, Madison Powell, Rick Broad, Beau Bethea, George Sewell, Caton Carter, Polk Deters, & Rick Broad taking the photo

We bonded over the shared experience and still talk about it today, decades later.

During the “Quad-venture” I wasn’t thinking about how I was building career skills, I was just thinking about how to meet the demands of the trip, and how to ensure the campers had fun and stayed safe. Looking back now though I realize how much my experiences as a counselor at Falling Creek translated to my first career in commercial real estate development and property management.

Creating and executing the logistics of a trip takes many of the same skills that are needed in the corporate world. Planning and organizing routes, food, gear, and people for a camp trip is good practice for staying on project timelines and juggling multiple tasks in business.

We had to market our trip to the campers, coordinate the ages and skills of the participants to plan an appropriate and enjoyable program, pull together a qualified team to lead it, regroup and work together in challenging situations, and manage all the people involved once the journey began. These are the same skills a person needs to succeed in any professional role, and they are the experiences I drew on often in my career after camp.

This year, we’ve chosen to focus our magazine on stories around the staff experience. However, since we believe the Falling Creek experience continues from camper to counselor as boys grow into young men, we think these topics will still be relevant to parents of

Fall 2022 Editor: Annie Ramsbotham

Design:

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Steve Parker Design

Editorial Contributors: Yates Pharr, Creston Mapes, John Burton Above: The 1988 trip sign commemorating the “Quadventure” can still be found on the wall of the Mountaineering Hut at FCC, hanging along with the many other adventures that have taken place before and since.

Photographic Contributors: Laura Hartman, Trenton AlmgrenDavis, Courtney Budihas, Whit Nuckolls, James Singhal, Tom Twemlow, and all of our Adventure Trip staff

Cover Photo: Trenton Almgren-Davis current campers as much as parents of staff or staff themselves. Our mission is to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure, and we’ve purposefully left out any age qualifications from that statement. Instead of being specific to campers alone, the benefits of camp are for anyone who enters this community. We hope and believe that the Falling Creek experience—whether you’re the youngest camper, a college-aged staff member, or older alumni—will help give you the tools, skills, and connections to succeed in life after camp, wherever it may take you. We’re thankful to be on this journey of personal growth with you.

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mailcall We get a lot of mail around here and like to share some in each issue of Grow & Behold. Feel free to send your correspondence to the address on the back of the magazine, or to mail@fallingcreek.com.

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Thank you so much for the graduation pin and your letter! I am so grateful to everyone at Falling Creek for shaping who I am. I would not have gone to law school if not for Falling Creek, and I certainly would not have done as well as I had without the resilience and strength of character I was taught there.

After graduation, I am moving to Crested Butte, Colorado, to be a small-town generalist attorney.

My firm is Huckstep Law, and it’ll be just me and my supervising partner, Aaron Huckstep. We’ll do pretty much anything that comes our way, but mostly real estate and land-use law, as well as some estate planning. I will likely also practice some water law as that is the area of law I was most interested in when I came to law school.

Today I was fortunate to be able to guide Max Feild and Tristan Hall down the North Fork of the South Platte, or Bailey as we call it. Those guys are great, and Falling Creek is lucky to have them as paddling counselors! Today was some of the most fun I have had kayaking all season so far. We were talking about FCC stuff the whole way down!

Learning to paddle at FCC was the best thing to ever happen to me, and getting to paddle with a crew of my Falling Creek brothers like today made my heart so full. Below is a picture of the three of us below First Falls today.

Paul, wearing his FCC Graduate Pin after earning his Law Degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Paul - Crested Butte, CO

Max Feild (‘09-’17,’21-’22), Paul Raymond (‘06-’11), and Tristan Hall (‘09-’16,’18-’21) paddling the North Fork of the South Platte River

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We are so thankful for you and everything you do for our boys. Hale is in a 7th grade creative writing class and they put together his writing in a book for a present to the parents. It was so fun reading through it and just how many times Falling Creek showed up throughout as positive moments in his life. I know y’all realize the impact you have on these kids’ lives but I hope seeing this continues to affirm everything y’all do for them. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to send them to Falling Creek.

Alexia - Mountain Brook, AL

We visited Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, on Monday and noticed Benjamin was wearing his FCC t-shirt so wanted to pass along this photo.

I was out on a journalism assignment and just happened to meet another camper, Evan, here in Jackson, Wyoming. We were both June Camp kids in 2009, and it was both of our first years. I was in Little Raven, he was in Cabin 9.

Reed - Bowling Green, KY

Bernie - Cambridge, MA

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Above: Evan Dyer (‘09-’17) and Reed Mattison (‘09’10,’12,’15,’17-’18,’21) reunited in Wyoming Gould Hagler II (Camper ‘94-’97, Counselor ‘04) was introduced to backpacking as a camper and enjoys sharing his love of the outdoors with his son. He sent us this photo with future camper Gould III, who is only five years old and has already been an avid backpacker for two summer seasons. Currently, young Gould can hike up to six miles a day. Their most recent trip had them traveling from Augusta, Georgia, to hike and sleep on top of Black Balsam Knob and Looking Glass Rock, close to camp!

Above: Reed as a camper in 2009.

Right: Evan as a camper in 2010

Gould - Augusta, GA 7

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My prayers of gratitude and hope are with you today and all summer. Thank you for what you give my boy, and all the boys who will arrive on the mountain.

Offering them a place to learn and grow and adventure in a way that is safe for them physically, emotionally and spiritually is a true gift and all too rare. Knowing that Berkley and all the boys will be celebrated for who they are, what they enjoy, and what they discover is genuinely one of the greatest places of peace in my heart. May your summer be filled with the joy of boys running and yelling, the tender moments of wise counsel offered by the staff you so capably train and encourage, and the knowledge that you are doing something so very important. My gratitude for you and for Falling Creek runs deep. Have the best opening day and the best summer yet!

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Courtney - Greensboro, NC

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At the dinner table on New Year’s Eve when we were all expressing our favorite moments from 2021 and hopes/goals for 2022, Patrick’s responses were easy to guess: shredding the trails at Falling Creek last June, with the mission of finally attaining Warrior status in mountain biking at Main Camp this coming summer.

Needless to say: Patrick has been poring over his 2021 copy of Grow & Behold in the recent days since it landed in our mailbox. He was proud and delighted to see himself pictured alongside his hero Lew Jaynes, whose full circle trajectory from camper to mountain biking counselor was highlighted in the photos on page 8. You could almost see the gears spinning in Patrick’s mind: he wants someday to add another photo to the series, one wherein he is the camper-turned-counselor, presenting the “Honkin’ Calves” mountain biking award to a member of the next generation of Falling Creek shredders.

P.S. I’m also attaching here a photo of Patrick occupying the First Place spot atop the podium at one of his NICA mountain biking races this summer. He absolutely loves being a part of his local team, and his joy and success have everything to do with the skills and passion he developed and hopes to continue to hone at Falling Creek. We can’t thank you all enough for the gift that keeps giving!

Sarah - Lexington, KY

The Poffenberger family loves FCC after my 5 years and my son, RJ’s 5 summers. RJ is going into his Junior year of high school and still enjoying cross country (which began at FCC) and just won the State Championship in tennis. He actually had a nice note from KD and another counselor congratulating him which he loved.

His #1 college choice is UNC- Chapel Hill. My wife and I think it’s because he misses the state of NC and all the good times he had at FCC. Bill - Cincinnati, OH

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Thank you so much for the family pix!!

Love adding to my collage!!

Margo - Leander, TX

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Be fun to be around | Live with enthusiasm | Focus on the positive | Be grateful for God’s blessings

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Over the years we’ve found parents learn and benefit a great deal from hearing insights about camp from other parents — and so do we. That’s why we survey parents periodically, to get the inside scoop.

This faith based, values driven and character building camp is helping us raise adventurous, kind, and generous-inspirit boys.

Christine, Atlanta GA

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in their ownwords...

Our Parents’ Perspectives

Our son came home with a sense of maturity we have not seen before. I think there are a lot of lessons that camp teaches that we are just not as successfully able to teach at home. He learned it’s okay to take risks, step outside his comfort zone, and explore things he wouldn’t otherwise.

I really value the choice given to the boys. They are given freedom to grow, but still in a safe environment.

Rob, Charlotte, NC

Falling Creek is very communicative in regards to details (forms, travel plans, logistics) but also incredibly communicative in terms of the camp philosophy and how it is woven into everything the boys do at camp. We really feel like we understand the kind of experience our son is having, and the big picture of how Falling Creek aims to instill specific values. The long term experience they want the boys to have year after year is very clear to us as parents.

Kimberly, Chicago, IL

What a truly incredible camp Falling Creek is. From the camp philosophy and virtues, to the beloved traditions and extraordinary spirit, to the stellar staff, to the breathtaking grounds, to every well-thought out detail from start to finish, we could not have more positive things to say about Falling Creek. It is without a doubt a key contributor to the person he will grow to be, and we can’t thank you enough for that. It made me tear up to find a letter he had written to his sister at Camp Rockbrook nearby, in which he enclosed a rock that he found when he was thinking of her - someone at camp had put this in an envelope with additional paid postage that had been metered so it would get to her. Just beyond!

Kristin and Carter, Nashville, TN

The greatest value my son gained at camp was independence! I love that FCC provides structured, consistent, loving ways for these boys to learn valuable life skills, while having the time of their lives in a community. The ethics of working hard & playing hard are lived out everyday in a safe, loving, encouraging community of brothers!

Wendy, Charlotte, NC

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We sent you a great boy and you returned to us a fine young man. As my husband said, “Falling Creek Camp is the best return on investment of anything we’ve ever given our boys.” Our son has developed a deeper sense of self and raised the standards to which he holds himself and the friends he surrounds himself with. I am in awe of how you incorporate the fun of camp with the leadership activities and fellowship these teenagers are craving.

Your counselors and staff have our utmost respect and appreciation!

Ashley, Atlanta, GA

Each of our boys came away from camp with a feeling of newfound mastery. We are deeply grateful for all of the work you put into creating the magic of Falling Creek.

The activities, trips, the rituals, articulating the values in ways boys relate to, hiring the people who make it happen, keeping an eye on everyone, and your inspiring presence. We will try to keep the Falling Creek Spirit alive until next summer.

Vickie and Phil, San Francisco, CA

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morningwatch When the boys return to this porch, they will not

The Porch

By Matt Sloan Chaplain & Seasonal Events Director

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“Falling Creek is a place to discover more about who you are, what you are made for, and the heart of the One who made you.”

In many ways, the Dining Hall Porch at Falling Creek is sacred ground. When you find yourself standing there you can be sure that you are on the precipice of greatness. Each summer thousands of kids scramble onto its well-worn lumber floor, standing in the footsteps of 54 years of young men before them. Every morning you will find boys peering through the enormous glass windows into the Dining Hall toward their tables, trying to get a sneak peek at what the freshly cooked meal is going to be as their counselors are setting the tables.

After breakfast, kids with bellies full of food (and counselors with cups full of coffee) scramble back out onto the same porch and cram themselves in for Morning Assembly, a sort of organized chaos to get the blood “Pumpin, Baby, Pumpin!” Counselors and Directors lead the way in singing at the top of their lungs, acting out messy skits, and giving sports updates from a world that (unknown to us) is still happening outside of camp’s boundaries. Animated announcements reveal and remind the boys of their options for the day, all finished off with Frank delivering a knee-slapping corny joke and leading us in push-up club. It is loud, it is fun, and after Zach exhorts, “Let’s have a great day at Falling Creek!”… they are off.

From this quiet porch once teeming with anticipation and wafting with a few missed deodorant swipes, you can look out over camp and watch kids and leaders heading toward their activities, together. Some of the guys are excited to get to it, others are hesitant and afraid of what might happen to them as they try an activity they’ve never done before. As we tell them often, “Falling Creek is a safe place to fail, so you might as well try something new!”

be the same. Their shirts will most likely be tie-dyed with a mixture of coal from Blacksmithing and wood chip confetti from Woodworking. Their hair will still be damp from learning to roll a kayak in the lower lake.

Their forearms and foreheads reveal remnants from Pottery, Arts and Crafts, or time spent working the soil at F.A.R.M. If you look beyond the few that are eyeballing the current culinary selections through the giant windows you will see groups of kids telling stories of their day, trying to one-up each other’s triumphs and celebrating the times they dared to try something new.

These boys tell stories about their days like two old men talk about the size of the fish they’ve caught. The campers are talking about the new things they want to try later in the day and about conquering fears. On this porch they are engaged with each other. Their appetites and hopes are for more than just chicken tender Tuesday, but wet with a hunger to fully experience life.

We at Falling Creek believe that the boys are hungry to experience the fullness of life. The entire camp is set up for discovering and rediscovering that we are made for love and adventure. When we look at Jesus’ life we can see that these are the very things that marked His character. He spent years of His life living with a “cabin” of disciples, sharing meals together and listening to each other’s stories, having conversations about real life while hiking mountain trails and boating across lakes, taking risks and being brave in the face of dangerous situations.

John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Knowing that the One who made us desires us to be fully alive, we are free to get after it with no fear! Falling Creek is a place to discover more about who you are, what you are made for, and the heart of the One who made you.

As the boys spend their last ounces of energy at the end of the day battling each other across the porch and into the Dining Hall to be first in line for milk and cookies, there is a sense that things are not the same as they were when they sat there a few hours before. In fact they are not the same as they were, and what could tomorrow hold?

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Personal discovery begins with a

NATURAL WONDER t s ly a t a C a s a p Cam

In the early 1990s, Christian Wright was a young camper at Falling Creek, exploring the outdoors and beginning to realize how much he enjoyed nature.

Little did Christian know then that he would make a career in the outdoor recreation industry. In many ways, Christian credits his early experience at Falling Creek as a catalyst for the outdoor lifestyle he’s pursued. “It was one of the first encounters I had with people who had jobs that involved doing stuff that was fun—and outdoors,” Christian said. “I think having that little subconscious seed in the back of my head helped me know that outdoor recreation is an industry.”

Christian Wright (camper ‘94-’96), who now works for the National Parks Service

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In 1995 Christian won the “most improved sailor” award at camp, and still has the award displayed in his home.

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Christian was wowed at camp by the endless possibilities, activities, and options. “I could ride horses, go backpacking, canoeing, fishing, and just be able to approach the outdoors from the standpoint of, ‘what do I want to do next?’ and ‘what kind of activities do I want to connect with?’” In 1995 during June Camp, Christian won “Most Improved Sailor,” an award he still proudly displays on his wall. “There were also opportunities for unstructured time where I could hang out with the people I just met, do activities, or just read a book somewhere,” he said.

Fast forward to today, when Christian has made a career in the outdoor recreation industry, working both for the National Park Service and as a river guide in the Grand Canyon. After growing weary of big city life in Washington, D.C., Christian moved west in the early 2000s to begin river guiding and working at ski resorts. Soon, the idea of working for the National Park Service became enticing. “I reached the point where the interpretive aspect of sharing nature and its history and geology was really interesting to me. I had a friend who decided to be a park ranger and I had never really thought about that before. I went back to graduate school to get my master’s degree in history, and while I did that, I interned at Arches National Park in Utah,” said Christian. He worked there as an interpretive park ranger doing educational programming for the next four seasons. Since 2019, Christian has been working on writing the administrative history of Arches for the National Park Service, while also guiding river rafting trips in the Grand Canyon three to four times a year.

For a National Park Service historian like Christian, a large portion of his day is filled with archival research, going through old files, correspondence, oral history

Cabin 5 during the June Camp session in 1994. Christian is pictured in the front row, far left.

reports, and newspapers to gather as much historical data as possible. “Once you type all your notes you can organize them by thematic chronology,” Christian explained. After that is the writing stage, when Christian figures out “how to put these stories and conversations together to make them coherent, but also interesting.” Christian’s historian role is very different from his days as an interpretive park ranger, when he spent his time designing and providing guided walks, talks, and outdoor programs to educate park visitors. That more customer service-oriented role is usually the most open and available position for people wanting to start working for the National Park Service, Christian explained. However, for those who dream of a career with the National Park Service, he’s an example that interpretation isn’t the only option in the field.

Christian is a strong believer in how time spent outdoors can have a positive impact on people. He explained how his time as a camper exposed him to many different outdoor activities and helped him realize what he enjoyed doing outside from a young age. “It’s great that places like [camp] exist to give people at that age those opportunities to encounter nature and outdoor recreation on their own terms,” he said. When thinking today about one of his roles as a raft guide, he is able to facilitate similar learning experiences for others in the outdoors. “We provide a lot of opportunities for personal growth moments,” he said. “I think every couple should be required to go on a river rafting trip together before they’re allowed to get married.”

Unfortunately, increases in visitations to the national parks over recent years has caused a strain on the resources and natural landscape. A KSL article reported, “All-time visitation records were broken at four of Utah’s five national parks in 2021, according to preliminary data made available by the National Park Service. There were at least 11 million visitors at Utah’s five national parks in 2021 — this exceeded the state’s previous total park record of 10.6 million recorded in 2019.” On one hand, more people enjoying the parks is great because it means that more people are spending time outside. However, it also means an increase in the resources that are needed to accommodate and support such a sudden and large influx of people.

During Christian’s time as an interpretive park ranger, he saw a change in mindset for some visitors who felt they needed to “do it all.” “Instead of going somewhere to hang out, relax, breathe, play outside, do all the cool stuff, and then go home, it’s turned into, ‘I’ve got to do all these things.’ So, a lot of people are trying to visit four or five National Parks in a week, and they’re spending a lot of time in the car, and a lot of money on gasoline, hotels, and airfare.” The mindset now seems to be more

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about seeing as much as you can as quickly as possible, which leaves fewer opportunities for soaking in the wonder of a place or experiencing personal growth.

What can be done if people want to continue enjoying the natural spaces, but recreate responsibly?

One recommendation is rather than rushing to check specific sites off the bucket list, people should take time to plan their travels with knowledge, respect, and detailed preparation. To that end, Utah has shifted its tourism marketing slogan from promoting “The Mighty Five” parks, to simply “Forever Mighty,” sharing ways to take small but mighty actions to minimize impact and maximize outdoor experiences.

These endeavors can be imitated across the country and the world, not just in Utah’s national parks. The natural beauty of the outdoors is not limited to a few singular destinations. People can visit lesser explored areas near the national parks, or even appreciate the wonder in their own back yards. Discovering special places that are unique to each person can feel even more rewarding than pursuing a specific destination. “I think national parks are really great, but they are just one of the first places our brain goes when we think, ‘I want to go outside and see something cool.’ In reality, they’re really just political creations, and there’s stuff right outside the national parks that’s just as cool as the stuff inside the parks,” Christian said. “There are also outdoor experiences closer to where people live that they might take for granted. Just plan well beforehand and think consciously about where you’re visiting, what you’re trying to do, and what that means for the future.”

Many Falling Creek staff members and older campers are looking for careers in the outdoor industry, and Christian’s lifestyle is proof that you don’t necessarily need to pursue an office job to have a steady career.

However, Christian warns that it is “easy to glamorize outdoor recreation. There’s also a lot of hard parts, and it’s not an insignificant thing that many of these jobs don’t pay as much as they should.” His advice to anyone looking to begin a career with the National Park Service is to be sober about it, understanding that many people begin by doing unpaid internships or low-paying, entry level jobs. “If you’re really interested in that agency and their mission though, there are positives. You can get status and experience through internship opportunities as a steppingstone,” Christian said. The outdoor industry as a whole does seem to be trending toward more sustainable wages for its employees, and seeing the outdoors change lives firsthand is hugely rewarding.

Encountering growth in the outdoors is something we do every day at camp, but it doesn’t have to stop

when the session ends. You can choose to pursue a life in the outdoors long after camp is over, whether through your career or through your recreation choices.

“I think you find out so much about people and so much about yourself [in the outdoors.] At whatever level you encounter those edges of growth, I think it’s super empowering. It makes people more confident,” Christian said. He speaks of the power of vulnerability in the outdoors, describing how it takes courage to willingly get into situations in which you can’t control the outcomes, and choose to enter into those situations anyway. “That could look like a huge adventure in an unknown place far away, or it could just be getting into an urban park that isn’t that far away, but is just beyond someone’s comfort zone,” said Christian.

At Falling Creek, our hope is that all of our campers and staff will use their time at Falling Creek as a catalyst and a springboard for lives filled with time in nature and responsible outdoor recreation.

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“It’s great that places like [camp] exist to give people at that age those opportunities to encounter nature and outdoor recreation on their own terms.”

—Christian Wright

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the endless

SUMMER 16

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HOW WORKING AT CAMP SETS YOU UP FOR SUCCESS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE Working at camp is a challenging and rewarding job that both requires and teaches real skills–but don’t just take our word for it! We asked some notable Falling Creek alumni to describe how being a counselor made them the people they are today. Find out why they consider a job/

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internship at camp to be an invaluable experience, and one that sets young people up for future success, no matter what career they pursue.

“Spending a year or two doing something like this teaches you things you would never learn in the corporate world, and those life skills I would argue are as important as anything you would learn in a corporate internship–you really need both to be a successful person.”

—John Chidsey

1980 sailing team at Falling Creek, John Chidsey far left

An Investment in Your Future John Chidsey is the former chief executive of Burger King, who in 2019 became the CEO of Subway. He’s leading the restaurant chain with the most locations in the United States, and second most locations in the world–and he’s also a former Falling Creek Camp

counselor who credits his success as a leader to his experience at camp. “Working at Falling Creek was a great adventure for me. Not only was it fun, but it taught me a lot of life lessons that I continue to use today,” said Chidsey. “I believe it made me the leader I am today.”

Chidsey worked at Falling Creek in 1980, and his ties to camp run deep. “My brother Haynes was a camper and a counselor for 12 to 15 years. It’s part of our family,” Chidsey said. He describes working at camp as both an incredible responsibility and opportunity. “I think

JOHN CHIDSEY CEO of Subway

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“When you leave Falling Creek, you may not know what you want to do with your life, but you know what type of person you want to be.” — Hayden Vick

HAYDEN VICK

values and common goals. Throughout the summer, they hone skills such as critical thinking, initiative, resilience, responsibility, integrity, accountability, and adaptability.

As Chidsey said, “All these skills play a piece in your life no matter what you do down the road. I would tell any parent that this is a fantastic job opportunity for their child. You can go off and do corporate things later in life, but you will get things out of this that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.”

Listing a camp counselor position on a resume means much more than listing a fun seasonal job. Your camp experience proves you have a good work ethic; communication, counseling, and leadership skills; patience and empathy; and collaboration and teamwork skills. This is something that successful people like John Chidsey look for when putting together their teams.

“Actually, when I hire people, I look at whether they were a counselor or not, and that’s a definite plus in my mind if they’ve been in that role before,” said Chidsey.

Camp Director Yates Pharr echoes this sentiment.

“Even when I back up to what I did in my previous life as a commercial real estate developer, I looked for people that had been at camp before,” Yates said. “I would look for these management and teaching skills in an individual because I knew that they would be somebody who could

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working as a summer camp counselor is one of the best experiences you can have. It’s one of the most unique positions to teach you a lot of life skills. You can develop teamwork, responsibility, leadership, and empathy.”

Chidsey knows a lot about what it takes to be a successful businessman, but he doesn’t necessarily recommend pursuing a desk job or office internship alone. The camp counselor experience builds you into a well-rounded individual and hones your leadership skills.

Transferable Skills Staff members at Falling Creek contribute to making ours a community with purpose, united by a shared code of

start a project and see it all the way through. You could count on them to be part of the team, and they would keep their attitude positive.”

Networking Benefits “In addition to all the life skills that we’ve talked about,” Chidsey said, “I think another benefit of working at camp is the network. You become a family once you join Falling Creek as a camper or as a counselor. I know that network has proved invaluable to people over the years and has helped many land their first jobs.”

The networking benefits of the camp community are something former counselor Hayden Vick saw first-hand

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as he pursued his teaching career.

Vick was a counselor at Falling Creek in 2016 and 2017. After his time working at camp, Vick became interested in focusing his talents on teaching. “When I was looking for jobs, I was still in touch with some camp folks in Richmond, and they said, ‘You need to check out our school.’ They put in good words for me, and then I interviewed and got the job. The networking at Falling Creek is unbelievable.” Today, Vick is the lead second grade teacher and head JV basketball coach at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia.

Even if you’re not yet sure what kind of career path you want to pursue, Falling Creek can still help you develop tools for a successful future. “When you leave Falling Creek, you may not know what you want to do with your life, but you know what type of person you want to be,” Vick said. “I got to that realization because I saw how being a creative, positive-thinking, empathetic, sensitive, compassionate person had an impact on younger people.

I saw how positive personality traits impacted them, and that told me that’s the kind of person I wanted to be.”

Once you are part of the Falling Creek community, you also gain access to the rich network of professionals and resources that make up camp’s alumni.

Camp As A Microcosm John Burton is another notable alumnus from the camp community, who went on to be president of the Nantahala Outdoor Center (1975-1991). He owned and operated the Nantahala Village Resort (1990-2005), before returning as CFO and VP of the Nantahala Outdoor Center in 2008. He now heads up his own executive coaching and team consultation, John Burton Coaching. Aside from his business experience, John is also a high-level paddler and outdoorsman, representing the USA in the 1972 Olympics in whitewater canoe slalom, and later coaching the U.S. team.

“Summer camp is a microcosm of how to be successful in the world, because it is such a powerful teaching environment,” Burton said. “It takes young people and challenges them to be good decision makers, to be good communicators, to be good teammates, to be good leaders, to be humble while being confident. It’s a mixture of skills that every organization is going to value.”

Burton was a camper and staff member at nearby camps Mondamin and Pinnacle before joining the Falling Creek team in 2022, and he said his experience at camps taught him many important life lessons and skills. (Fun fact: One of John Burton’s first counselors at Camp Mondamin was Yates Pharr’s father Henry in 1961!)

Burton now operates as a seasonal advisor for the Falling Creek staff, furthering the mission of camp by acting as a leadership resource for counselors and helping to promote their success each summer.

Chidsey added that the camp environment is uniquely suited for promoting life skills. “One of the best things about being a counselor is you’re totally immersed,” he said. “You’re around these kids and have this responsibility constantly, and so you’re constantly honing these skills. You get a real chance to practice a lot of these life skills with a repetition you wouldn’t get in an ordinary corporate job.”

Some of our counselors’ fondest memories are of the camaraderie they had with fellow staff members at Falling Creek. It’s a job where you’re not just learning a lot, you’re having a lot of fun too! Chidsey said, “I enjoyed all the campers and some of those relationships still exist today. Most of all, it was the fun we created as a group of counselors together for three months in the summer, in a unique setting where you can bond better than anywhere else.”

At Falling Creek you’ll get to meet campers and counselors from all over the country and the world, with a wide variety of interests, hobbies, and talents. “Learning how to navigate all those different kinds of personalities and still ensure you have great teamwork is an incredibly valuable skill–and it’s a heck of a lot of fun,” said Chidsey.

“When you can combine fun and learning at the same time, it’s hard to think of a better summer job.”

Join us this summer to be part of something bigger.

We’ll work with you to provide internship credit for your degree if needed, and the professional experience you’ll gain at Falling Creek is something that will set you up for success over the course of the rest of your life. As Yates Pharr said, “We believe this is more than a job, it’s an investment in your future.”

“Summer camp is a microcosm of how to be successful in the world, because it is such a powerful teaching environment.”

— John Burton

John and his paddling partner Tom Southworth competing in the Olympics in 1972

JOHN BURTON

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Returning to Camp as a Counselor

IT’S YOUR TIME Seeing boys return to camp each summer is so special, as they reunite with friends, build even stronger relationships, and enhance their skills.

One of the most rewarding things about the camp experience is seeing it come full circle, when campers choose to make the transition to return as counselors.

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This past summer we had a record number of former campers return as counselors, and we asked them to share why they did so and how the experience benefitted them—and others.

“Coming from Florida, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to be in the mountains,” said Andrew Gardner, a blacksmithing and outdoor skills counselor for the 2022 summer, and co-leader of the Men of STEEL during Main Camp. “For me, camp was an amazing spot with an amazing community. I grew a lot from my time here and grew in my faith as well. As a counselor, you have a huge impact on these guys. Even if you don’t see it right now, you’ll see it five or ten years down the line when they think back to camp and their counselor and remember how that counselor lived with them and supported them.

As a camper myself, I spent just three weeks with my counselors, and I still think about them all the time. It’s just one of those things where you really get to be a role model. It’s awesome.”

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Seven-year camper JR Wallace acknowledged that camp is all about the people. “When I saw my friends were coming back it really made me want to make the jump to come back.” As a paddling counselor, JR said the most rewarding part of the summer was when the campers in his cabin wanted to come paddling for the first time. “It was great to get them out on the river and get to see them progress. I definitely got a lot more out of this experience than I thought I would in the beginning. It’s been a lot of fun. One of the main things I wanted to learn this summer was conversation skills.

Things like Evening Embers every night really helped me develop questions to ask and just helped me with how to communicate in general.”

“I definitely got a lot more out of this experience than I thought I would in the beginning. It’s been a lot of fun. One of the main things I wanted to learn this summer was conversation skills.”

—JR Wallace

Mark Van Kirk, a 4-year camper and former DASH

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member said, “I missed the touch of nature at camp and the sense of adventure, which contributed to my return. As a camper, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what being a counselor was like, but those conceptions changed after actually being a counselor. It requires you to live out the Falling Creek Code day-in and day-out, but you become a stronger person and form lasting friendships along the way. Being a counselor has taught me more about being a leader than anything else. Every part of the job calls you to improve yourself for the sake of others. I especially learned how to be patient. I was an instructor for fly fishing, so I had to accept that the fish weren’t going to be biting every day. And, more generally, I became more comfortable with things going differently than I had planned. It was a good lesson to learn.”

“As a camper, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what being a counselor was like, but those conceptions changed after actually being a counselor.”

—Mark Van Kirk

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“It was a magical place where I could try out whatever I wanted to, and I had an amazing support system with the staff who were there year after year.”

—Whit Nuckolls

Whit Nuckolls was a camper for 9 summers before returning for his first year on staff in 2022, and he describes camp as a formative place. “It was a magical place where I could try out whatever I wanted to, and I had an amazing support system with the staff who were there year after year. It set me apart from other people because I had all these awesome opportunities and got to do things I would never have done outside this place,” Whit said. “I wanted an experience outside the cubicle and office, so I decided to come back. My mindset about this place changed, because now it’s not only about my experience, but also about improving the experiences of the campers that I’m taking care of. It’s challenging and you’ll be tired at times, but you’re going to love it because it’s so rewarding. Every day I find something else to be grateful for while working here.”

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“I was a camper for seven summers.

I got a lot out of this camp, and I just wanted to give back and give the future campers the same experience that I was lucky enough to receive as a camper. I would highly recommend it. It was really rewarding.”

—Bryce Hayden

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Four-year camper Sam Feingold, head of the swim docks in 2022, had the same mindset as Brice. “When I was looking at my different options for the summer, I knew I wanted to come back because I had so much fun, and I kind of wanted to give back to the place that gave me so much. Never before have I been in a position where I’m working with people I respect as much as I do here, and I think that has so much to do with the fact that the people who come and work here do it because they want to, not for any other motive.

I’ve had a blast with the people who I’ve had the opportunity to meet. The fun really doesn’t stop once you’re done being a camper.”

“The fun really doesn’t stop once you’re done being a camper.”

—Sam Feingold

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“I had a great time as a camper and I wanted to give back to the community.”

—Mason McKee

Brothers Mason and John McKee both returned for their first summer on staff in 2022. “I had a great time as a camper and I wanted to give back to the community,” said Mason. “It was a really fun, really rewarding experience, and I think it’s an important experience.”

Counselors not only give back to the community by sharing their knowledge and personal skill sets, but they also gain new skills while in their roles. Being a camp counselor requires you to work on a lot of different skill sets, both personal and professional.

For example, Andrew is studying to become an engineer and said his role this summer helped him in pursuit of that career path. “The main fault of a lot of engineers is just not being able to communicate, and at camp, you have to communicate every day—with your campers, your line head, and the directors. You also need to submit yourself to serving these kids. If you have the heart and commitment to do that, to serve them and do everything you can to make sure they have fun, then absolutely you should sign up—it’s a phenomenal experience. Being back here was so nostalgic. Just getting to enjoy seeing everything and realizing nothing has changed.”

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One leadership skill often overlooked is the ability to plan logistics for a group. Five-year camper Rex Hallow taught paddling in 2022 and explained how he needed to teach to a variety of skill levels, while also planning logistics for a smooth trip. “I’m not just planning for myself but also for the 12 other boys who are going,” said Rex. “Seeing kids in stages that I was at when I was a camper, especially in kayaking, is like seeing my memories from when I was a camper play out before me.”

Good leaders are responsible and manage time well.

“If you don’t wake up and get ready, your campers won’t either,” said Whit. “At camp, I’m responsible for keeping up with the schedule, which is an important skill in the work world too with meeting deadlines.” Whit said one of the most rewarding parts of being a counselor was getting letters from parents or campers who reached out after the session. “I’m so lucky to have been a part of these kids’ lives,” he said.

“Seeing kids in stages that I was at when I was a camper, especially in kayaking, is like seeing my memories from when I was a camper play out before me.”

—Rex Hallow

“I would tell former campers to keep in touch with their friends because that’s really what makes camp what it is.”

—John Nowicki

E The childhood memories made the counselor experience even more meaningful for John Nowicki, a 6-year camper and former DASH member. “It’s really cool coming back to camp, getting to go around and see my old cabin signs, and walking around thinking ‘I grew up here.’ It’s cool getting to revisit certain places and memories I’ve made, but just as an adult now,” said John.

Overall, these counselors put an emphasis on how the people are what make Falling Creek Camp what it is. “I would tell former campers to keep in touch with their friends because that’s really what makes camp what it is,” said JR. “Camp is a place that you just can’t get back home.”

The fact is camp is still here for you. Is it your time to come back—as a counselor? Camp is all about the people, and we love seeing our former campers bring the experience full circle as counselors. If you’re a former camper looking to build skills and take on a meaningful summer job, we hope you’ll return to the mountain to take part in the greatest Falling Creek tradition: the move from camper to counselor!

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“Spending a year or two doing something like this teaches you things you would never learn in the corporate world, and those life skills I would argue are as important as anything you learn in a corporate setting. You really need both. I think it really made me the leader that I am today.”

- John Chidsey, counselor (‘80) / Current Subway CEO

“Never before have I been in a position where I’m working with people I respect as much as I do here, and I think that has so much to do with the fact that the people who come and work here do it because they want to, not for any other motive. The people who I’ve had the opportunity to meet and become close with them, I’ve just had a blast. The fun really doesn’t stop once you’re done being a camper.”

- Sam Feingold, camper (‘12-’15), counselor (‘22) / College Student

“The best job I ever had was being a camp counselor at Falling Creek.

What I gained the most at FCC was the opportunity and encouragement to be curious about learning. Fast forward to my professional career when I’m building out my teams, I look for people who bring that curiosity and a growth mindset to their work because it means that they will be willing to do something new and different.”

- Molly Pickall, counselor (‘02, ‘03, ‘05, ‘06) / Consultant for the Trust for Public Land

THINK. DREAM. J Every year we select the best role models and instructors to join our team. If you know of an outstanding young person, encourage them to visit fallingcreek.com/staff to learn more and apply for the summer of their lives.

gful for a meanin g in k o lo r e l rmer camp nce that wil Are you a fo ain experie g to y a in w rt a , or er? Take pa summer job r future care u o y in FCC as rt a p returning to set you a : n io it d a tr creek. t camp Visit falling !” n the greates o it s s a ber to “p more about a staff mem ers to hear p m a c re er former orm com/staff/f words of oth e th in e k li ing is what return e ItsYourTim # campers.

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“I was able to learn so many skills by living and working with integrity, planning events, working with a team, being innovative, and responding to any circumstance. I’ve since been able to utilize many of those skills in my day to day life and my professional career. . I am so thankful for the friendships and support I continue to receive from counselors I met during my summers on staff.”

- Harry Titus, counselor (‘13 - ‘15) / Associate Dean of Students at Coastal Carolina University

. JOB.

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Guardian Society

WAYS TO GIVE

1.

ONE-TIME DONATION

Thank you for your commitment to passing on the FCC experience!

Questions? Call 828-692-0262

Imagine the boys who would benefit from the Falling Creek Camp experience, but simply can’t afford it. Your gift to support the Falling Creek Campership through the American Camp Association will make it possible. Thank you for your one-time commitment to passing on the FCC experience.

Guardian Society Levels (one-time donations)

Up to $999+ Friends of FCC $1,000+ Green & Gold $1,969+ Founder $3,000+ FCC Code $5,000+ Keeper of the Flame $10,000+ Guardian of the Flame

HOW

MOVE MOUNTAINS for a deserving young camper.

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The Spirit of Falling Creek Society

2.

ANNUAL DONATION

Annual pledge donors receive these exclusive Behold bumper stickers, with each color indicating your annual commitment to the gift of camp.

Pledge to donate annually and join the Spirit of Falling Creek Society. Choose from three taxdeductible pledge level amounts, each with a corresponding Behold bumper sticker to indicate your annual commitment.

(White Level) $19.69 given annually (Green Level) $196.90 given annually (Gold Level) $1,969 given annually

BEH LD BEH LD BEH LD Spirit of Falling Creek Society

Spirit of Falling Creek Society

Spirit of Falling Creek Society

Payment Information (choose one) Please note “Falling Creek Campership” on the memo line.

Donate securely online at https://fallingcreek.com/giving

Mail a check to Falling Creek Camp (PO Box 98, Tuxedo NC 28784), made payable to American Camp Association.

Falling Creek partners with the American Camp Association to administer our scholarship fund. Your generous contribution directly supports Falling Creek scholarship recipients with tuition assistance. The American Camp Association© is a 501(c)(3) charity organization that works to preserve, promote, and enhance the camp experience for children, youth, and adults (tax ID# 35-0962419).

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campscholarship DONOR LEVEL

AMOUNT

CONTRIBUTORS

Our Appreciation to these Donors: June 2020 - September 2021

Spirit of Falling Creek Society

FALLING CREEK CAMPERSHIP

WHITE BEHOLD PLEDGE:

$19.69

GIVEN ANNUALLY

GREEN BEHOLD PLEDGE:

$196.90

GIVEN ANNUALLY

Falling Creek has established a campership through the American Camp Association that is designed to enable boys from across the country to attend Falling Creek who couldn’t otherwise afford it. There are two ways to give: a one-time donation, or an annual Behold Pledge when you join one of three levels in the Spirit of Falling Creek Society.

GOLD BEHOLD PLEDGE:

$1,969

GIVEN ANNUALLY

Friends of Falling Creek Guardian Society Level

UP TO $999

Annie Ramsbotham Andrew and Stephanie Maddox Patrick Mulloy

Michael Gregorio Michael Nuckles Ann Michele Sweeney Bryan Fox Yates and Marisa Pharr Charles Hill Morris Heather and Ray Balestri Holly Piper Thomas Skelly Michael and Kenna Williams Donna Aldredge Chris and Jennie Todd Peter Field Friends of Camp Daniel E. Logue, in honor of William Logue Katherine and Andy Ball George Price Andrew Smith Walter Nichols

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S!ething " GIVING THE GIFT OF CAMP CAN BE

BEHOLD

DONOR LEVEL

AMOUNT

CONTRIBUTORS

Our Appreciation to these Donors: June 2020 - September 2021

Green and Gold

$1,000+

Guardian Society Level

Founder

Haynes Chidsey M.K. Hollingsworth, LLC Dusty and Mary Lou Davis Jared and Schuyler Heuer

$1,969+

Frank Tindall

$3,000+

James Milton and Sallie R Johnson Foundation

$5,000+

Jacqueline Arthur

“The opportunity that Falling Creek presents for boys as they transition into adults and leaders is one that is incredibly valuable.

You learn from your failures and your successes and camp allows for smart chances to be taken and thus growth happens.

I think having the opportunity to share this experience with as many as possible is incredibly important.”

Guardian Society Level

FCC Code Guardian Society Level

Keeper of the Flame Guardian Society Level

Guardian of the Flame

—Charles Hill Morris, Gold Spirit of Falling Creek Society Member

$10,000+

Guardian Society Level

Henderson County Community Foundation/ Camplify Donors:

Mrs. Clara Wood in memory of Hal Rather Ms. Susan Klaus Nathalie L. Klaus Charitable Lead Unitrust

To give to the Falling Creek Campership, please use this link: www.acacamps.org/campership 31

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Any guesses yet?

My favorite activity at Falling Creek Camp is mealtime.

SOME FOOD f! "ought...

I’d like to tell you a bit about my favorite activity at Falling Creek Camp.

Although I love the F.A.R.M. program and I’m an activity leader there—that isn’t it. Although I love everything about the fun and intensity of mountain biking—that isn’t it. In fact, my favorite activity requires no sign up, but it’s on the schedule three times a day (and everyone is enrolled automatically).

It’s likely the most resource-intensive activity of the day and requires over 140 activity leaders to make it run smoothly. The programming is super high caliber and it’s never let me down.

By Zeb Ramsbotham

There’s a rhythmic magic to the whole process of mealtime which I find fascinating. Campers are called with the ringing of the bell, and suddenly they come flying out of the woods, thundering up the trails, and sprinting down the gravel roads. The Dining Hall comes to life much like a beehive on a warm summer day, as campers swarm around the building, buzzing to get in.

As campers congregate outside, staff head inside to help get tables set and food put out. Of course, long before that first bell rings, the kitchen staff has been hard at work, making delicious food with love and ensuring there will be plenty for everyone.

Suddenly the bell rings a second time and the doors are thrown open to allow the swarm of campers to work their way into the building. With homing instincts similar to that of honeybees, they soon find their tables and begin to settle in for the coming meal. As the buzzing dies down, a Director comes to the front of the room to lead the mealtime blessing. When it ends, campers take a seat at their tables or grab their plates and head to the front of the dining hall for salad (or yogurt and oatmeal at breakfast) and maybe a substitute for a dietary requirement.

Back at the tables, conversations are alive with campers and counselors talking excitedly about their day. They chat about what they’re looking forward to, how the day has been, or even something as specific as describing their favorite “Magic The Gathering” card. Whether campers or counselors realize it, these moments are some of the most important of the day.

Each mealtime shared together offers the chance to have a positive influence on those around us, and to check in on others to see how everyone is doing.

When Falling Creek was first founded in 1969, the average family dinner in any given household was 90 minutes long. Families cherished mealtimes together. In the decades that followed, shared meals became shorter and less frequent, with families eating about a third less of their meals together over the past two decades. By 2010, the average family mealtime was found to be just 18 minutes, a fifth of the time it was previously. However, one silver lining of the pandemic was an increase in time spent together around the dinner table, as the benefits of daily shared meals were once again realized.

Research conducted by The Family Dinner Project (based at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Psychiatry Academy), in collaboration with Making Caring Common, suggested that family dinner times increased

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for more than 50% of American families after 2020.

As a result, families reported feeling more connected, laughing more, and feeling more grateful. Thankfully here at camp, we have continued to enjoy all of our meals together in our cabin “families,” with the frequency and high quality of shared meals remaining a priority throughout the decades.

Why Mealtime Matters We eat three meals together every day at camp, but even just having three or more family-style meals each week can have great benefits to a child’s physical health, academic success, and mental health. At camp, we consider something as mundane as eating as another programming opportunity to aid in the growth of our campers and staff. We’re strengthening relationships when we converse face-to-face and build connections, but that’s not the only benefit.

Discussions at mealtime lead to vast educational opportunities involving cultural exchange, learning from each other’s experiences, reinforcing shared values, practicing good manners, and even learning new vocabulary. Yet another benefit is that we are more likely to make healthier food choices when we eat together.

Not only are we nourishing our bodies when we eat

food together, we are nourishing our minds and spirits as well.

Indeed, the Dining Hall at camp goes above and beyond the dictionary definition of: “a large room where meals are served at school, college, etc.” The importance of this building goes far beyond that of a large room in which we serve food. Instead, it is one of the many key components that contribute to strengthening the purposeful community built at camp.

Mealtime in the Dining Hall gives us the needed time and space to share stories, laugh together, ask questions, nurture friendships, show we care, and exchange culture, all while enjoying nutritious food three times a day. Operating safely under Covid-19 protocols in 2021 meant the addition of an outdoor Dining Tent to expand our eating space, allowing us to continue eating in our cabin “family” groups. However, this made the return to the Dining Hall in 2022 even better, as we had missed the camaraderie of shared mealtimes all together as a community.

In The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien summed all of this up in much simpler terms when he wrote: “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” We certainly live in a merrier world here at Falling Creek.

1,000 2,875 1,500 eggs hand cracked & scrambled for a single breakfast

bacon strips cooked for a single breakfast

Zeb Ramsbotham graduated from Appalachian State University with a masters degree in Appalachian Studies and a concentration in sustainability in Appalachia. Zeb was part of the full-time staff at Falling Creek Camp from 2019-2022 as head of the F.A.R.M. program, trail manager, and helped with community outreach.

460 number of people fed at each meal

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garlic breadsticks cooked for a single dinner

What does it take to feed 1380 meals a day?

No one goes hungry at camp!

In addition to the meal on the table, there’s a salad bar stocked with over 20 items for a variety of ways to customize your plate, as well as rice, beans, cheese cubes, and eggs. At breakfast, this bar is full of fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, and oatmeal or grits.

Eat Local: Diana orders produce from the Farmer’s Market to source our fruits and veggies locally.

What about food allergies or dietary restrictions? The kitchen team takes special care to prepare substitutes for all campers and staff who need them.

Made with love: Our kitchen team prepares most things from fresh, whole ingredients, like our side dishes, quiche, and pizza. Cakes are also hand baked for each birthday!

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&

Gold

Each boy who comes to camp becomes part of a Green or a Gold cabin, which decides what color they’ll be cheering for and earning points towards throughout the session. The teams are divided by cabin for friendly competition in AllCamp-Games and Evening Programs. The competitive spirit is fun, but it’s always a friendly rivalry.

Green

fantheflame

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Cabin Overnights

Each session, cabins go on an overnight together to get to know each other and bond as a group.

While on the overnight, all the boys cabins work together to help their counselors collect firewood, cook food, and set up the campsite. “It’s a lifelong skill that everyone should know, to be comfortable camping in the woods,” says Yates Pharr. “The camaraderie of sitting around a fire, enjoying a meal, eating smores, and telling stories - it’s hard to beat.”

Our Purpose

We believe...

we exist to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure.

in boyhood. We are unselfish. We are all-in. We revere our community.

I attribute where I am today because of my summers at Falling Creek. Working at camp not only showed me the beautiful area I live in today, but it also gave me a lifelong passion for mountain biking. I feel fortunate to have found a career in fire services since leaving FCC. A positive attitude, servant’s heart, moral compass, and warrior spirit are the core values taught at camp, and each of these values still serves me daily in my career.

-Dwayne Maynard (counselor ‘11-’13, ‘15)

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Morning Assembly At camp, we think every day has the opportunity to be the best day yet! To get things started off on the right foot, we kick off our mornings with a high-energy Morning Assembly. With funny skits, lively singing, and exciting announcements, it’s a great way to start every day.

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First-time camper and not sure what to expect?

See what Opening Day is like through the eyes of a camper in this photo story:

fantheflame Cabin Life

While at camp, your cabin is your home. Boys have the chance to bond with their counselors and the other 7 boys in their cabin, participating in daily traditions like sharing meals or cleaning the cabin together. After a day full of activities and Evening Program, everyone returns to their cabins for one final daily ritual: Evening Embers. Every day has a different Evening Embers question that follows the theme for that week. Together as a cabin, boys talk about their goals, plans, and how their day went, while incorporating the FCC Code and Christian values into the discussion topics.

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fantheflame Ready to jumpstart your future?

Introducing our new

STAFF CAREER DEVELOPMENT WEBPAGE!

We know that camp counselors are superheroes, but communicating the skills you’ve honed at camp to parents, professors, and future employers can be difficult.

Counselors, as you move to the next stage of long-term career development, we’ve compiled some resources to help you better market yourself, connect with mentors, find job openings, and continue building on your strong skill sets.

Head to the “Career Development & Resources” page in the Staff section of our website, for more on…

1. Resume Writing - How do you translate your hard work over the summer onto your resume? This page has camp-focused resume resources to make sure you express your skills in a way that will be meaningful to future employers.

2. Your Network - When it comes to hiring, you might hear that “it’s all about who you know.” Luckily, The Falling Creek community spans generations and has people located all over the country and the world.

3. Job Opportunities - Connected by shared values and similar camp memories, our alumni are always looking to hire great camp counselors as additions to their team! Join our LinkedIn group to meet mentors in your desired career field and network with alumni.

4. Continued Learning - Certifications can help grow your skills, give you more credibility, introduce you to other professionals in a field, and set you apart from other applicants.

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Follow the Golden Rule | Treat everyone with respect | Make friendship a fine art | Take initiative to help others

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Behold: 915 Acres of Playground Falling Creek’s original 125 acres have expanded to over 900 acres of remarkable beauty. Here, boys from the US and beyond come to meet again each summer, and to bond in unity and brotherly love.

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guts&glory Arts and Crafts

Climbing Wall

June BAE (Best Artist Ever) Award Graham Stilwell Mom’s Fridge Award - William Yun Gallery Award - Merritt Wrighton Main BAE (Best Artist Ever) Award - TJ Afonso Messy Messiah - William Jones Paint Master - Benjamin Podurgiel Guardian of the Galaxy Thomas Fanning

June Hard Hat Guard Yancey Stribling June King Coleslaw Sam Deterding Main King Coleslaw Wills Yelverton June Hard Hat Guard - Pach Esteve

Backpacking Trail Wizard - Milum Lancaster Spirit of the Mountain Raines Young Big Boots To Fill - Wyatt Murphy I Can’t Believe He’s Not STEEL! Thomas Johnson 3 Amigos - Simon Thornberg, Beecher Aldredge, Finn McHugh

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Basketball

Awards-All Sessions Archery June Robinhood Archer Rusty Kelley June Most Dedicated Archer Val Marcoux Main Most Dedicated Archer (AM) Hamilton Norman Main Robinhood Archer Henry Bryan Main Most Dedicated Archer (PM) Charlie Friedrich

Floor General - Sam Dewey Clamps - Salomon Aguirre Sniper - Caleb Crowder Derrick Rose Award - Billy Piper Larry Bird Award Grey Chamberlain

Blacksmithing June Swish King - Nolan Fore June Spirit of the Forge Gibbes Montgomery June Forge or Die Fin Brackett Main Swish King - Patton Vargas Main Forge or Die - William Davis Main Spirit of the Forge Will Morrell

Cross Country Funner Runner - William Nijem Speed Demon David Lawton Barnes Pace Pusher - Burke Moorman Mile Maniac - Henry Smith

Disc Golf Disc Detector - Emmet Liipfert June Best Vibes - Carr Stowe Best Thrower - Logan Montgomery Main Best Vibes Tristan Von Uklanski Flame Thrower - Quinn Burge

F.A.R.M. June Weasley Award Rhett Borders June Potter Award William Warnock June Sprout Award - Shep Lance Main Potter Award - Charlie Rini Main Sprout Award - Alex Dovich Main Weasley Award - Jack Tracey

Fishing (Spin) Carp Catcher - Connor Sparta June Bass Hunter - Riggs Savage Top Angler - Will Marsiglia Main Bass Hunter - Luke Jennings

Chess June The King - Alex Looney Bobby Fischer Award Oliver Losinski Main The King - Zack Muench

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Flag Football:

Horseback

Best Falling Creek Football Player Hunter Davis Best Competitor - Collin Williams June Best Hands - Henry Gardner FCC Heisman - Hank Young Main Best Hands - Barclay Blair & Beckett Blair

Buckaroo Award - Levi Robertson Tough As Nails Award - Alex Faires The Amazing Horse Race Rylan Wilson, Rhett Morrison, Jack Blanks, Alex Faires, Tripp McAdams Razz Award - Connor McElroy & George Clements Stable Management Award Sam Evans Equitation Excellence Award Jacob Bailey

Fly Fishing Most Improved Angler Thomas Jokinen June The Gettin’ After It Angler Tab Cannon Spot Chaser - Hudson Young Main The Gettin’ After It Angler Russell Carpenter

The HEAT Abs of Steel - Meyer Thompson PR Award - Robert Smith Push-Pull Award Thomas Fanning Bay Watch Award - William Jones

Lacrosse June Hard Hat (Hardest Worker) Wells Headley June Most Vocal (Loudest Player) Brock Lindberg Main Hard Hat (Hardest Worker)Louis Gannon Main Most Vocal (Loudest Player) Sanders Garner Most Improved - William Jones

Mountain Biking

Paddling

Moab Rat - Cobin Rabon Henry Potter Award - Henry Graham King Julian - Julian Pollard Teddy ‘Bear’ret - Teddy Barret

Hip Snap Award - Sam Dewey Super Steezy Super Star Award Bryan Knox PPPPP Award - James Fitzpatrick Vibe Award - Hunter Davis Super Duper Most Improved Lance Weimer Helpful Hand Award Grey Edens & Walker Edens Next Generation’s Boof King Stratton Werner

Music June The Pick of Destiny Finn Coco June Piano Man Award Connor Brown Main The Pick of Destiny Jude Spisso Main The Piano Man Award Cameron Noah

Nature June Critter King - Beckett Beatty June Wild Thinker - James Brown Nature’s Servant - Tucker Piper Main Wild Thinker - Stephens Rabb Main Critter King - Cannon Vaughan

Pottery Meticulous Beaver Shark Liam Keys Cat Shark - Baird Williams Helpful Beaver Shark Nolan Caughran Meticulous Monster - TJ Afonso Save the Baby Birds Brandon Voss Artsy Fartsy - Thomas Hunter

Outdoor Skills Certified June Outdoorsman - Parker Eaves June Suvivor - Rob Russell June Craftsman James Quesinberry Main Outdoorsman - Will Marsiglia Main Survivor - Phillip Sudduth Main Craftsman - George Thomas

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guts&glory Riflery June Top Shot - Rusty Kelley, Nick Andreoletti June Range High Score Dan Ballone, Alex Ostrom, Rhett Whitworth Chris Kyle, Heuer Erdle Main Top Shot - Ransom Albertson

Rock Climbing Dynamic Duo - Bennett Cooper & Berkley Willis Little Sloth, Big Appetite Jack Prince Do Not Mow - Cooper Highsmith Do Not Litter - Coleman Highsmith

Sailing June Lil Yachty Wright Schoellkopf Knot Too Shabby Thomas Simmons Main Lil’ Yachty - George Barret The Sassy Skipper- Jack Stamoulis

Soccer FCC Fair Play Award Brooks Rayburn Creative Playmaker Hudson Pratt June FCC Ballon d’Or Palmer McCollum Main FCC Ballon d’Or Tom Fanning Golden Glove - Zach Muench Counselors’ Player of the Season Will Lambertson

Swimming I’m Strong Award - Ike Thomason Blob Award - William White - 5 Tom Daley Diving Award George Barret

Katie Ledecky Lake Lap Award Sawyer Barnette

Tennis Tennis Stud - Will Flournoy June Most Improved Player Richard Magruder June Hardest Worker/Warrior Spirit - James Starr Main Most Improved Player Jack Stamoulis Main Warrior Spirit - Taj Majors MVP - Van Turner

Theater June Young Oscar - Tripp McAdams The Theatrical Powerhouse Thomas Cauthen Director’s Choice - Easton Selbee Main Young Oscar - Andrew Kosel The Carrot Award - Jack Tracey

Ultimate Frisbee Hulkbuster - Guy Tate Three Tailed Beast William Rachels Apelachi - Yancey Stribling Horn of Triceratops Burke Moorman Raptor Claw - Quinn Burges T-Rex Skull - Mason Hunt

Woodworking June The Golden Saw Nolan Caughran Crafty Craftsman - Hunter Havens Helping Hand - Liam Kuntz Main The Golden Saw Lex McDonald Hammer of God Lawton Broughman

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ROBINIA: Cabin 26 George Barn, Tate Barganier, Rylan Chaput, Taj Majors, Colin Morrell, Julian Pollard, Carleton Riser, Graham Whitehead, Milo Zyblewski

Charlie Klein, William Kneisel, Ford Summerour, Jack Wheeler, William Whitty

BETULA: Cabin 38 Andrew Gardner, Johnathan Randles, Will Cameron, Conor Clinton, Luke Dodson, Griffin Eubanks, Dasher Evans, Rhodes Feild, Grant Greeley, Mike Green, John Greeley, Spencer Greeley, Lawton Jordan, Parker McCollum, Michael Mullen, Frank Reuther, Sam Stevens

Cleanest Cabin AwardsJunior Camp

SAMARA: Cabin Oconaluftee Dee Keene

Cleanest Cabin Awards2-Week Camp Cleanest Cabin AwardsJune Camp SORREL Cabin 9 Whit Nuckolls, Wodajo Oleksy, Jordan Aguirre, Charlie Cox, Pierce Maher, Griffin Mather, Tripp McAdams, Henry Meadows, Shaw Rust, Baird Williams Jr. TSUGA: Cabin 17 Coley Brown, Davis Williams, John Basham, Maxwell Brown, Tab Cannon, Pierce Copenhaver, Allan Flynn, Shep Lance, Jack Robison, Wayne Wilson ROBINIA: Cabin 28 Andrew Gardner, Ford Dixon, Walt Faires, Hunter Havens, Roland Mims, Chip Phelps, Rob Russell, Mauricio Samayoa, Bryce Walger

BETULA: Cabin 38 Corey Mills, Zach Scheidly, Wyatt Davis, Jack Gansman, Henry Houghton, Bryan Knox, Henry Knox, John Henry Mims, Edward Stinehour, Hudson Wright

SORREL Cabin 9 Robert Obst, Blake Cejudo, Mac Clark, Patrick Collie, Will Hoots, Hawkins Huffstutter, Johnny Lechleiter, Bonds Manis, James Thompson

SAMARA: Cabin Hideaway Max Feild, Will Foushee, Croft Hamilton

TSUGA: Cabin 17 Coley Brown, Davis Williams, Louis Brown, Will Carey, James Craft, Porter Hujik, George Kelly, Daniel Layfield, Freddy Masterson, William Montgomery

Cleanest Cabin AwardsMain Camp SORREL Cabin 9 Tom Feingold, Erskine Bowles, Jack Cardinale, Russell Carpenter, Mack Eubanks, Philip Hess, Robert May, JD Prahler, Gage Weber TSUGA: Cabin 17 Coley Brown, Davis Williams, James Axon, Ridgeway Britt, Xander MacPhail, Cameron Morrison, Benjamin Podurgiel, Luke Savoie, Elliot Thompson

ROBINIA: Cabin 23 Jack Goodridge, Corey Mills, Pierce Chandler, Hammond Cummings, Edward Edgeworth, JW Godwin, Samuel Harris, Bauer Lewis, Tres Stone, Stanton Stonerock BETULA: Cabin 39 Andrew Gardner, Cullen Gullott, AJ Hoffman, Hunter Johnson,

SAMARA: Cabin Oconaluftee Dee Keene

SORREL Cabins 1 & 2 (tie) Cabin 1 Harry Gregorie, Ford Layman, Farley Ahern, Win Butler, Louie Costa, Noah Earney, Michael Fulenwider, Perry Still, Robert Thompson, Thomas Trautschold Cabin 2 Mason McKee, Nemo Niemeyer, Sanders Brown, Buster Chapman, Charles Griffin, Wynn Huggins, Grant McKay, William Runkle, Townes Spivey, Mac Tindel TSUGA: Cabin 13 John Nowicki, Christian Scott, Max Denning, Henry Hall, Hudson Herrera, Caleb Hodges, Hunt Iseman, Elliot Rosenthal, Rivers Stevens, Robbie Stone ROBINIA: Cabin 22 Miller Kunz, Riley McIntosh, Jesse Carmichael, Clark Coburn, Henry Flynn, Jaxx Harris, Lawrence Labanowski, Parker McCarley, Jack Schottmiller, Mitchell Sprague BETULA: Cabin 31 Andrew Gardner, Adonis Merritt, Jack Austin, Henry Bartels, Ayden DeBorde, Grady Frank, Nolan Guthrie, Jace Ratliff, Mac Rosengren, Christopher Rowe SAMARA: Cabin Oconalufte Dee Keene

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guts&glory ProgressionsAll Sessions

Blacksmithing RANGERS John-Cannon Wessel Patton Vargas William Davis

Archery RANGERS Hamilton Norman Urijah Miller

WARRIORS Ian Smith William McCollum William Davis

WARRIORS Henry Bryan Charlie Friedrich

Climbing Wall RANGERS William Davis

Arts and Crafts RANGERS Miles Stilwell Nick Aradd James Thompson Baldwin Key TJ Afonso

WARRIORS Sam Deterding Pach Esteve Coley Hucks

Cross Country WARRIORS Merritt Wrighton Thomas Fanning Benjamin Podurgiel

RANGERS Burke Moorman George Clements Oliver Losinski

Backpacking

WARRIORS Henry Smith

RANGERS Milum Lancaster

Disc Golf RANGERS Britton Lewis

Basketball RANGERS Forrest Walker Thad Jones William Jones Billy Piper

F.A.R.M. WARRIORS Charlie Rini

WARRIORS Caleb Crowder Grey Chamberlain Mac Barnette

Fishing (Spin) RANGERS Luke Jennings

Flag Football: RANGERS Hunter Davis Collin Williams Henry Gardner Conner Sparta Palmer McCollum Thomas Jokinen Yancey Stribling Hank Young

Fly Fishing RANGERS John McElroy

The HEAT WARRIORS Thomas Fanning

Horseback RANGERS Alex Faires Lachlan McFarland David Dabney

WARRIORS Sam Evans Henry Smith Marshall Liggitt

Mountain Biking RANGERS Cobin Rabon Phillip Savage Wallace Blum WARRIORS John-Hayden Scheland Max Albright Patrick Combs

Nature RANGERS Stephens Rabb WARRIORS Tucker Piper

Paddling RANGERS David Lilly Luke Baugher

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WARRIORS Grey Edens Walker Edens Patrick Minnehan

Staff Honors

Pottery

5th Year Staff

RANGERS Connor Brown Ben Bronzert

Riflery RANGERS Nick Andreoletti Mason Hunt Heuer Erdle Grey Chamberlain

Rock Climbing RANGERS Bennett Cooper Berkley Willis

Sailing WARRIORS George Barret

Soccer RANGERS Mauricio Samayoa George Blessey (Goalkeeping) Christian Kahlert (Goalkeeping) Anderson “Ace” Callaway WARRIORS Grant Loeffler Hudson Pratt Juanes Del-Pozo

Swimming WARRIORS Rylan Chaput

Tennis RANGERS Van Turner

Ultimate Frisbee WARRIORS Thad Jones

Woodworking RANGERS John-Cannon Wessel WARRIORS Lawton Broughman

Green & Gold Award Carson Skidmore

Heather Campbell Tyler Cockrell David Echeverria Andy Killebrew Mare Pharr Annie Ramsbotham Zeb Ramsbotham

RIFLERY: Mitch Budihas, John Nowicki & Mike Dib ROCK CLIMBING: Scuba Keiser & Croft Hamilton SAILING: Ford Layman SOCCER: Jack Goodridge SWIMMING: Sam Feingold TENNIS: John McKee, Pat Greenwood, & CJ Sumner THE HEAT: Dan Waterland THEATER: Kylie Venticinque ULTIMATE FRISBEE: Coley Brown WOODSHOP: Harry Gregorie

10th Year Staff Matthew Kornegay Zach Rivera

15th Year Staff Bob Majors

25th Year Staff Ben Williams

Activity Leaders ARCHERY: Jonathan Randles, Henry Colwell, & Shawn Hobson ARTS & CRAFTS: Eli Fox BACKPACKING: Matthew Kornegay BASKETBALL: Cam Payne, Zach Scheidly BLACKSMITHING: David Echeverria CHESS: Harry Gregorie CLIMBING WALL: Reid Davis-Henaine & Croft Hamilton CROSS COUNTRY: Will Weaver DISC GOLF: Will Shiflet, Carson Roth FARM: Zeb Ramsbotham & Ella Harlacher FISHING: George Barn FLY FISHING: Frankie Wimbish FLAG FOOTBALL: Ethan Carter HORSEBACK: Mare Pharr IT: Matthew Getachew LACROSSE: Davis Williams MOUNTAIN BIKING: Hays Edmunds & Lew Jaynes MUSIC: Mason McKee NATURE: Gordon Harwell OUTDOOR SKILLS: Andrew Gardner POTTERY: Sunny Ray PADDLING: Max Feild PHOTOGRAPHY: Laura Hartman

Adventure Trip Leaders BACKPACKING: Matthew Kornegay and Will Foushee MOUNTAIN BIKING: Lew Jaynes and Hays Edmunds PADDLING: Max Feild, John Allen, Jake Beavers, T Buckley, James Murff ROCK CLIMBING: Croft Hamilton and Scuba Keiser

2021 Journeymen Quentin Balestri

2022 Journeymen Thomas Fanning

2022 Keepers of the Flame Walker Liggitt

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2022 2022

NEWEST KEEPER OF THE FLAME Walker Liggitt

keeperoftheflame This year’s Journeymen: Thomas Fanning, Walker Liggitt, Quentin Balestri

THE HIGHEST RANK ATTAINABLE AT FALLING CREEK IS KEEPER OF THE FLAME.

A camper achieving Warrior in 3 activities and consistently demonstrating the FCC Code, becomes a candidate to earn Keeper of the Flame. At that point, he becomes a Journeyman and must successfully complete his journey to earn the rank of Keeper of the Flame. When a camper is designated as a Journeyman, he is assigned a staff member as his mentor to help him prepare. The Journey consists of building and tending a campfire, venturing out on an overnight solo experience, composing an essay about his time at Falling Creek and how he can share his light with others, cutting and splitting wood to be used at different Sunday night campfires, and completing an orienteering challenge.

This past summer, we would like to congratulate Quentin Balestri and Walker Liggitt, who embarked on their Journeys. After a challenging 24 hours, Walker completed all the stages and became our 6th Keeper of the Flame! We are incredibly proud of Quentin for even making it to the level of Journeyman, something that not many campers achieve. We hope he’ll return next summer to attempt his Journey again if he wishes, along with Thomas Fanning who became a Journeyman at the end of the 2022 summer and will be eligible for his Journey in 2023.

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The Green and Gold Award Recipients on staff in 2022: Ben Williams, Jules Jeffries, Matthew Kornegay, Carson Skidmore, Nathan Newquist, Paige Hafner.

Not Pictured: Simon Wilson, William “Wally” Wallace, SFL, Bob Majors, William Walters.

Carson Skidmore Congratulations to Carson Skidmore, the 2022 recipient of the Green & Gold Award! This award is given annually to the staff member who best exemplifies the Falling Creek Code -- Positive Attitude, Warrior Spirit, Servant’s Heart, Moral Compass -- and who is known for carrying the Falling Creek spirit of unselfishness in their heart.

Carson is a former camper (‘09-’12) who has served 4 years on staff (‘18-’19, ‘21-’22). He has been a respected and involved Line Head, cabin counselor, and an instructor at Nature, O.S.C, and the F.A.R.M. He is always willing to say yes, gives thoughtful and wise answers, and always offers himself to do the dirty work. He sits at the Betula tables during meals and is often late to meals because of taking care of extra duties that are not required of him around camp. Carson is someone that everybody wants to be around, both campers and staff. He is easy to get along with and is agreeable, yet willing to stand for what he thinks is important, even if it might make some people uncomfortable. He displays his Servant’s Heart by serving willingly, he has a strong Warrior Spirit in who he wants to be, always has a great Positive Attitude, and his Moral Compass leads him to making quality decisions for the sake of others’ wellbeing. Camp has been a better place with him here!

2022

greenandgoldaward

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anotherfundayattheoffice

Camp Leadership in Action

WHAT DOES YOUR OFFICE LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU WORK AT CAMP? CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ben Williams (Outdoor Adventure Director), Nathan Newquist (Operations Director), Diana Byrd (Director of Food Services), Matt Sloan (Chaplain & Shoulder Season Events Director), Zach Rivera (Asst. Staff and Program Director), Marisa Pharr (Director), Mike Nuckles (Program Director), Frank Tindall (Associate Director).

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Live with courage | Always do your best | Strengthen your body, mind, and spirit | Persevere

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announcementsfortheday News from the FCC community. Where they are and what they’re doing.

Follow us!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fallingcreek Instagram: www.instagram.com/fallingcreek/ Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/fallingcreek/ Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/falling-creek-camp TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@fallingcreekcamp

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Cameron Sumners (Camper 2016-2019) Cameron was the 2019 FCC Ironman Triathlon winner, and he’s still pushing himself in great athletic endeavors back home! In May of 2022, he helped his school win the NCISAA Division II Track and Field State Championship!

During the championship he earned an individual victory on the track, capturing the 800 in 2:03.37.

Congrats to national champions Brady Tindall (’08, ’10-’12 camper) and John Staton (’07-’11 camper)!

Cameron winning the Ironman in 2019

They are two FCC alumni who are now on the Georgia Bulldogs football team together. In January of 2022, Brady and John helped Georgia Football win their first college football national championship since 1980 - that’s some Warrior Spirit in action! This throwback picture of Brady as a camper shows how he was representing Georgia even back then!

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Joel Priest (counselor ’82-’85, ’09-’10) and Dustin Portzline (counselor ’09, ’10) In July 2022, they reunited for some rock climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains of New York. Joel made sure to wear his FCC shirt for the occasion!

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William Walters (’14-’22) Congratulations to Erin and Will Walters, who were married on July 9th, 2022! Will was a counselor for 9 summers, from 2014-2022. Fellow Falling Creek alumni Parker Moon, Mike Nuckles, Zach Rivera, and Sam Walters were groomsmen. This photo shows just how many friends from the Falling Creek community were in attendance to celebrate with them!

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Evan Long (camper ’07-’10)

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Alumnus Evan Long (camper ‘07-’10) came to visit us in March ‘22, and is pictured here revisiting a couple of his old cabins! We want to congratulate Evan on getting accepted to MIT, where he’ll be heading in June to simultaneously pursue an MS in mechanical engineering and a Sloan MBA through the Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program. Evan says, “I aspire to become an operational leader in aerospace and defense who can solve the problems of delays and cost overruns, allowing us to deploy game-changing solutions as quickly and cheaply as possible, whether for small-scale force protection or large-scale strategic deterrence.” We wish Evan luck as he pursues this next chapter in his career!

Phil and Jessica Hoffman’s son at camp Phil Hoffman (’06-’07,’09-’12) was previously a rock climbing instructor and Program Director at Falling Creek. He and his wife Jessica now live in Boone, NC, with their son Finn, who attended camp for the first time this past summer! They’re pictured here on Junior Camp Opening Day with Frank and Yates.

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Vince Green (’87-’97) and Bill Allen Sr (’88-’92) These long time friends took the Great Smokey Mountain moonshine car train from Bryson City to Nantahala Gorge with a stop at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in August, 2022. Their Falling Creek friendship is going on 35 years!

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SEND US YOUR NEWS

John Ervin (camper ’13-’19) and John Stanfill (camper ’12-’19, STEEL ’21) After years of being camp friends, John Ervin (camper ‘13-’19) and John Stanfill (camper ‘12-’19, STEEL ‘21) are now roommates at the College of William & Mary!

Pictured here are the two of them at the FCC Ironman in 2019, and outside their freshman dorm on “move-in day” in August 2022.

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INTRODUCING THIS YEAR’S ANNUAL TRUNK STICKER! Our 2023 Trunk Sticker features Gilbert’s Rock which is Falling Creek’s private rock face, located nearby in Flat Rock, NC. Gilbert’s is an integral part of Falling Creek Camp’s progression-based climbing program. 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. This year, the annual trunk stickers will be part of the Christmas mailing!

SAVE THE DATE

Apply online at

ek.com

ingcre www.fall

Traditional Sessions SESSION

GRADES

DATES

June Camp

1-9

Sun, June 4 to Fri, June 23, 2023 (20 Days)

Main Camp

2-10

Sun, June 25 to Fri, July 21, 2023 (27 Days)

2-Week Camp

1-5

Sun, July 23 to Fri, Aug 4, 2023 (13 Days)

Junior Camp

1-4

Sun, Aug 6 to Fri, Aug 11, 2023 (6 Days)

SESSION

GRADES

DATES

May Father/Son Weekend 1

K+

Fri, May 12 to Sun, May 14, 2023

May Father/Son Weekend 2

K+

Fri, May 19 to Sun, May 21, 2023

August Father/Son Weekend

K+

Fri, Aug 18 to Sun, Aug 20, 2023

SESSION

GRADES

DATES

Family Retreat

all ages

Fri, Aug 25 to Sun, Aug 27, 2023

Grade denotes the ’22-’23 school year.

Father/Son Weekends

Family Retreat

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Do the right thing | Act with integrity | Take responsibility for your actions | Tell the truth

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cabintime

junecamp Cabin 1: Back - Ford Layman, Caleb Lazzara, Wyatt Murphy, Ben Douglas, Harry Gregorie. Front - Peter Warnock, Salomon Aguirre, Brock Lindberg, Case Schoellkopf, Bond Meadows

Cabin 2: Back - Sam Feingold, John Talford, Hamilton Brantley, Brooks Brown, Felipe Esteve Garcia. Front - Tristan Gainey, Hank Biosca, Luke Berry, James Moore, Alex Hubbard

Cabin 3: Back - Brice Hayden, James Davis, George Larrabee, Lowndes Wright, Reed Gaston. Front - Drew Walsh, Jody Flournoy, John Kingsman, Charlie Davis, Lee Swetenburg

Cabin 4: Back - Eli Fox, William Nijem, Carr Stowe, Ford Proutt, Aiden Pentaleri. Front - Rhett Borders, Jack Crawford, Smith Davis, Daniel Drummond, William Yun

Cabin 5: Back - Mason McKee, Taylor Odom, William White, Teddy Swingle, Bryce Galloway. Front - Blake Martin, Henry Graham, Meyer Thompson, Felix Ostrom, Charlie Sumrall

Cabin 6: Back - Matthew Leonard, Hunt Melton, David Schonberg, James Fitzpatrick, Robert Obst. Front - Simon Pollard, Mack Schoellkopf, Mills Marcoux, Rylan Wilson, Guy Wengler

Cabin 7: Back - Harrison Best, Walker Carby, Tommy Nix, George Stevenson, Ben Berry. Front - Sam McAulay, Bo Kelly, Kenny Smith, William Hede, Whit Kelly

Cabin 8: Back - Alex Rios, Charlie Screws, James Starr, Hudson Berry, Gordon Harwell. Front - Will Mitchener, Rush Corn, Charles Williams, Logan Montgomery, Pellerin Deluke

W

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Cabin 9: Back - Whit Nuckolls, Jordan Aguirre, Griffin Mather, Shaw Rust, Wodajo Oleksy. Front - Pierce Maher, Tripp McAdams, Henry Meadows, Baird Willaims, Charlie Cox

Cabin 10: Back - Sam Fleming, Liam Carlson, Rollins Leopold, Maclean Simmons, George Barn. Front - Hunter Key, Walker Borders, Andrew Rembert, Tripp Whatley, Dylan Whelan

Cabin 11: Back - Rex Hallow, Burnham Hood, Ricky Reynolds, Duffy Cotter, Jack Goodridge. Front - William Crawford, Port Cameron, Jason Lowe, Drake Gambill, Rhett Morrison

Cabin 12: Back - Carson Vaccaro, Asher Donnelly, Adam Pollard, Liam Keys, James Murff. Front - Colton Clarke, Anderson Callaway, Fisher Leffel, Miles Denison, James Worthen

Cabin 13: Back - John Nowicki, Hank Barrett, Henry Fischer, Jackson Whitaker, Christian Scott. Front - Palmer Haslam, Jack Prince, Alexander Ostrom, Ryder Lazzara, Andrew Fanning

Cabin 14: Back - Luke Strawn, Liam Fitzpatrick, Frank Anderson, Parker Eaves, Will Fackler. Front - Fletcher Elwell, James Quesinberry, Nolan Caughran, Val Marcoux, Will Martin

E

Cabin 15: Back - Josh Fry, Alex Looney, Bear Brannon, Shae Trainor. Front - Beckett Spears, Blake Dabney, Brooks Rayburn, William Teague, Drew Franco. Not Pictured: Sanders Mitchener

Cabin 16: Back - Matthew Getachew, Henry Daniel, Sawyer Wood, Everett Jones, Patrick Greenwood. Front - Sam Deterding, Clark Pollard, Wright Schoellkopf, Pryor Roberts, Luke Malhotra

Cabin 17: Back - Davis Williams, Allan Flynn, Wayne Wilson, John Basham, Coley Brown. Front - Tab Cannon, Jack Robison, Maxwell Brown, Pierce Copenhaver, Shep Lance

Cabin 19: Back - Riley McIntosh, Collier Wright, Jude Moore, William Flournoy, Charles Brooks. Front - Benjamin Brady, Arthur Runge, Charlie Simpson, Hamilton Applegate, Teddy Batten

Cabin 20: Back - Barney Newsome, Cole Starr, Smith Whitfield, George Hendon, Tom Twemlow. Front - Fleming Cochran, Gibs Fishback, Davis Perry, Crawford O’Steen, Teddy Fishback

Cabin 21: Back - JR Wallace, Lennon Wright, Riggs Savage, Lanson Lancaster, Mieky McBride. Front - Jasper Barry, Marcos Hubbard, William Merson, Peter Mullen, Guy Tate

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Cabin 22: Back - John McKee, Charlie Daniel, Bain Thorstad, Patrick McDevitt, Marshall Magruder. Front - Mills McGrail, Jack Sweeney, Wes Andrews, Sam Connor, Teddy Peterson

Cabin 23: Back - Mark Van Kirk, Oden Springmeyer, Lowden Scarlett, Lucas Miller. Front - Graham Stilwell, Emmet Liipfert, Keegan Bell, Charlie Tabb, Noah Sawyers

Cabin 24: Back - Mikey Lee, Crawford Screws, Forrest Walker, Phillip Savage, Cooper Williamson. Front - Mitchell Blanks, Richard Magruder, Wade Glasgow, Jackson Guthrie

Cabin 25: Back - Alek “Goose” Burleson, Connor Leddy, Lucas Thomason, Jameson Saylors, David White. Front - Mason Lazzara, Patrick Harrison, Callahan Holsten, Perrin White, Adrian Botzolakis

Cabin 26: Back - CJ Sumner, Hubbard Fowler, Finn Coco, Raines Young. Front - Ike Thomason, Jack Lyle, Anderson King, Nolan Fore, McHugh Schneider

Cabin 27: Back - Peter Kurschner, Wills Goldner, Beckett Beatty, Oliver Pegues, Trevor Nelson. Front - Johnny Corn, Gibbes Montgomery, Taylor Glidewell, Cam Crozier, Connor Hoyt

Cabin 28: Back - Andrew Gardner, Roland Mims, Rob Russell, Hunter Havens. Front - Mauricio Samayoa, Walt Faires, Ford Dixon, Bryce Walger, Chip Phelps

Cabin 29: Back - Màtè Melvin, Hunter Davis, Collin Williams, Cobin Rabon. Front - Buddy Geary, Christian Kahlert, Austin Davis, Tripp Biosca, Jimmy Hunt

Cabin 30: Back - Jake Beavers, Rhett Whitworth, Wells Headley, West Miller, Carson Roth. Front - Thomas Simmons, Weston Cejudo, Levi Roberson, Henry Neff, Berkley Willis

Cabin 31: Back - Ethan Carter, Cullen Williams, Holland Dennington, Brady Harris. Front - McLean Robinson, Conner Sparta, Grant Loeffler, Cooper Edwards, Hudson Pratt

Cabin 32: Back - Caleb Kluckhohn, Caleb Crowder, James Brown, Walker Peters, Ryan Grady. Front - William Cassady, Bennett Cooper, Jackson Masters, Williams Rachels, Noah Mishoe

Cabin 33: Back - Telfair Parker, Connor Brown, Jud Masters Front - Copeland Stukes, Bennett Talford, Townes Barber, Andy Butler, Brooks Weathersbee. Not Pictured: Adonis Merritt and Mike Dib

W

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Cabin 34: Back - Sam Dewey, William Warnock, Ford Daniels, Cam Payne. Front - William Payne, James Thompson, Nicholas Arado, Baldwin Key, Merritt Wrighton

Cabin 35: Back - Will Shiflet, Jackson Kidd-Shugart, William Ramirez, Walton Plaster, Frankie Wimbish. Front - Charles Norris, Robert Smith, David Lawton Barnes, Will Morgan, Milum Lancaster

Cabin 36: Back - Cooper Davis, Hewes Lance, Joe Basham, Jonathan Randles. Front - Wade Odom, Andrew Weber, David Dabney, Walker Beatty, Ben Owens

Cabin 37: Back - Reid Davis-Henaine, Hosford Roberts, Gunner Jones, Corbett Parrino, T Buckley. Front - Thomas Cauthen, Jackson Fitzpatrick, Jackson Anderson, Ryan Miller, Lachlan McFarland

Cabin 38: Back - Zach Scheidly, Henry Knox, Bryan Knox, Henry Houghton, Corey Mills. Front - Edward Stinehour, Jack Gansman, Wyatt Davis, Hudson Wright, John Henry Mims

Cabin 39: Back - Shawn Hobson, Alex Faires, Stockton Leffel, Hudson Bell, Harry Palley. Front - Dan Ballone, Rusty Kelley, Jack Blanks, Duncan Jones, Miles Stilwell

E

maincamp Cabin 40: Back - Andrew McDonald, Palmer McCollum, Fin Brackett, Will Arendall, Henry Colwell. Front - Grayton Kennington, Thomas Jokinen, Yancey Stribling, Hartt Daniel, Henry Gardner

Cabin 2: Back - Sam Marsiglia, Grant Kosel, Teddy Barret, Felipe Esteve Garcia. Front - Wright Ritchey, Percy Mason, Fite Paine, Damon Hook, Michael Donovan. Not Pictured: Sam Feingold

Cabin 1: Back - Ford Layman, Christopher Rider, Vedaan Shah, Henry Lowry, Harry Gregorie. Front - George Corbyn, Alex Dovich, Hudson Hopkins, Ollie Erwin, Drew McCoy

Cabin 3: Back - Reed Gaston, Sanders Garner, Andy Zimmerman, Cooper Highsmith, Brice Hayden. Front - Mickey deYoung, Walker Carroll, Ben Powderly, Peter Wareing, Wes Berry

Cabin 4: Back - Eli Fox, Weldon Beesley, Hutch Jacobs, Matthew Sproull, Aiden Pentaleri. Front - Brooks McReaken, Griffin Kirwan, Charlie Wukasch, Carter Bryson, Jack Ryan

61

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Cabin 5: Back - Mason McKee, Beckett Blair, Banks Brown, Barclay Blair, Wodajo Olesky. Front - Phillip Sudduth, Jack Phillips, Pip Garten, Brooks McLanahan, William Rueger

Cabin 6: Back - Baker Dill, Granger Albergotti, Christian Stevenson, Simon Hunt, Robert Obst. Front - George Chamoun, Brandon Voss, Shepherd Crotty, North Bass, Xander Stevenson

Cabin 7: Back - Harrison Best, Davis O’Keeffe, Ryan Rohan, Henry Knox, Ben Berry. Front - George Barret, Hunter Hawkins, George Stewart, Hammon Hawkins, James Bennett

Cabin 8: Back - Gordon Harwell, Will Lambertson, Elliot Reynolds, William Logue, Alex Rios. Front - Leuven Foutch, Caleb Bowen, Langdon Dyksterhouse, Louis Gannon, William Nikodem

Cabin 9: Back - Tom Feingold, Gage Weber, Robert May, Russell Carpenter. Front - Mack Eubanks, Philip Hess, Jack Cardinale, JD Prahler, Erskine Bowles

Cabin 10: Back - Sam Fleming, CR Donohue, Charlie Flouhouse, William Gerth, Henry Putney. Front - Walker Edison, Richard Rider, Connor Zone, Tanner Vaughey, Cross Burt

Cabin 11: Back - Afton Putney, Hank Young, George Thomas, Berker Urenay, Will “Shifty” Shiflet. Front - Thomas Lawrence, Tradd Fain, Marco Pirelli, Liam Holley, Joe Kennett

Cabin 12: Back - Carson Vaccaro, Dixon Barre, Matthew Bovo, Peyt Black, James Murff. Front - William Rives, Jacob Zhang, Matthew McReaken, Emory Vaughan

Cabin 13: Back - John Nowicki, Symmes Cocke, James Fuller, Connor McElroy, Christian Scott. Front - James Albright, Andrew Kosel, Miles Stengle, Stephens Rabb, Cannon Vaughan

Cabin 14: Back - Luke Strawn, Will Sanderson, Winn Chamberlain, Thomas Andrews, Whit Nuckolls. Front - Rhys Kreitler, Gates Dixon, Holden Kleinhelter, Bowman Ritchey, Davis Rives

Cabin 15: Back - Rex Hallow, Quinn Davenport, Hamilton Norman, Wyatt Eby. Front - Davis Minnehan, Rand Jones, Santi Junco Madrazo, JP Hudson, Robert Gilmer. Not Pictured: Shae Trainor

Cabin 16: Back - Coleman Todd, Santi Menendez, Thomas Rueger, Bryce Galloway. Front - Trent Wodehouse, William Jones, Lucas Miranda, Wills Yelverton, Cameron Noah. Not Pictured: Matthew Getachew

W

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Cabin 17: Back - Davis Williams, Ridgeway Britt, James Axon, Elliot Thompson, Coley Brown. Front - Luke Savoie, MacEwen Morrison, Cameron Morrison, Benjamin Podurgiel, Xander MacPhail

Cabin 19: Back - Charles Brooks, Grant Quiles, Luke Jennings, Cooper Gooch, Riley McIntosh. Front - Jack Bogart, Pach Esteve, Ben Bronzert, Garrett Lee, Wells Dixon

Cabin 20: Back - John Cannon Wessel, Marshall Liggitt, Alonso de Idiaquez. Front - Thomas Barret, Parker Spence, Rich Hickson, Baker Smith, Will Morrell. Not Pictured: Barney Newsome and Cooper Williamson

Cabin 21: Back - JR Wallace, Mason Hunt, Jude Spisso, Urijah Miller, Mieky McBride. Front - Zack Muench, Patrick Combs, Thomas Sproull, Jack Pittman, Garland Lynn

Cabin 22: Back - CJ Sumner, Jack Lawton, Bo Vaughan, Benjamin Finney Front - Evan Powderly, Mason Porter, Jamie Nikodem, Wade Monroe, Zandy Rollins

Cabin 23: Back - Jack Goodridge, Patrick Funderburk, Oliver Clary, Hale Borden, Corey Mills Front - Brandon Doerrler, Carson Pleiman, Bobby Briggs, Jack Tracy, Quinn Burge

Cabin 24: Back - Tom Twemlow, Campbell Erwin, David Lilly, Eli Cannon. Front - Stratton Werner, Tripp Bowen, Nicholas Robinson, Britton Lewis, Camp Clark

Cabin 25: Back - Alek “Goose” Burleson, Clay Sproule, Marshall Ebel, William Swann, David White. Front - Cameron Schurter, JJ Simmons, William Miller, Jack Rollins, Charlie Rini

Cabin 26: Back - Rylan Chaput, Graham Whitehead, Milo Zyblewski, George Barn. Front - Carleton Riser, Colin Morrell, Taj Majors, Julian Pollard, Tate Barganier

Cabin 27: Back - Peter Kurschner, John McElroy, Will Marsiglia, Beckham Prahler, Trevor Nelson. Front - Gabriel Ruffer, Thomas Fanning, William Jones, Coleman Highsmith, Liam Fanning

Cabin 28: Back - Matthew Leonard, Luke Brown, William Lancaster, Lance Weimer, Harry Palley. Front - TJ Afonso, Aiden Moore, Patton Vargas, Jim Lanier. Not Pictured: Teddy Vlak

Cabin 29: Back - Màtè Melvin, Huck Trottmann, Easton Selbee, Sam Evans. Front - William Davis, George Clements, Graeme McNeish, Jacob Bailey, Coley Hucks

E

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Cabin 30: Back - Jake Beavers, Max Albright, Paul McSwain, Ethan McIntyre, Carson Roth. Front - Hudson Young, Ethan McAneny, Judd Collins, John Hayden Scheland, Ransom Albertson

Cabin 31: Back - Heuer Erdle, Grey Chamberlain, Gideon Koehring, Ethan Carter. Front - Tucker Piper, Sawyer Barnette, Van Turner, Jack Solcher, Jack Sudduth

Cabin 32: Back - Caleb Kluckhohn, Burke Moorman, Beecher Aldredge, Andrew Stroud, Ryan Grady. Front - Finn McHugh, Simon Ikenberg, Wade Polk, Wallace Blum, Garrett Cooley

Cabin 33: Back - Mike Dib, William McCollum, Grif Siegel, Edward Stivers, Andrew McDonald. Front - Manu Menendez, Nick Andreoletti, Liam Kuntz, George Blessey, Nnamdi Nwosu

Cabin 34: Back - Henry Echols, Sam Wyland, Benjamin Bradford, Cam Payne. Front - McDonagh Kuntz, Lawton Broughman, Manny Junco Madrazo, Thomas Hunter, Kearney Sword

Cabin 35: Back - Frankie Wimbish, Warner Shaper, Evan Hunt, Oliver Losinski, Shawn Hobson. Front - Garrett Long, Thad Jones, Thompson Haddock, Ian Smith, Spencer Dill

Cabin 36: Back - Tristan Von Uklanski, Grey Edens, Chris Sanchez-Medina, John McKee. Front - Marshall Smith, Logan Hope, Juanes Del Pozo, Luke Baugher, Edison Pellumbi

Cabin 37: Back - Julian Balestri, Henry Donohue, Xander Beamon, Reid Davis-Henaine. Front -Walker Edens, Hudson Tinch, Patrick Minnehan, Ryan Murray, Yates Bass

Cabin 38 (STEEL): Back - Andrew Gardner, Frank Reuther, Sam Stevens, Conor Clinton, Parker McCollum, Mike Green, Johnathan Randles. Middle - Spencer Greeley, Grant Greeley, Rhodes Feild, Griffin Eubanks, Will Camerson. Front - Dasher Evans, Lawton Jordan, Luke Dodson, Michael Mullen, John Greeley

W

twoweek camp Cabin 39 (FLINT): Back - Clayton Kunz, Thomas Johnson, Charlie Friedrich, Rodgers McCullough, Patrick Greenwood. Front - Quentin Balestri, Gabe Cullens, Nathaniel Rubin, Tommy Caso, Lex McDonald

Cabin 40 (FLINT): Back - Henry Colwell, Walker Liggitt, Billy Piper, Jonathan Dunham, Zach Scheidly. Front - Jackson Skelly, Mac Barnette, Jack Stamoulis, Henry Smith, Henry Bryan

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Cabin 1: Back - Ford Layman, Smith Atienza, George Young, George West, Harry Gregorie. Front - Harry Sartorio, Bo Punches, Robins Carlson, George Clary, Austin Keber

Cabin 2: Back - Harrison Naugle, Caldwell McGovern, Waters Dennington, Merle Masterson, Sam Feingold. Front - Walker Rumley, Lawrence Burtschy, Fulton Edison, Preston Mack, Knox King

Cabin 3: Back - Reed Gaston, Mac Robertson, Tripp Merriam, Robert Swope, Brice Hayden. Front - James Magrath, Grant Chandler, William Bradley, Murrell Smith, Montgomery Ellis

Cabin 4: Back - Eli Fox, Hamill Crittendon, Davis Petrey, Jack Jones, Aiden Pentaleri. Front - Brek Johnson, Cam Robinson, Preston Saylors, Wright Yelverton, Jack Kelly

Cabin 5: Back - James Moss, Harrison Blais, Brooks Kurimsky, Mason McKee. Front - Beau Montgomery, Arthur West, Whitaker Bradford, James Cardinale, Barnes Hartnett.

Not Pictured: Wodajo Oleksy

Cabin 6: Back - Baker Dill, Oliver Ladley, Benjamin Hoffman, Sutton Harris, Alex Rios. Front - Henry Levinson, Lawson Simon, Greer Menges, Thomas Douglass, Edward Spizer

Cabin 7: Back - Harrison Best, Charlie Everett, Tucker Brooks, Gray Thompson, Ben Berry. Front - Thomas Hayes, John Hayes, William Bundy, Stuart Carey, Hudson Swyka

Cabin 8: Back - Charles Brooks, Reece Davidson, Yates Schipper, Hank Tracey, Gordon Harwell. Front - Davis Springmeyer, Graham Fitzgerald, Ben Roberts, Les O’Brien, Davy Wallace

Cabin 9: Back - Robert Obst, Will Hoots, Mac Clark, Blake Cejudo.

Front - Patrick Collie, Bonds Manis, Hawkins Huffstutter, Johnny Lechleiter, James Thompson

Cabin 10: Back - Sam Fleming, JR Fox, Henry Lamont, Alexander Moore, Henry Putney. Front - Andrew Todd, Teddy Bender, Henry Wetzler, Parker Deaton, Brody Schaaf

Cabin 11: Back - Afton Putney, Liam Rogers, Ben Sellers, Mac Schorr, Peter Kurschner. Front - Charles French, Richard Punches, Fielding Welden, Mac McGirt, Hudson Elmerick

Cabin 12: Back - Will “Shifty” Shiflet, Graham Carpenter, Asher Dooley, James Adams, James Murff. Front - Reid Johnston, Bobby Detar, Hux Tucker, Cade von Weller, Carter Henderson

E

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Cabin 13: Back: John Nowicki, Turner Black, Miller King, Marsh Douthat, Christian Scott. Front: Hanes Andrews, Ware Menges, Henry Weekes, Oscar Tobin, George Paradis

Cabin 14: Back - Luke Strawn, Parks Arnold, Whit Zorich, Henry Wimberley, Whit Nuckolls. Front - Jack Griffin, Harrison Oshins, Hank Pittman, Sutton Atienza, William Sloan

Cabin 15: Back - Spencer Brown, Witt Stauffer, James Hickey.

Front - Jimmy Hessberg, Keval Patel, Jay Tomascak, Ben Shockley, Not Pictured: Rex Hallow, Shae Trainor, AJ Demski

Cabin 16: Back - James Camp, Drew Sedgwick, Wickham Raquet, Matthew Getachew. Front - Hunter Petillo, Evan Petrey, Aaron Goodman, Teddy McDade, Wallace Carlson

Cabin 17: Back - Coley Brown, George Kelly, James Craft, Will Carey, Davis Williams. Front - William Montgomery, Freddy Masterson, Daniel Layfield, Porter Hujik, Louis Brown

Cabin 19: Back - Riley McIntosh, Harrison Carr, Wells Funderburk, Tripp Tobin. Front - Haynes Robinson, Collin Seneker, Davis Leveridge, Briggs Boardman, Ben Beckham

Cabin 20: Back - Barney Newsome, Nathaniel Sherman, Baxter Waters, Wills Brewster, Cooper Williamson. Front - Miles Valentino, William Bush, Teddy Webb, Taylor Stukes, Roman Young

Cabin 21: Back - Mieky McBride, Alex Hanson, Newton Sams, Jack Puckett, JR Wallace. Front - Marshall Caldwell, Teddy Hasley, Sam Robertson, Hawkins Atchison, Jackson Green

Cabin 22: Back - CJ Sumner, Wim Vlak, David Sartorio, Marshall Powers. Front - Edward Rawl, Benny Sutherland, Knox O’Connor, Gray Salewski, Garrett Murchison

Cabin 23: Back - Corey Mills, Stanton Stonerock, Pierce Chandler, Bauer Lewis, Jack Goodridge. Front - Samuel Harris, JW Godwin, Tres Stone, Edward Edgeworth, Hammond Cummings

Cabin 24: Back - Bowman Ellis, Crawford York, Zach Zimardo, Tom Twemlow. Front - DR Avila, Knox Tate, Wood Maguire, Robby Thornburg, Christian DiMarco

Cabin 25: Back - Alek “Goose” Burleson, Aiden Beach, Palmer Spry, Hendrik Grannan, David White. Front - Luke Hawkins, Jackson Olivo, John Monk, Pate Henderson, Hunter Small

W

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Cabin 26: Back - Collier Williams, Liam O’Brien, George Barn.

Front - Joe Espy, Cole Swyka, Lawson Jones, Wright Borden Not pictured: Collin McGirt, Will Rechkemmer

Cabin 27: Back - Rowe Magrath, Lee Rhodes, William Oates, Trevor Nelson. Front - Elliot Wendell, Henry Spizer, Max Collie, Jack Langley, Charles Anderson

Cabin 28: Back - Matthew Leonard, Merrill McCloud, Finn Joye, Tony Sanchez, Harry Palley. Front - Lowe Miller, Nicholas Iauco, Declan Earp, Duncan Ebel, Banks Fochtmann

Cabin 29: Back - Màtè Melvin, Reed Ryan, Jack Schwartz, Miles Dean. Front - George Yelverton, JoJo Hancock, William Tyburski, Christian Hage, Grant Plexico

Cabin 30: Back - Jake Beavers, Oli Zubko, Benny Maynard, Charlie Fitzgerald, Carson Roth. Front - William Georgerian, Mills Slacum, Gus Glassner, Paul Traylor, Callum Williamson

Cabin 31: Back - Ethan Carter, Henry DeHaven, B Jones, Henry Hickey. Front - Lawson Joyce, Robert Lewis, Gray Wheeler, Campbell Lee, Cliff Walker

E

Cabin 32: Back - Caleb Kluckhohn, Townes Clements, Fritz Keber, Grey Cushnie, Ryan Grady. Front - Miller Ruehling, Ford Wallerstein, Jack Herzog, Cameron Cho, Mac Polancich

Cabin 33: Back - Shawn Hobson, Mills Cutter, Tate Ballinger, Wyatt Armour. Front - Nathan Levinson, Max Boyer, Beckett Howard, Harrison Dellinger, Duncan Mulloy Not pictured: Jonathan Randles

Cabin 34: Back - George Hammock, John Gray Norris, Owen Easley, Cam Payne. Front - Hutcheson Huffstutter, James Harris, Gabe McKinney, Will Chandler, Holden Baird

Cabin 35: Back - Mac Smith, Yorke Beaver, West Martin, Frankie Wimbish. Front - Bruce Biggs, Jackson Williams, Locke Boor, Smith Spivey, Whitt Goldsmith

Cabin 36: Back - John McKee, Rivers Benton, JJ Nastopoulos, Joe Neilson. Front - Bobby Webb, Carter Mack, William Valentine, Elliot Young, Henry Webster

Cabin 37: Back - Reid Davis-Henaine, Jack Teague, Coleman Jenkins, Landon Schaaf. Front - Oliver Toms, Cash Ferguson, Edward Earle, Mac Greene, Jack Roberts

67

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Cabin 39: Back - Cullen Gullott, AJ Hoffman, Hunter Johnson, Andrew Gardner. Front - Ford Summerour, Charlie Klein, William Whitty, William Kneisel, Jack Wheeler

Cabin 40: Back - Henry Colwell, Ryan Lee, Dave Demski, Max Ishee, Andrew McDonald. Front - George Bridger, Clay Petrey, Quincy Wood, Marshall Morton, Akhil Patel

Cabin 1: Back - Ford Layman, Perry Still, Win Butler, Robert Thompson, Harry Gregorie. Front - Louie Costa, Thomas Trautschold, Farley Ahern, Michael Fulenwider, Noah Earney

Cabin 2: Back - Nemo Niemeyer, Grant McKay, Mac Tindel, Buster Chapman, Mason McKee. Front - William Runkle, Townes Spivey, Wynn Huggins, Charles Griffin, Sanders Brown

Cabin 3: Back - Wodajo Oleksey, Watts Israel, Griffin Ritchie, Bobby McBride, Brice Hayden. Front - Wyatt Woods, Bradley Holmes, Mills Maguire, Tyson Haire, James Allen

Cabin 4: Back - JR Wallace, Grayson Habegger, Gibbs Carson, Charles Currie, Eli Fox. Front - Alexander Jaeger, Randell Thomas, John Kinney, Banks Harris, Mullins von Werssowetz

Cabin 5: Back - Reed Gaston, Remington Capt, Harrison McEntire, Skip Quasha, Hays Edmunds. Front - Jack Butcher, George Thomas, Andrew Hickey, Brooks Davidson, Ike Collins

Cabin 6: Back - Baker Dill, Rhys Olivier, William DenHerder, Stewart Mungo, Alex Rios. Front - Scott Glass, Barnes Schmitt, Jack McEnery, James Marshall, Benjamin Bonnoitt

Cabin 7: Back - Harrison Best, William Starr, Cameron Senne, Liam Weaver, Ben Berry. Front - Robert Hixon, Willett Stukes, Griffin Sigmon, Jack Holladay, Cliffe Laborde

Cabin 8: Back - Gordon Harwell, Bohen Byer, John Isaac Epley, Locke Copenhaver, Charles Brooks. Front - Foster Jones, Meyer Baumann, Callahan Hutchins, George Bomar, Finn Louis

Cabin 38: Back - Zach Sheidly, Jack Maguire, Owen West, George Edwards. Front - Jack Hall, Banks Johnston, Daniel Hill, Taylor Wendell, William Camp

juniorcamp W

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Cabin 9: Back - Will Weaver, William Ladley, Charlie Cathcart, William Hubbard, Robert Obst. Front - Finn Hoffmann, Pickett Gore, Bruce Reid, James Hubbard, William Hastings

Cabin 10: Back - Matthew Leonard, Jack Baarcke, Townsend Wyker, Stanton Reid, Sam Fleming. Front - Gavin Gehring, Walker Morehouse, Jack Hand, Holden Wyatt, Saxon Ranton

Cabin 11: Back - Will “Shifty” Shiflet, Tripp Kissee, Bruce Lewis, Kelly Kaloupek, Afton Putney. Front - Colby Hancock, Grigs Henderson, James McWilliams, Tommy Rowe, Gus Bell

Cabin 12: Back - Peter Kurschner, Whitten Richardson, Sawyer Harmeling, Jackson Poole, George Barn. Front - Hudson Griffin, Jamie Cobb, Tom Harmeling, Dalton Malnate, Ford Skeen

Cabin 13: Back - John Nowicki, Hudson Herrera, Hunt Iseman, Caleb Hodges, Christian Scott. Front - Elliott Rosenthal, Rivers Stevens, Henry Hall, Robbie Stone, Max Denning

Cabin 14: Back - Luke Strawn, Ford Mashek, Christopher Vecellio, Fisher Moore, Whit Nuckolls. Front - Weyman Weiner, Jake Schwartz, Freddy Smith, Scott Chafik, Reid Tatum

E

Cabin 15: Back - Rex Hallow, Luke Farmer, Bowen Baehler, Stuckey Walker, Shae Trainor. Front - Ward Hunter, Mike Tourville, Thomas Hills, Jack Green, Freeman Self

Cabin 16: Back - Coley Brown, Eason Phillips, Henry Hall, Drew Royal, Matthew Getachew. Front - Patrick Billings, Kip Scheuer, Beale Pope, Miles Stanton, Hunter Barge

Cabin 17: Back - Davis Williams, Jack Houlihan, George Johnston, Leo Hoeschen, Jackson Smith. Front - Bryce Jensen, Graham Levell, Bruce Swenson, Benjamin Price, Harrison Norris

Cabin 19: Back - Jack Goodridge, Jack Malone, Alexander Hage, Corey Mills. Front - John Pontius, Fisher Tharp, Price Roberson, CJay Mase, William Ripple

Cabin 22: Back - Miller Kunz, Jesse Carmichael, Jaxx Harris, Henry Flynn, Riley McIntosh. Front - Mitchell Sprague, Jack Schottmiller, Parker McCarley, Lawrence Labanowski, Clark Coburn

Cabin 23: Back - Tom Twemlow, Teddy Pulitzer, Beau Headley, Walker Hasselle, Barney Newsome. Front - Guy Lindenbaum, Jack Powell, Matthew Phillips, Bobby Barr, Boone Nicholson

69

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W

Cabin 24: Back - Henry Putney, Simms Hardin, Cabell Andrews, JJ Trimble, Mikey McBride. Front - John Wyatt Coleman, Beckett Bartlett, Ladd Zvara, Cooper Harknett, Chase Jenkinson

Cabin 25: Back - Alek Burleson, Hank Hawkins, Mitchell Pittinos, Banks Johnson, CJ Sumner. Front - Whitt Donnelly, John Starbuck, Thomas Brown, Benjamin Robbins, Henry Cox

Cabin 26: Back - Will Foushee, Hardin Joyce, Will Wasson, Hunter Louis, Matthew Kornegay. Front - Parker Seiffert, Wells Foster, Lawson Foster, Max Rozek, Christian Keretsis

Cabin 27: Back - Croft Hamilton, Charlie Andrews, Luke Jansen, Wade Mitchell, Scuba Keiser. Front - Smoak Copenhaver, Cannon Hardwick, Cooper Angell, Cash Kennedy, Andrew Cindrich

Cabin 29: Back - Griffin Bell, Cullen Weaver, Will Thompson, Maverick Hudgins, Màtè Melvin. Front - Cooper Brackett, Winston Smith, Finn Godschalk, Bry Jessen, Henry Jessen

Cabin 30: Back - Carson Roth, Scott Spicer, James Kelley, Eli Patel, Jake Beavers. Front - James Thomas, Oliver McDonald, Sam Brinkley, Fitz Baumann, Charles Douglass

Cabin 31: Back - Adonis Merritt, Jack Austin, Nolan Guthrie, Jace Ratliff, Andrew Gardner. Front - Henry Bartels, Grady Frank, Mac Rosengren, Christopher Rowe, Ayden DeBorde

Cabin 32: Back - Caleb Kluckhohn, Jack Kleckley, William Sedmak, Michael Lynn, Ryan Grady. Front - Thomas Rabun, Max Bumgardner, Ethan Gehring, Rodes Baumann, George Bonham

Cabin 33: Back - Carson Skidmore, Wells Wallace, Mac Brown, Patrick Barge, Jonathan Randles. Front - Ryan Farley, Winston Sherman, Brooks Cromey, Will Baumann, Dillon Malnate

Cabin 34: Back - Cam Payne, Wayde Henry Birthright, Rivers McGinnis, Bowen Walker. Front - Bennett Darling, Caspian Falck, Luke Schwartz, Chase Stephens, Charlie Thornhill Not Pictured: Andrew McDonald

Cabin 35: Back - Frankie Wimbish, Liam Neithardt, Liam Patel, Beau Neithardt, Max Feild. Front - Tyler Jensen, Colten Christenbury, Shan Mistry, Thomas Warrick, Haynes Crumpler

Cabin 36: Back - John McKee, JT Haire, Miles Lynn, Andrew Franceschi, Trevor Nelson. Front - Preston Barnette, Lucas DeLozier, Charlie Batson, Marshall Austin, Matthew Fandetti

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Cabin 37: Back - Henry Colwell, Wade Petkovich, Carter Munn, Declan Wall, Reid Davis-Henaine. Front - Riley Pearson, Rudy Parish, Sawyer Fienning, Patrick Bonnoitt, Teddy Murphy

Cabin 38: Back - Zach Scheidly, Tommy England, Willis Cantey, Liam Fuller, Brooks Croone. Front - Charles Brady, Corey Brady, Reid Przybyla, William Przybyla, Johnny Ensminger

iron man & honor council E

Iron Man: James Axon, Jacob Bailey, Mac Barnette, Thomas Barrett, Wallace Blum, Oliver Clary, George Clements, Rylan Chaput, Wells Dixon, CR Donohue, Heuer Erdle, Thompson Haddock, William Jones,Will Lambertson, William Lancaster, Walker Liggitt, Garland Lynn, Paul McSwain, Davis Minnehan, Patrick Minnehan, William Nikodem, Benjamin Podurgiel, Elliot Reynolds, Richard Rider, Easton Selbee, Jackson Skelly, Baker Smith, Henry Smith, Jude Spisso, Clay Sproule, Edward Stivers, William Swann, Huck Trottman, Bo Vaughn, Brandon Voss, Hank Young Honor Council: Back Row: Will Neimeyer, Will Cameron, Billy Piper, Mac Barnette, Spencer Greeley, William Mccollum, Walker Liggitt, Henry Smith, Andy Killebrew. Middle Row: Whit Nuckolls, Rodgers McCullough, John Greeley, Thad Jones, Rhodes Feild, Jackson Smith, Jack Stamoulis, Matthew Leonard, Dan Waterland. Front Row: Carson Skidmore, KC Collins, Van Turner, Wade Polk, Grant Greeley, Luke Baugher, Ransom Albertson, Judd Collins, Andrew Gardner. Not Pictured: John Allen, Walter Miller.

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directorsandstaff Full Time Facility Managers: Doug Smathers, Director of Facilities, Simon Wilson, Thomas Cason, David Echeverria

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Kitchen Managers: Brandon Webber, Chef; Diana Byrd, Director of Food Services; Dee Keene, Chef

Kitchen Staff: Back row- Edwin Leyton, Pamela Lopez, Karla Montano, Cinthya (Jack) Trujillo, Diego Jimenez, Deanda (Dee) Keene. Front row- Rafael Ramirez, Tamara Ayala, Diana Isidro, Ana Toledo, Gabriela Lopez, Abril Barrios, Kaylee Logan, Savannah Duvall

Line Heads: Dan Waterland, Robinia; Mitch Budihas, Samara; Will Weaver, Tsuga; Carson Skidmore, Betula; Will “Nemo” Neimeyer, Sorrel

Assistent Line Heads: Jay Novelli, Samara; Zach Sheidly, Betula; Alek Burleson, Robinia; Coley Brown, Tsuga; Harry Gregorie, Sorrel

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Leadership Team: Back Row - Zeb Ramsbotham, Annie Ramsbotham, John Burton, Frank Tindall, Yates Pharr, Marisa Pharr. Middle Row - Nathan Newquist, Ben Williams, Zach Rivera, Catie Cornett, Jeff Killebrew, Matt Sloan, Andy Killebrew. Front Row - Mike Nuckles, Diana Byrd, Paige Hafner, Jasmine Westbrook.

Assistant Outdoor Adventure Director: KC Collins

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Photographers: Back - Tom Twemlow, Whit Nuckolls, Trenton Almgren-Davis.

Front - Courtney Budihas, James Singhal. Inset: Head Photographer: Laura Hartman

Dash: Back - Jack Thomas, Walter Miller, Hayes Orr, Mace Hood, James Singhal Front - Jack Dickins, Brooks Croone, Mason Brown, Miller Kunz, Jackson Smith, Griffin Bell

Samara: Inset: William “Wally” Wallace, Jay Novelli, Max Feild, Amanda Black.

Samara: Back - Scuba Keiser, Lew Jaynes, Sunny Ray, Croft Hamilton, Will Foushee. Front - Liz Payne, Courtney Budihas, Mare Pharr, Liv Murray, Lauren Croll, Alex Fusile, Taylor Nobles, Ella Harlacher, Hays Edmunds, Kylie Venticinque. Not pictured, Matthew Kornegay.

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Doctors 2022 Joe Jackson ...............................................June Week 1 Ben Fischer.................................................June Week 2 Ron Turner ..................................................June Week 3 Bob Majors .................................................Main Week 1 Steve Feingold ............................................Main Week 2 Erin Murphy ................................................Main Week 3 Paul Nowicki ...............................................Main week 4 Kristy Carter.....................................................2-Week 1 Preston Wendell ...............................................2-Week 2 Hunter Louis .........................................................Junior Joe Jackson

Ben Fischer

Ron Turner

Bob Majors

Steve Feingold

Erin Murphy

medicalstaff doctors W

medical staff nurses Paul Nowicki

Kristy Carter

Preston Wendell

Hunter Louis

Head Nurse: Catie Cornett

Wendy Barber

Heather Campbell

Natalie Clements

Karen Cookson

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Heather Earney

Martha Franceschi

Indy Hairston

Sarah Holt

Mary Lobianco

Nora Loughlin

Teresa Lyle

Lillian Magruder

Michelle McHugh

Sarah Mishoe

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Brelan Montgomery

David Morgan

Chuck Niemeyer

Marty Post

Ashley Rowe

David Tagye

Ginger Tate

Chrisy Templin

Chris Reed

Devin Yates

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a call toquarters

COMING

Full Circle

“Day is done, gone the sun . . .”

The first time I heard those words (the start of Taps) I was 11, a Junior camper at Camp Mondamin, just up the road from the site of Falling Creek Camp. It was June, 1958. My father had been a camper and counselor for seven years starting in 1927. My brother and sister were campers at Camps Mondamin and Green Cove starting somewhere in the mid-1950s. They all liked camp and benefitted from the eight-week summers at Main Camp, but none of them took to it like I did.

By John Burton

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TAPS Day is done, gone the sun, From the lake, from the hills, from the sky; All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

All FCC Campfire programs end with the community standing and singing the first verse of Taps together.

I was a kid from the suburbs of Chicago who couldn’t compete in contact sports due to a shaky elbow, but could swim, paddle, sail, play tennis, hike, and ride horses (no mountain bikes or climbing walls back then), and I did them all as much as I could, every day.

Such pursuits then dictated my life’s work in outdoor adventure and education.

I remember every single counselor I had during my first eight years at camp, including the cool guy I had for two years in a row at ages 14 and 15. He was strong, funny, good at bear hugs and pats on the back as well as keeping us in line. He had thick coke-bottle glasses, could grow a beard twice a day (or so it seemed to us puberty-challenged early teens), was friendly but stern, concerned but trusting, wise and encouraging.

His name was Henry Pharr—yep, Yates’ dad.

One of the truly influential men in my life, of which I have been lucky to have many.

And now I have Yates, Henry’s son, and Marisa, our co-Directors, and Frank Tindall, and the other remarkable leaders at Falling Creek, who are the latest inspirational mentors in my life! I joined the FCC staff this year as “Senior Advisor,” whatever that is, also mysteriously described as “Greybeard.”

In my “other life” I have run small businesses, helped people start businesses, coached

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behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

—Psalm 133:1

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executives and teams at non-profits, engineering firms, airports, hospitals, universities, national parks, etc. I competed around the world on the U.S. Whitewater Team for 13 years. It is with pride and joy and not a little reverence that I describe Falling Creek as the model for an aware, intentional, value-driven, accountable organization.

The leaders here consider themselves stewards of the place, the people, and the traditions. They lead with reverence, compassion, and the long-term health of everyone in mind. They are attentive to every camper, every counselor, every activity, every building and trail and vehicle and boat so that the campers have the best possible experience, every hour of every day.

After every day or event or trip, they ask “what went well today, and what could we do better?” Counselors, directors, line heads, the maintenance crew, the kitchen geniuses, all are expected to ask and answer those questions. They are self-analytical, they listen and take feedback beautifully, they are humble and curious, and they are inspiring.

The FCC leadership team lead by example, hold themselves accountable, hold the staff accountable, and ask of the kids an appropriate amount of self-direction

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and responsibility. Each cabin engages in a tradition known as “Evening Embers,” in which the boys are asked to contribute to a meaningful conversation about their day. What went well, what they learned, who was kind or helpful to them, how they may have given of themselves to someone else or to camp in some way. It is a powerful first step into self-awareness and other-awareness.

I have worked for and in many great organizations since my first job at Camp Mondamin as a clueless 18-year-old counselor. I have been lucky and am now intentional to work with great leaders who run valuedriven organizations. My luck has been continuous: to have parents who sent me to camp at age 11, to have embraced outdoor activities as great learning vehicles, to reconnect with the camp community in Henderson County, to connect with the fine leaders at Falling Creek.

Finding great mentors may not be all luck—I seek out folks like them who lead the way I want to be led.

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“. . . from the lake, from the hills, from the sky: all is well, safely rest, God is nigh.” The end of another great day at Falling Creek. I am grateful to have come full circle.

—John Burton (“JGB”)

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