South Fork Vol. 3, No. 1
Spring 2020
Alumni Spotlight: Trey Moore Troop 34’s Scout Lodge First--Year Camp Memories First Jeff Nickell’s Grand Canyon Adventure
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From the Editor On behalf of the editorial team, I’d like to welcome you to our first printed issue of South Fork, the biannual magazine of the Kia Kima Alumni Association. We launched this magazine just over two years ago to foster a greater community among the alumni and reconnect friends with their beloved summer home. This is the sixth issue we have published, and it is the first issue to be printed and mailed directly to our members. If your household received multiple copies (because multiple family members are KKAA members), we encourage you to send a copy to an old friend that you haven’t seen at events. If you received this issue elsewhere or are reading it online, we encourage you to join us! You can place membership online at KiaKimaAlumni.org. Membership dues are $25 a year, and you will receive a KKAA 2020 member decal and future printed copies of the South Fork. The South Fork archives are available for free online. These contain featured articles such as the experiences of some of our alumni dealing with the 2018 fires at Philmont (Fall 2018 issue); alum Erin Coates sharing her passion for caving which was sparked by her time on Staff (Winter 2019); and alum Kevin Kuehl starting a Scouting program at a children’s home in Honduras while serving as a twoyear missionary (Winter 2018 issue). These can all be found on the KKAA website and on issuu.com/ KiaKimaAlumni. In 1930, the President of the Chickasaw Council’s Kia Kima Committee, Edward M. Salomon, wrote, “Even as a house without a foundation cannot stand, neither can an undertaking or project succeed without an ultimate goal and aim toward which all efforts lead.” The South Fork aims to fulfill the first part of the KKAA Mission Statement: “to reconnect alumni with Kia Kima.” We hope this magazine continues to build a community, allowing alumni to rekindle friendships and spark new ones thanks to our shared home on the banks of the South Fork River. -Andrew Schrack 1
CONTENTS SPRING 2020
Inside the South Fork 03. President’s Letter Chuck Barber, Alumni Association President
05. Calendar of Events Upcoming reunions and service opportunities 07. Alumni Spotlight: Trey Moore From Trading Post Staff to Reservation Director to a nonprofit’s Executive Director 11. Just the Place for the Next Century Troop 34’s new Scout Lodge in the heart of Midtown Memphis 15. From the Museum A Kia Kima promotional letter from 1928 sent to every Scout’s parents 17. First-Year Memories Collected stories from alumni’s first years on Kia Kima staff 23. Jeff Nickell’s Grand Canyon Adventure The yurt-dwelling, river-guiding Adventure Ambassador for the National BSA 30. Donor Recognition Thanking those who make the Kia Kima Alumni Association possible 31. Alumni Updates Personal and professional life updates from alumni
Editor in Chief Andrew Schrack Staff Writers Noah Feder Jason Hood Hannah Wright Layout Andrew Schrack Mike Haskins Copy Editors Chuck Barber Alexandra Howard Johnny Tracy Ad Sales Jeremy Palazolo South Fork is the biannual magazine of the Kia Kima Alumni Association. It is created and published by a team of volunteers, the Publications Committee. For inquiries and comments, email SouthFork@KiaKimaAlumni.org. This magazine mailed for free to all dues-paid members of the Kia Kima Alumni Association. To update your mailing address, please visit KiaKimaAlumni.org and logging into your member account. If you did not initially join online, select the Forgot Password option. Advertisements help offset the cost of publication and continue the mission of the Kia Kima Alumni Association. For ad sales in future issues, contact Jeremy Palazolo at SouthFork@KiaKimaAlumni.org. The mission of the Kia Kima Alumni Association is to reconnect alumni with Kia Kima; to support Kia Kima Scout Reservation and its staff; and to promote the Scouting program. The Kia Kima Alumni Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Arkansas. www.KiaKimaAlumni.org PO Box 342855 Memphis, TN 38184 © 2020 Kia Kima Alumni Association. All rights reserved.
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PRESIDENT’S LETTER Fellow friends of Kia Kima, I’d like to start by taking a moment to thank the KKAA members who have been serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many first responders, medical professionals, and other essential workers in our ranks. We sincerely appreciate your sacrifice and dedication.
Chuck Barber Alumni Association President president@kiakimaalumni.org
While 2020 is certainly unique, it’s not the first time Kia Kima has faced challenges and a doubtful future. In 1947, after Kamp Kia Kima had been closed for eight years because of World War II and its aftermath, a group of alumni formed the Kia Kima Klub. Their support, both financially and in service, enabled camp to reopen in 1948. It’s been open ever since. I like to think of the KKAA as the spiritual descendants of this group. Despite the current situation severely limiting our ability to gather together or travel to camp, our Board has been working hard in the background to continue helping Kia Kima as best we can. My commitment as your president is to bring to bear the full breadth of the Association’s resources in order to support the staff and administration. If you have time or resources to give, this summer is the time to give it. The Scouts deserve the same incredible experiences we’ve all enjoyed at our second home. Our help, whether on-site or remotely, will help ensure that happens. Kia Kima is in great hands. Our devotion will keep it that way. We will make it through this together, and we will continue to work to make Kia Kima an even better place. As soon as restrictions are lifted, we have some great plans in place for events to celebrate with each other in Memphis along with awesome projects to complete at camp that we’re excited to share with you. Thank you so much for all you do for Kia Kima and each other. I look forward to seeing you soon.
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Yours in friendship,
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chuck Barber (President) Melissa Burnett Dalton Cook (Camp Staff Liaison) Ryan Cooper Michael Downs Mark Follis Jason Hood Alexandra Howard (Secretary) Chris Johnson Justin Kerr Rachel Mixson (Treasurer) Jeremy Palazolo (Camp Staff Liaison) Andrew Schrack (Past President) Johnny Tracy *Due to COVID-19, the other Directors have not officially been elected to the Board
Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge’s Kia Kima Trail Crew at Winter Camp 2019
COMMITTEES ACTIVITIES Ryan Cooper (Chair)
AWARDS
Spencer Nesvick (Chair)
FINANCE
Rachel Mixson (Chair) Bob Winkler
HISTORICAL
Andrew Schrack (Chair)
MEMBERSHIP Michael Downs (Chair)
MERCHANDISE
New Pavilion at Cowboy Action Shooting Range
Johnny Tracy (Chair)
NOMINATING & GOVERNANCE Andrew Schrack (Chair) Chuck Barber, Ryan Cooper, Jason Hood, Ken Kimble Bob Winkler
PUBLICATIONS
Andrew Schrack (Chair) Noah Feder, Mike Haskins, Jason Hood, Alexandra Howard, Johnny Tracy, Jeremy Palazolo, Hannah Wright
SERVICE
Brian Leith (Chair) Dalton Cook, Jeremy Palazolo
Blackout First Aid Demonstration by the Chickasaw Council (Scouting Magazine 1942)
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CALENDAR UPCOMING EVENTS June 6, 2020 | Work Day | Kia Kima Scout Reservation Help the Staff transition to Week 1 of Scouts BSA. June 27, 2020 | Cherokee Take Down | Kia Kima Scout Reservation Dinner following at Old Kia Kima with the Old Kia Kima Preservation Association. July 11, 2020 | Take Down Day / Summer Banquet | Kia Kima Scout Reservation Set it up in a week, take it down in a day! Summer Banquet to follow at Leith River House. July 25, 2020 | Pool/Volleyball Party | Leith Cordova House Welcome back to Memphis at the Leith’s house. RSVP for address: KiaKimaAlumni.org/event-3725097
Dec. 16, 2020 | Winter Banquet & Annual Meeting | Ducks Unlimited National Headquarters Registration: KiaKimaAlumni.org/event-3725110
PARTNER EVENTS Sept. 11-13, 2020 | OA Fall Induction Weekend | Camp Currier Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge, Order of the Arrow. ChickasawOA.org Oct. 16-18, 2020 | OA Fall Fellowship | Camp Currier Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge, Order of the Arrow. ChickasawOA.org Nov. 14-15, 2020 | OA Vigil Honor Induction | Camp Currier Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge, Order of the Arrow. ChickasawOA.org
Dec. 5, 2020 | OA Lodge Family Banquet | Memphis University School Ahoalan-Nachpikin Lodge, Order of the Arrow. ChickasawOA.org
For updates regarding cancellations due to COVID-19, please check the KKAA website and social media. For the latest updates on Kia Kima Scout Reservation’s summer camp programs, visit www.chickasaw.org/summer-camp-20
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Winter Banquet 2019
Photos by Melissa Burnett
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT TREY MOORE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, MID-SOUTH OSAGE TRADING POST STAFF (‘78–’79) CHEROKEE CAMP DIRECTOR (‘94–’95) RESERVATION DIRECTOR (‘96–’98)
For many Scouts, summer camp introduces skills and opportunities that lead to meaningful careers and life-long passions. For Trey Moore, Scouting and Kia Kima inspired and empowered him to lead nonprofit organizations and instill meaningful change in his community. From starting as a teenage staffer in the Trading Post, Trey’s Scouting foundation has led him to serving as a Professional Scouter, the Kia Kima Reservation Director, and on to be the Executive Director for several nonprofits. Trey’s first official position on Kia Kima staff was in the Camp Osage Trading Post in 1978 and 1979. During those two years, the trading post transitioned from its original location (where the basketball court is now located) to its current “new” location. But this wasn’t Trey’s first introduction to Kia Kima as he was an Eagle Scout and had spent a lot of time at Kia Kima.
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vation Director for three years. While some alumni can claim the privilege of being second-generation Eagle Scouts, or second- or third-generation Kia Kima staffers, Trey Moore is the only alumnus who can claim the distinction of being a second-generation Reservation Director. His father, Tom Moore, Following his two years on staff, Trey transitioned served as Reservation Director from 1977 through from spending his summers in the woods to spend- 1980. ing his summers on the field where he marched with the Trey speaks highly of his time Memphis Blues Brass Band, It was a great opportunity as a Professional Scouter: “Working professionally for the a drum and bugle corps with to stretch myself as a Council was the best training Drum Corps International. In MB3, as it was called, Trey ground for working in nonprofleader, manager, and played the tenors on the its I could’ve found.” For Trey, motivator of people. drumline as the corps comit involved everything from recruiting to fundraising, delivpeted across the country. ering a program to engaging community leaders. Trey returned to Scouting as a Professional Scout- “It was the broadest training possible for working er in 1992 and served in multiple positions, includ- lifelong in nonprofit organizations.” ing district executive, program director, and field director for the Chickasaw Council until 2003. In Serving as the Kia Kima Reservation Director 1994, Trey received a summer camp assignment amplified these skills, and Trey says, “It was a and spent his first full summer back in the Ozarks great opportunity to stretch myself as a leader, as the Cherokee Camp Director. After two sum- manager, and motivator of people.” As Resermers as Cherokee Camp Director, he became the vation Director, it importantly taught him crisis Council Program Director and served as the Reser- management and how to roll with the punches.
“Every day can be challenging when managing youth and adults under the care of teenage staff members!” One of his favorite memories involved the “biggest daily crisis” the camp faced (at least, it was the biggest crisis in the eyes of the Scoutmasters)—the daily shortage of milk. This required regular milk runs to Hardy and Ash Flat to buy out all the milk in town. On one such milk run, Trey was driving a camp truck called “Old Gray Ghost” down the highway when the hood to the truck flew straight up, blocking his entire view of the road! Driving that “rattle-trap of a vehicle,” loaded down with an entire Wood Badge SR-471 supply of milk, and trying to see through the tiny sliver at the bottom of the hood to avoid wrecking executive director of the American Heart Associwas surprisingly “typical of the challenges” he and ation of the Mid-South. The AHA seeks to extend healthy lives through overall health and it raises so many others have faced daily at camp! funds for both local and national research. WithFollowing his tenure with the Chickasaw Council, in the Memphis community, it addresses social Trey went to work as the Executive Director of the determinants of health through partnerships with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Memphis and then community-based organizations and schools. as the Executive Director of JDRF, a nonprofit dedicated to type 1 diabetes research, in Atlanta. After five years in Atlanta, he eventually wanted to come back to his roots in Memphis. He returned in 2017 as the first executive director for the new Explore Bike Share program, where he worked for two years and helped the program successfully launch in Memphis.
In reflecting on the impact Kia Kima had on his life, Trey summarized it in a way the rings true for all alumni: “Regardless where someone is in life, if they had a Boy Scout summer camp experience, it creates a shared bond. There is no better experiential learning lab than summer camp.” ⛺
In December 2019, he decided to return to voluntary health nonprofits and accepted the position of
Trey currently lives in Memphis, with his wife, Ginny. He has four young-adult children. Trey can be reached at treymoore64@gmail.com.
1998 Kia Kima Staff
Staff Writer, Andrew Schrack
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#KiaKimaWorldTour
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Johnny Tracy Atomium — Brussels, Belgium
Mark Lawrence Big River Crossing — Memphis, TN
Danny Van Horn Fort Sumter NM — Charleston, SC
Mike Fast Seneca Lake — New York
ALUMNI WEBSITE
The Alumni Association and the Membership Committee, led by Michael Downs, recently launched a newly redesigned website. Every member has an account and can gain access by selecting the Forgot Password option. Once logged in, members can view and update their membership information (including their mailing address for South Fork), register for upcoming events, and manage their renewal information. www.KiaKimaAlumni.org
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JUST THE PLACE FOR THE NEXT CENTURY BY: DAN CONAWAY
There’s a big birthday coming up – so big, in and steel, or do, and display the things you do fact, we built a place for the party. I think you’ll and have done, that make you the troop you are. all agree that we could use a party. Troop and Pack 34 were a bit of a hybrid in Troop 34 at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church that regard. When Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal in Midtown Memphis will turn 100 in the fall. School did an expansion in the 1960’s, money Chartered in 1920, Troop 34 is the oldest contin- was given to dedicate space for Scouting and uously operating unit in the Chickasaw Council. two classrooms were provided, and the wall between them eliminated to open the space. In all that time, the Scouts have never really had But it was smack dab in the middle of a growa place of their own as is the case for most units. ing school – access at nights and on weekends Spaces are provided by chartered organizations sometimes a challenge, the space itself coveted and shared. Shared Sunday School rooms. by school administrations pressed for space, Shared meeting facilities. Shared multi-purpose becoming ultimately a source of conflict, never rooms. Places where you can’t hang a tent to fully Scouts, never fully school. dry, or clean a patrol kit, or start a fire with flint 11
A few years ago, Thor Kvande, headmaster of the school, met me in the driveway of a 1920’s bungalow on Peabody Avenue contiguous to the school – basically a condemned bungalow. The school owned it and both the church and school had been using it for various purposes. The Scouts built a garage in the backyard. The school put in a pool behind the garage to support their summer day camps. Church youth groups met in the house along with the church bazaar. Meanwhile, the house became less and less safe, having deferred maintenance needs dating to the big war, maybe even the first war, and had to be abandoned.
“If you want this place,” he said in the driveway, “I think we can make that happen.” The school wanted the Scout room classrooms, and they had just the place to trade. Thor had contacted me as the chartered organization representative. I’m also an old 34 Scoutmaster and I called three more: Dan Eason, who followed me as Scoutmaster and led the troop for more than a decade; George Clarke, who preceded me and served as Scoutmaster at least twice; and Jim Martin, the current Scoutmaster. We creaked open the front door and wandered through the dusty, neglected space, imagining something else. Something that soared. Could we take out these walls without the place collapsing? Could we take out the ceiling, and most of the second floor? Could we open up all the way to the roof? Could we save the rotting roof? Could we get the water out of the basement? Could we pay for all that? Could we?
Scouts descend from the mezzanine
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Could we create – in the heart of Central Gardens on its widest and most central street, in the center of an urban environment, in accordance with some of the strictest codes – a cabin in the heart of the woods, a rustic living museum to a hundred years of Scouting?
The school board had to get on board. The church vestry had to say Amen. And there were committees. And there were lawyers. And there were city inspectors. And there was the Landmarks Commission. And there were lawyers. Again.
At the time we asked all those questions, I think the troop had about 58 bucks in the troop account, a mildew issue with a number of tents, and an old bus running on faith, chewing gum, and baling wire. We still have that bus.
There was a capital campaign and an amazing response. The thing about being 100 years old and being a meaningful part of growing up for that many kids is that you’re remembered in meaningful ways when they become adults. The campaign raised the money in four months– Jim Williamson, friend, architect, professor at the money to build it, and the money to endow the University of Memphis and Eagle Scout, said its maintenance in perpetuity. yes, we could. Peter Warren, now friend and the architect Jim asked to join the team, said yes. We built something that soars. Warren Ayres, friend, parishioner at Grace-St. Luke’s and contractor, said yes. It should be not- Outside is a bungalow, true to its architecture, ed that they crawled all over that bungalow and its period, its neighborhood, and the Landmark asked hard questions of engineers and subs be- Commission guidelines that protect all of that. fore they said yes, but they said yes, and they Inside is another world, true to my memories of understood that this was a mission. the cabins of old Kia Kima and Camp Currier, and the lodges at Philmont Scout Ranch, and to They saw something that soared. the images and icons of Scouting.
The Rev. Ollie Rencher, Rector, officiates at the blessing of the Grace-St. Luke’s Scout Lodge, November 14, 2018
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TROOP 34 Scoutmaster: Jim Martin Committee Chair: Rory Gleadhill Chartered Org. Rep.: Dan Conaway Sr. Patrol Leader: Gary Kellet III
Scouts conduct a Court of Honor
They hang from the beams, cover the walls, line the open stairway. They draw the eye and conjure the memories floor to ceiling 28 feet up. They sit on the stone mantel, the windowsills below and those that make a clerestory above, filling the space with light. And they hide in nooks and crannies in the logs, and in the names painted on Kia Kima paddles on top of the cross beams and the troop awards on a facing wall from decades and decades ago, only visible from the mezzanine overlook. And just there, on the back of that beam, is the raggedy Goat Patrol flag – my son’s patrol – Gaines Conaway, Eagle Scout, Troop 34. Scouts can soar here for the next hundred years. Scouts BSA. Cub Scouts. Girl Scouts. Brownies. The Grace-St. Luke’s Scout Lodge is open to all. Now, for our birthday, we’ll be looking for somebody to give us a bus, and maybe a few tents. As I was taught about campsites, we have definitely left 1768 Peabody better than we found it. ⛺
Troop 34 Scoutmaster Jim Martin at a troop meeting, Goat Patrol flag above right, next to a troop classic — the Duct Tape Patrol flag.
Dan Conaway
Troop 34 Chartered Organization Representative Dan Conaway is a communication strategist, writer, author, and columnist for The Daily Memphian. He is an Eagle Scout and father of one, former Scoutmaster of Troop 34, and recipient of the St. George’s Award for service to the Episcopal Church and the Boy Scouts of America. 14
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FROM THE MUSEUM In 1928, W. Gordon Morris, the new Scout Executive, sent this letter to every Scout’s parents in the Chickasaw Council to encourage attendance at Kia Kima. In addition to his role as Scout Executive, Morris was also serving as the Camp Director for the year. Kia Kima operated for ten weeks with an average weekly attendance of 70 Scouts and a total of 211 Scouts in camp during the season. This was an increase from the 192 Scouts of the previous season. Scouts attended camp as individuals instead of with troops. Most Scouts stayed multiple weeks, and some stayed the entire season. The Kia Kima Committee reported: “Kamp Kia Kima closed its 13th season with the best financial record it has ever had, as the camp only had a deficit of $141.77 for the season.” One of the most influential Scout Executives of the Chickasaw Council, Morris served from 1928 to 1959. This letter, along with close to 1000 other documents, maps, pictures, and videos, are displayed in the Kia Kima Alumni Association’s online museum. With Kia Kima as the centerpiece, the museum encompasses other relevant topics such as Camp Currier, the Order of the Arrow, the Chickasaw Council, and some of the former camps that impacted the heart of the Ozarks, including Camp Tallaha, Camp Daniels, Kamp Kiwani, and Camp Miramichee. The items in the online museum are organized and tagged, and the text of the documents is fully searchable. In addition, the museum has several “Exhibits,” which are short displays that explain aspects of the history, such as common symbols at camp, the Ma’kya Trail, and the origin of Kia Kima’s name. With over a century of service, Kia Kima has provided countless memories for Scouts and Scouters along the banks of the South Fork River. The Alumni Association seeks to preserve these traditions and stories. ⛺ www.KiaKimaMuseum.org
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First-Year Memories BY: HANNAH WRIGHT (STAFF ‘10–’19)
If you ask any Kia Kima Alum about their first year working at camp, nine times out of ten, they’ll crack a smile, shake their head, and tell you a story about how they “knew nothing” back then. And it makes sense. The first year on staff is this incredible experience, where you’re shoved into a job, often your first, and have to quickly not only learn a new skill, but how to teach that skill to 20 or more Scouts. You have no idea what you’re doing, but you’re so excited to belong to something as grand as the Kia Kima Staff. You work harder than you ever have, losing sleep and sometimes even bleeding
for this job that pays next to nothing. But the rewards are endless. Time and time again, Alumni will talk about that first year when they “knew nothing,” and the incredible friendships they made, or how their first year helped them conquer a fear or develop a sense of belonging that they’d never had before. As we approach the upcoming camp season, we asked Alumni to share their first-year memories with us as a way of remembering where we all came from and how that shaped us into who we are now.
Adam Howard First Year: 2008 - Osage Nature Lodge - Black Staff Shirts
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I was 15 years old during the summer of 2008. It was my first year on staff, and I discovered, like most first-year staff members do, that it’s very easy to get caught up in work and screwing around, and never have time to sleep. Josh Weeden and I struggled with this, especially at the start of camp.
late, we stayed up for hours talking until we finally drifted off to sleep.
Towards the end of Staff Week, we woke up very late and missed Morning Flag completely. I remember Program Director Noah Feder, his fists on his hips, telling us that this was unacceptable and couldn’t be tolerated. We promised not to be late again. Which was a lie, because the next morning, while we didn’t miss Flag, we did come running up, literally in the middle of Flag. Once again, Noah came to us, and read us our rights, reminding us that it was expected that we show up with the rest of staff, and consequences were coming.
My next memory—much more jarring—was the clear, distinct call of Noah Feder: “Camp Aaaaah-ttttteeeent-chun!”
I felt terrible, and determined that It wouldn’t happen again. So a plan began to hatch. We couldn’t be late to Flag if we slept on the parade field. We went about our long day, and around midnight, Josh and I spread out our sleeping bags below the flagpole, knowing that there was no way for us to be late now. I even slept in my Class A, mainly because of some the training from that day, but nonetheless ready to go. The stars were gorgeous and even though it was already
The next morning, I distinctly remember waking up, but keeping my eyes shut and feeling the dew on my face that had settled the night before.
Pure panic and reflex, my body jerked upright from my sleeping bag, eyes still closed, and saluted. Josh popped up right next to me, no pants, just his staff shirt and blueand-white-striped underwear blowing in the morning wind. Laughter rang out from the rest of the staff as we processed what was going on. While we had been at Flag on time, we had still managed to sleep through Flag... Well almost. Noah made us stand at attention throughout the flag ceremony before we could scurry back to the staff line. And I would like to say that after this I was never late again— but a Scout is trustworthy, right? Josh and I were late many times, but from then on we always wore pants to Flag.
Patrick Howie First Year: 2003 - Cherokee Scoutcraft - Black Staff Shirts My first week on camp staff, we had campers interested in joining staff eating ice cream in the Cherokee Staff Center on a Wednesday. The staff all went around the room telling campers what our favorite things were about being on staff. Having only been on staff for a few days, I didn’t have a lot to share yet, but I didn’t want campers knowing how new I was.
to try to see how amazing it was. I thought it sounded good and wasn’t the stock answer about being able to pee wherever we wanted all summer. I said it with as much confidence as I could. The Cherokee Program Director called me out by saying that I would definitely know all about it after all of half a week! It taught me that sometimes bluffing is a bad idea.
I gave some answer about it being an awesome experience that they would just have Brian Leith First Year: 1993 - Osage Nature Lodge - Dark Green Staff Shirts I had recently moved to Memphis from another council in north Florida so I wasn’t familiar with Kia Kima, nor did I know anyone on staff. My first morning of staff week in 1993, I was awoken with extremely loud music from the “bungalow” and also a seemingly grumpy and impatient Jeff Hodge walking tent to tent yelling at all of us first years to get our butts out of bed and that “if we don’t work, we don’t eat!” The older guys had this work ethic that was tough, but they made it fun at the same time. I still remember hoping to be picked to be on a crew with Paul and Jim, Ken and Boksa, Stew and Walter, Hodge and Allen, Donnie and Ricky, or any other combo from that era, as you knew the work would be
tough, but you could slowly earn respect as a hard worker and prove yourself as a valuable member of staff. The “old guys” preached a love of camp to everyone and built a sense of loyalty around it. So much so that even while folding tents in the blazing sun in front of Central Showers, you were sad the summer was over, but at the same time you couldn’t wait for next year. Everyone who has ever worked camp knows that feeling. From plat moves to trash runs, from compound crews to campsite cleanups, this standing tradition of making work fun continues today as I see a new staff every year singing songs and enjoying work while on one of these crews.
David Fleming First Year: 1954 - Prov. Scoutmaster, Administrator/Banker, Waterfront White Staff Shirts with a Colorful Thunderbird There are so many memories from my first year, and I could write a short novel about my memories. Some highlights though include the Team Spirit, our pre-camp training, and MANY rain-soaked hikes led by Program Director, Roy Riddick.
I spent summer after summer working at camp. I kept coming back because I loved teaching aquatics (swimming, life saving, canoeing, and rowing). Which all led to my eventual position as Waterfront Director in 1957 and 1958. 18
#KiaKimaWorldTour
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Chuck Barber The White House — Washington, D.C.
Andrew Schrack The Valley of the Gods — Utah
Daniel Pomerantz Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Reactor 4 — Ukraine
Eric Schmitt Sydney Opera House — Sydney, Australia
Dave “Truck” Robinson First Year: 1984 - Cherokee Camping/Pioneering - White Staff Shirts I turned 16 in the spring of 1984 and came to work on Camp Cherokee’s Camping/Pioneering Staff. The staff lived up on Tick Hill, which is now where Ozark Venture Base is located. During Staff Week, guys like Johnny Mac or Jimmy Henley would bring over one of the kamp trucks and haul us to the dining hall for breakfast and then on over to CC to set up camp and back and forth as needed for meals. One Thursday, Cranor Roberts and I were setting up our program area. We were putting up tarps over our tables, and, being the new guy, I was tasked with holding the peg while Cranor drove it in with the backside of an axe. Needless to say, I got a nice scar on the back of my right hand that morning when Cranor missed. First trip to the Health Lodge that day. A little gauze and tape later, back to work. Later that afternoon we were loading up in Brown Truck for supper. I happened to be one of the last guys to the truck, and my options were to walk from Cherokee to the dining hall or stand on the bumper and hold onto the tailgate. Jimmy Henley was driving, and he didn’t waste any time getting to the dining hall. I made it all the way to the last big left-hand curve to the dining hall: the curve in front of
the current Osage Staff Area. Gravity took over, and the last thing I remember was flying through the air. My next few memories are patched together— flashes of being driven to the hospital and waking up freezing in the Health Lodge air conditioning. My first real memory was from the next morning as Keith “Mr. V” Von Almen’s gravelly, grandpa voice asking me if I was okay, and if I wanted breakfast. “Yes sir,” I responded, “I’m pretty darn hungry, but I’ve got this headache.” When we go to the dining hall, I was greeted by a wave of cheers, yelling, “TRUCK! YOU’RE ALIVE!” And then I was back to work that afternoon. In the end, I had broken my face/head (fractured right maxilla with maxillary sinus involvement) and had a concussion. These were worth ending up with a lifelong nickname and a curve—that same curve in front of the Osage Staff Area—being named after me. A few days later, a “Robinson Curve” sign appeared on a cedar tree before the curve, but not a soul would own up to who put it there.
Malik McIntyre First Year: 2015 - Osage Tech Center - Brown Staff Shirts My first year of camp staff was 2015. I remember wanting to be a part of the Cub Camp campfire skit. But unfortunately I didn’t get the role. They gave me and a few others the role of being flies in the background. I was a little disappointed but still excited to participate. When it came time for the skit, all of my disappointed thoughts went out the window. I remember having the best time with peo-
ple I had just met. We had no lines at all. We literally just ran around buzzing, but it was the most fun ever. It really taught me that no role at Kia Kima is too small because you feel just as important. It was also cool having a Scout run up to me afterwards asking if I was a fly in the skit. In that moment I gained a memory and friends that would last a lifetime 20
Jonea Mohn First Year: 2008 - Cherokee Waterfront Director - Black Staff Shirts My first year, Erin Coates, Sarah Kelly, and I had a tent fortress over in the Cherokee Staff Area. I was on one side with the biggest plat porch, and Erin and Sarah’s tents directly faced mine. We had tarps stretched out, and it almost all connected to one glorious hangout spot. One evening, I got a grand idea to pierce my cartilage, and Chris Carlisle offered to do it. After a trip to Walmart for supplies, we all gathered on the porch, and Chris started the piercing. When he felt the cartilage of my ear crinkle, he got queasy and turned a little white. So I grabbed the ice cube from his
hand and finished the job myself. Jeremy Palazolo, who was just the Cherokee Camp Director at the time, teased Chris mercilessly about it, saying that I was tougher than Chris could ever hope to be. We were some of the first girls to ever live in the Cherokee Staff Area, and we definitely felt like we had to prove our stuff and show we were tough enough to “rough it” over in nature with the boys of Cherokee. And having this moment on my résumé really helped to show that I really had what it took to be a true Cherokeean.
Hannah Wright First Year: 2010 - Life to Eagle, Climbing - Skin-colored Tan Staff Shirts Before coming to Kia Kima, I had spent two summers working for Camp Orr on the Buffalo River. My mom, Rhonda Wright, convinced me to come work with her at Kia Kima where she had already been working for two summers. Needless to say, I was nervous. Orr had felt like home, and as much as my mom reassured me that I would love Kia Kima, I just wasn’t sure it would ever be the same. As we drove into camp for the first time, passing each sign that displayed the Scout Law, the nerves hit hard. Just through the gates of this new camp, my mom pulled over at the triangle to chat with Jim Charbonnet. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bundle of curly red hair sprinting across the lawn towards my mom’s van. Before I could do anything, this girl, who I would later find out was the wonderful Erin Coates, threw herself through my open car window, and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck.
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She whispered to me, “You don’t know me, but I’ve heard so much about you, and we are going to be best friends.” I don’t know if I did a good job of hiding how confused and freaked out I was, but it didn’t matter. Within five minutes, Erin and Rhonda had me thrown into a camp truck for my first work crew, collecting benches from Cherokee. By the end of the work crew, any nervousness I felt was gone. And by the end of the summer, Erin’s promise had come true. To this day, Erin Coates is my go-to adventure partner, and like many, many other friends I’ve made through camp, Erin is essentially my family. To this day, I still get nervous tingles when I come into camp, but not because I’m unsure. It’s because my mom was right, I love this camp, and Kia Kima feels more like home than any other camp could. ⛺
Past Issues issuu.com/KiaKimaAlumni
Fall 2019
Winter 2019
“Welcoming Girls into the Scouting Program and Kia Kima” by Ken Kimble “Leadership in Service” by Chuck Barber Museum Excerpt: The Name “Kia Kima” 2019 Program Director Reports
Alumni Spotlight: R.J. Case “The One That ‘Goes’” by Erin Coates Camp Memories by Michael Honey 2018 Awards
Fall 2018
Spring 2018
Winter 2018
Alumni Spotlight: Boyd Billingsley “The Fire at Philmont” “End of My First Year” by Noah Feder 2018 Program Director Reports Cherokee Tech Center
Alumni Spotlight: Brian “Jethro” Day Meet the Ranger: Mike Holder “First Year on Staff” by Noah Feder History: The Ma’kya Trail
Alumni Spotlight: Ken Kimble “Hardy to Honduras” by Kevin Kuehl History: Masera/Mesara/Mesera?
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JEFF NICKELL’S GRAND CANYON ADVENTURE BY: NOAH FEDER (STAFF ‘02–’09, ‘11–’14 )
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eaders who worked at Kia Kima in the 2000s may have seen a familiar face on the official Boy Scouts of America Instagram page last year. Amongst the feed of cheerful faces of brave young Scouts was an older, wiser, and certainly more bearded figure: the Chickasaw Council’s very own Jeff Nickell! With the stunning backdrop of the Grand Canyon, Jeff took the BSA’s 78,000+ followers on a journey down the Colorado as an official Adventure Ambassador. How Jeff got to be an #influencer stems from a lifetime of adventures of his own. Growing up in Collierville, Jeff earned his Eagle Scout as a member of Troop 338, and in 2002 started working at Kia Kima as a high adventure specialist. He first worked in Thunderbird Aquatics (then a half-day program), teaching the Motorboating and Water Sports merit badges on the lakes of Cherokee Village. He eventually came ashore to join the COPE and Climbing staff, ultimately becoming the Climbing Tower Director in 2006. In 2006 and 2007, Nickell had the itch to keep working well after the last week of Camp Osage. In the interim weeks between take-down weekend and classes resuming at University of Memphis, he and a few other staffers headed west to work at Camp Hidden Falls, a Girl Scout camp near Santa Cruz, California.
Jeff eventually moved west full time, spending time in San Diego, California, before transferring to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. As a resourceful college student, he was looking to pick up some extra cash (and a crucial free daily meal) by applying to work as a dishwasher at the campus dining hall. To his surprise, the hiring manager called him back almost immediately with a job offer... to be a waiter, a significant upgrade from scrubbing pots and pans. Turns out this manager was an Eagle Scout too, and Jeff got off to a great start in the area’s service industry. 25
During and after these college years, Jeff frequently hiked, climbed, and camped in the natural wonders of the American Southwest. He even worked in outdoor education at a local men’s group. Ultimately, the pull of the outdoors led him to seek out a full-time summer position again with prestigious local hiking outfitter Wildland Trekking in 2016. Once again, his Chickasaw Council experience worked in his favor, and he was hired on to lead crews hiking the Grand Canyon for three to five days at a time.
sible for every part of the participants’ experience. A typical day on the river starts with Nickell and crew cooking breakfast and prepping lunch for up to thirty participants. While some rafters may have outdoors experience, the professionals at Wilderness River can accomplish tasks like this much more efficiently, maximizing the “fun parts” of the trek for everyone.
Once camp is packed up (a bit more of a group effort), the boats are loaded and the day’s journey begins. Trips alternate between human-powA few years later, Nickell added professional raft- ered and motorized rafts. Whether he has help ing to his résumé when he started work at Wilder- from everyone’s elbow grease or not, Jeff steers ness River Adventures, the “cream of the crop” of the boat and ensures the passengers can soak in outfitters in the region. As a guide, Jeff is respon- the incredible scenery of the Canyon. It can be a
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challenging experience for many, but the guides’ goal is to ensure their customers are “along for the ride.” They have participants of all ages, even into their 70s, so it’s crucial that no one feels left behind. When the boats arrive at a stopping point for the night, Nickell and crew prep camp and get started on cooking dinner. A roaring campfire is a must, as is some entertainment to keep spirits high, just like at KKSR. Jeff was a staff-report regular back in the day, so providing some laughs and the occasional song is no problem at all. An avid musician to this day, Nickell shared one crucial piece of advice: never break out the guitar on the first night! If you do, it can become an expectation and not something to do for fun as a group. Crews are on the river for a week or two at a time, so it’s important to build a good sense of camaraderie. Many of these essential skills were honed in Jeff’s merit badge days, from knots, to cooking in camp, to safety precautions on the water and in the fire pit. Many of the leadership qualities of a Kia Kima staffer also play a key role. Jeff often leans on his COPE and climbing background in getting folks to stay safe and focused while navigating the river. While the participants are adults, he still has numerous questions to answer and discomfort to relieve. While pursuing this exciting career in the outdoors, Jeff had stayed in touch with many scouting friends from years past. One of the directors from his Girl Scout camp days ended up working for the National Service Center of the BSA. She was tasked with putting together the Adventure Ambassador program. She reached
Excerpt from Jeff’s videos Hey, Scouts! Jeff Nickell here on Day 2 of our Colorado River trip, motorized, with Wilderness River Adventures. Coming down here to the Little Colorado is a pretty cool thing. It’s one of the things we do on almost every trip. And today we caught it on a day where it is not its normal brightblue color. It’s just after our monsoon season here in northern Arizona, so it’s flowing a little more chocolate-y than normal. During the height of monsoon season, it’ll be a really chocolate-milk brown color. The Little Colorado comes in from out by Cameron, Arizona, and a little bit farther and flows all the way down here to the Colorado River. For the Hopi Tribe, it’s the place, the location of their origin story. So there’s a lot of other significance there. One of the perks of the job working down here is being able to come down with folks all the time and being able to hang out in this beautiful country. 28
out to Jeff to see if he’d document a week-long journey through the Grand Canyon, and Nickell was in. He did something new to even such a well-traveled Scout: he bought a selfie stick! Jeff’s videos were viewed and liked by thousands, and this second-generation Eagle demonstrated how Scout skills can fuel a fascinating career. Nickell plans to continue guiding this upcoming season and beyond, with trips of up to 14 days while rowing, 8 days in motorized craft, and 5 days on foot. During the “shoulder season” leading into summer, Jeff is working with a solar power company doing environmental surveying in Nevada. The goal is to locate any endangered desert tortoises on the site of a future solar farm, relocate them while the work progresses, and then bring them back in once it’s complete. Some days are spent carefully walking in straight lines with other surveyors. Others are a high tech game of “Hot or Cold,” working alongside biologists to track tortoises that have been radio tagged. In the evenings, Jeff retires to his styrofoam yurt (really!) or makes the hour drive to Las Vegas to restock on supplies. While the 2020 camping season may be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, it surely won’t be long before Jeff Nickell’s next adventure. ⛺
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To view Jeff’s videos from the Adventure Ambassador series, visit: KiaKimaAlumni.org/JeffNickell
DONORS 2020 Anonymous
Joe Etheridge
Justin Kerr
Chuck Barber
Noah Feder
Tracy O’Connor
Paul Beebe
Google Foundation
T-Mobile Foundation
Trey Clark
Dorothy Grizzle
Andrew Schrack
George Clarke
Jesse Henderson
Johnny Tracy
Ryan Cooper
Andrew Hinson
Richard Wertz
Matt Curtis
Jerry Hinson
2019 Anonymous
Brooks Gooch
Tracy O’Connor
Anonymous
Google Foundation
Opus Futures, LLC
Anonymous
Sandy Grimaud
Chris Randle
Chuck Barber
Jesse Henderson
Henry Robbins
Christina Marie Brogdon
Justin Hipner
Chuck Schadrack
Cannon Brown
Jason Hood
Andrew Schrack
George Clarke
Jason Huckelberry
T-Mobile Foundation
Chris Coates
Bill Jennings
Nicole Taylor
Ryan Cooper
Bill Johnsen
Shaun Taylor
Rose Davis
Justin Kerr
Lamar Thorton
Brian Day
Brian & Katie Leith
Johnny Tracy
Shasen Escobar
Jeff Lichterman
Carey White
Noah Feder
LexisNexis
Raymond Whiteside
Adam Foster
Laurence Mixson
John Fletcher
Nesvick Trading Group, LLC
BEREAVEMENT RECENTLY PASSED Jerry Owens The Kia Kima Alumni Association donates to the Chickasaw Council Campership Fund in memory of alumni when they pass. This memorial enables an underprivileged Scout to attend Kia Kima Scout Reservation and participate in the same life-changing experiences that shaped our alumni. 30
ALUMNI UPDATES
Owen Andrews
Dalton Cook
Owen Andrews graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry with a concentration in Environmental Conservation. Owen also recently became a registered forester.
Dalton Cook graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Science in Finance, summa cum laude. He is attending the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in the fall.
Matt Curtis
Curtis George
Matt Curtis was recently promoted to SkinCeuticals VP of U.S. Business Development at L’Oréal. Matt and his team develop sales by working with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to enhance patient care and increase overall profitability. Matt currently lives in Houston, Texas.
Curtis George has accepted a position as Director of Hospitality Services at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve. Curtis oversees all food, beverage, and lodging year-round at the Summit, the BSA high-adventure and training camp near Beckley, West Virginia.
(Staff ’14–’17)
(Staff ’94–’96)
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(Staff ’16–’19)
(Staff ’90–’91)
Jesse Henderson
Patrick Howie
Jesse Henderson recently accepted a position as a Cost Accountant at Vanguard Soap, LLC. In this role, Jesse focuses on minimizing waste and analyzing profitability in each manufacturing process. Vanguard Soap is a soap manufacturer based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Patrick Howie and his wife, Missy, welcomed their baby girl, Riley Mae Howie. They are so thankful for good health, good fortune, and the amazing staff at Methodist LeBoneur Germantown for their dedication during the COVID-19 situation.
Brianna Poole
Andrew Schrack
Brianna Poole graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. She intends to focus on clinical counseling within adoption agencies. Brianna’s experiences as a first-generation student and being adopted led her to her major and future career endeavors.
Andrew Schrack recently received his Arkansas law license, allowing him to practice law in the State of Arkansas. He is additionally licensed in Tennessee, and he practices commercial litigation and construction law with the firm of Butler Snow LLP in Memphis.
(Staff ’11, ’14, ’18–’19)
(Staff ’14–’18)
(Staff ’03–’10)
(Staff ’10–’17)
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NEEDS LIST PROGRAM
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Rope maker Granite slabs (Leatherworking merit badge) Permanent shelving (lumber, mounting brackets, etc) (CC Handicrafts) Digital cameras (Photography merit badge) Digital video cameras (Moviemaking merit badge) Tripod for video camera Shoulder mount for video camera Semaphore flags (Signs, Signals, and Codes merit badge) Morse code transmitter Tree identification signs Fishing supplies (rods, line, lures, etc) Snake tongs
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Minerals such as sulfur (Geology merit badge) Geodes (any kind) (Geology merit badge) Legos (Model Design and Building merit badge) Soldering irons Fire piston (Wilderness Survival merit badge) Fireplace bellows GPS units Metal spinning shooting sports targets .22 Pistols 12 gauge / 20 gauge shotguns Kayaks Sailboat Motorboat (15hp or less outboard motor)
MAINTENANCE • • • • • •
Large toolbox Commercial refrigerator (Commissary) Ice machine Pressure washer Hand tools: Rakes, shovels, woodworking tools Commercial weedeaters, leaf blowers, chainsaws
• • • • •
5 ½” deck board Picnic table repair lumber (2”x10”x10”) LED lights for shop R 15, 16, 17 tires Trucks, Vans, Trailers
MISCELLANEOUS • • • •
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Used Class A uniforms Par Spotlights (Council Ring) Pop-up tents Canoe trailer
• • •
Washing machines and dryers Commercial copiers and printers Tent canvas ($700 per tent)
SUPPORT GIVING BACK TO CAMP
KROGER PLUS CARD
Members with Kroger Plus Cards who enroll in the Kroger Community Giving program can contribute to the Kia Kima Alumni Association every time they shop at Kroger. Kroger donates a portion of their proceeds at no cost to the individual. https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards
AMAZON SMILE
Amazon purchases made through smile.amazon.com will donate a portion of Amazon’s proceeds to the Kia Kima Alumni Association. All purchases must be made through the Amazon Smile website as opposed to the regular Amazon site to qualify for the donation. This does not add any cost to your purchase.
MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS
Many companies and organizations will match contributions made by their employees. The Kia Kima Alumni Association is registered with Benevity and several other of the major programs utilized by companies. To check if your company matches donations, contact your HR rep. If your company uses a program with which the Association is not registered, please email treasurer@kiakimaalumni.org.
Name:
______________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________ City:
________________________ State: __________ Zip: ________________
Donation: $25
$50
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Other: ________
In ( Memory / Honor ) of: ____________________________________________ Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________ City: ___________________________ State: __________ Zip: ________________ Amount Attached: _____________ Bill Me: Monthly Quarterly Paid by: Check OR Credit Card: #: _______________________________________________ Exp: ________ CVV: __________
Mail to:
Kia Kima Alumni Association PO Box 342855 Memphis, TN 38184
Give online:
KiaKimaAlumni.org/Donations
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Kia Kima Alumni Association PO Box 342855 Memphis, TN 38184
Join the Community www.KiaKimaAlumni.org facebook/instagram/twitter: @KiaKimaAlumni
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South Fork
