Fifth Annual Fall Hike Day at Nature Camp Coming Up
Saturday, 15 October 2011

WHEN: 10:00 AM through the evening, RAIN OR SHINE. If the weather is really unfriendly, call Camp to be sure we’re still going hiking: 540-377-2491

WHERE: Nature Camp

WHAT: “Sunday Hikes” (We know they’re on Saturday, but like to call them by their traditional name) followed by dinner and relaxation. BRING YOUR LUNCH!

WHO: All friends of Nature Camp

COST: $20 per person over 10 years of age, or $50 maximum for a family. Those 10 and under free with a parent.

DETAILS: You and your friends and family are invited for a day at Nature Camp. Paul Cabe and Leigh Ann Beavers have come up with a great idea for a fundraiser to benefit the Nature Camp Foundation. You can help support Nature Camp while enjoying a fall day in the woods, great food, and fun people. Activities will include counselor-led hikes. Paul, Leigh Ann, and company will be busily preparing dinner while all the hikes are out, and we will gather for a feast in the Lillian Schilling Building around 6:00 P.M. after everyone returns to Camp. Current plans call for renovations to the kitchen this fall, so instead of the traditional turkey dinner, we will dine on Brunswick stew and other dishes. A vegetarian option will also be available. If possible, please bring plates, cups, and utensils with you (since we may not be able to wash dishes at Camp); we will plan to have some compostable plates, etc., on hand.

We will NOT be able to provide babysitting, so choose your hike accordingly if you have small children. Hikes will LEAVE CAMP at 10:30 AM, so please arrive in time to be ready by then. PLEASE BRING YOUR LUNCH, trail snacks, and plenty of water bottles with you.

PLEASE RSVP by October 8 to Flip Coulling at director@naturecamp.net or 540-463-5308. Also please note if you are a vegetarian.

Bring checks, payable to the Nature Camp Foundation, with you

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=847550409407%3A250897213&sourceId=533754321803

The impact on our world by alumni of Nature Camp is immeasurable but we know of its significance.

And we can share with you examples of those that carry the lessons of Camp into their lives and into the lives of others. One such Alum is Lyt Wood. Lyt came to Nature Camp at age 12 and attended from 1964?70 and was a counselor in 70?71. He states “I never outgrew it!”

But more importantly he has taken the message of environmental education and a deep love of nature and is passing it along through the Rappahannock Nature Camp. Because of his experience with Nature Camp he was asked by the Piedmont Environmental Council ca. 1983 to serve on a committee that was to establish a new regional educational program that
would include several “Natural History Day Camps” ?? hence the initial thought of starting one in his community (Rappahannock County, Virginia), which he did in 1986. During its 25 year history it has evolved along with the times as well as along with Lyt’s growing experience. His purpose is clear : to guide the children through the quagmire of materialism, atheism, testing, technology, intellectualism and so on that confronts them every day of their modern lives. The children of today need more opportunities to observe real?life things and to think for themselves, and to play.

The influence of Nature Camp is evident in the Rappahannock day camp. It was there that Lyt had his first teaching experience. He says, “Even now, whenever I am working on nature lessons for my campers, I think of my old teachers such as Peter Mehring and Terry Richardson and Dot Wilbur (Brooks), and so continue to be guided by them. All of the activities at Nature Camp ?? the seriousness of our studies, the silliness of the July 4th parades, the solemnity of the closing ceremonies, the incredible legacy of camp songs ?? all these things are the basis of what is even possible with my little camp.” He also tells of the support he has received from the wonderful network of Nature Campers. A loyal coalition of Nature Camp
alums, dubbed the “Blue Moon Crew” helped build the barn, a footbridge over the Hazel River, and installed the “Frog Pond” that is the focus of their habitat studies.

You can read more about Lyt’s Rappahannock Nature Camp in the following article:
http://www.rappnews.com/2011/02/24/natural?wonders/12748/

During the 2011 Fall Service Weekend we will remove the kitchen flooring. It is time. It is cracked in several places and needs new linoleum. At this time, we will also replace some of the kitchen appliances that are old and continue to cost a great deal to repair. The Hobart dish sanitizer needs to be replaced. Other appliances, food?prep tables, counters, and sinks might also need to be replaced. The compressor for the walk?in refrigerator went out this winter. By the time you read this, we will have replaced the entire refrigeration unit, inside and outside. The new refrigeration unit will be much more efficient than the last unit. The last unit was actually designed to be a freezer unit and was retrofitted to work in our walk?in. The 2?horse power motor necessary for a freezer unit will be replaced by a 1?horse power motor in the new refrigeration unit, so we should see a significant drop in our electricity consumption. We are also exploring ways to use less energy during the 8 months when there is nobody using the walk?in.

We plan to add ceiling fans in the bunkhouses during either the spring or fall service weekends. The exhaust fans that were installed more than a decade ago are quite loud and never worked as well as was hoped. Each bunkhouse will receive 6 ceiling fans. These fans and the necessary electrical cable and boxes will be purchased with a generous donation from the Ford’s Colony Garden Club.

?? Jim Brooks, Chair Service Committee

By the time you read this article, all four sessions may be full for the upcoming summer at NatureCamp. At press time only a handful of spaces remained available for boys in First and Second Sessions and for girls in Second. First Session filled for girls in only 10 days, and Fourth Session filled completely before the end of January. The waiting list already comprises more than 40 applicants, which, as several disappointed but understanding parents have noted, is “a good problem” for Nature Camp to have.

The Nature Camp website (www.naturecamp.net) has undergone a number of changes in the past few months. Our webmaster, Michaux Lowry Hood, implemented a content management system, which makes it much easier for me to edit content, add new pages, and post files and photographs. The site now features sections describing the history of Nature Camp and our recent efforts to secure more local sources of food and includes more testimonials from current and former campers, parents, and alumni. (I would always welcome additional contributions to this last section.) Future plans include an “online canteen,” where digital copies of Woodland Echoes would be posted and perhaps Nature Camp merchandise (T?shirts, bumper stickers, etc.) would be available for purchase (at least during the summer). Stay tuned for these developments.

One annual challenge is to arrange a full schedule of evening programs, particularly since we generally eschew films in favor of outside speakers, and I don’t want to have to ask the same people every summer. Please feel free to suggest anyone who might be able to present a topic of interest (or volunteer yourself!).

As spring advances and the beginning of our 69th summer season draws near, let me thank all of you for your loyal, steadfast, and generous support of Nature Camp. It would not be possible to maintain our facilities or to sustain the quality of our educational program without the selfless contributions of so many alumni, campers, parents, garden clubs, and friends.

? Philip “Flip” Coulling

Voting in the 2010 election for President and At?large Board Member ended in mid?December. Thanks to Nancy Lowry’s careful counting, the results showed that you re?elected Powell Hutton as President and elected Chris Chamberlin as the At?large Board Member. At the same time, Jim Brooks was reappointed as Facilities Chair. Many thanks to Reid Downer, Jen Creasy and Steve Fisher for serving on the Nominating Committee.

This coming year the position of Vice President is up for election and the positions of Communications Chair and Finance Chair are up for reappointment. A nominating committee will be created in June, and nominations will be accepted by mail, phone, or email anytime through August. In September and October the committee will develop the proposed slate of nominees to be approved by the board of directors and the ballots will be mailed by November to all qualified voters. Those who contributed money or in?kind contributions during 2010 or 2011 are eligible to vote and will receive ballots with short candidate biographies.

As Vice President, Cammie Hutton chairs the nominating committee and is coordinating the election this year. If you are interested in serving on the nominating committee, or are willing to consider serving in one of the open positions, please contact Cammie (see contact information below). Given the planned schedule of Afterglow mailings, this is the ONLY call for nominations that will be published.

Watch the Foundation website for announcements about elections throughout the summer.

Campbell Hutton

We started reshingling the GBH the third weekend in September this year. We had planned to do the roof during 4 Service Weekends, but we had so many experienced roofers that we ended up doing the back half of the roof and the roof over the porch. Also, there was very little rotten wood that needed to be replaced, and there was only 1 layer of old shingles to remove, so that also speeded the process. Walter, Matthew, Flip, Lyt, Ellis, Amber, Coleman, Riley, Charlie, and I removed the old shingles and roofing felt on Thursday so we could determine the extent of the rotten wood that needed to be replaced. It rained during the weekend, only lightly, but we can still say that we have never roofed any building at Camp without rain. We should have no problem finishing the GBH roof in May of 2011.

We spread 2 dump truck loads of top soil on the playfield. Every spring since the playfield was reworked, the grass is lush and green. Then, 400 kids run around on it for a Camp season, and it’s back to gravel in the fall. Charlie is hoping that a little soil worked down into the gravel will help the grass get a foot?hold. I hope so, too.

We installed 3 ceiling fans up in the trusses of the Lab. This was an especially hot summer, and it is hoped that ceiling fans will help in the future. We will install 6 ceiling fans up in the trusses of each bunkhouse in the spring. We are also installing ridge vents on the roofs as we reshingle each building. This should help to remove the heated air.

We replaced the old wooden step just outside the Kitchen door with a new concrete step. We hauled loads of brush and cleaned up a mess that was produced by the power company. We also worked on the road to Buttermilk Spring where the power company cut big ruts in the road getting their big truck through the stream. We replaced some shutter hinges, smeared more sheetrock mud in the Staffhouse, got some stuff done on the Nature Camp history project, replaced a wooden railing post at the bottom of the LS front steps, and generally got Camp ready for the winter.

The food was fantastic as usual. Nell was in charge and had lots of help from Katie, Amy, Art, Cathy, Ginna, and Kim. The pizzas and pear tarts with phyllo dough were especially wonderful, as were the 4 pounds of shitake mushrooms that Ellis provided for the weekend. We played music in the LS on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Of the 71 folks who attended, 13 had never been to a previous Service Weekend and 14 folks were on Staff this past summer. We have now had 337 folks who have attended at least one Service Weekend.

Jim Brooks, Chair Service Committee

It is election time again for the Nature Camp Foundation. This year, President and At?large Board Member are up for election and the Facilities Chair is up for appointment. The current President and Facilities Chair are eligible for re?election and re?appointment, respectively, and are willing to serve another term. We have a vacancy for the At?large Board Member.

The Nominating Committee, chaired by the Vice President, Cammie Tuskey Hutton, is now developing the slate and all those eligible to vote will receive a mailing announcing the slate chosen with a ballot for voting in November. The results of this year’s election will be posted on the NCF web site in January.

We are always interested in getting more people involved in the leadership of the NCF. If you are interested in serving on the board or any of the committees (including the Nominating Committee), please contact Cammie Hutton.

With each passing season, our gratitude toward the many garden clubs that continue to support Nature Camp grows. While many clubs directly sponsor Nature Campers each summer, others make contributions to the Nature Camp Foundation or to Nature Camp, Inc., through Philip Coulling, that allow us to offer scholarships to dozens of campers. These gifts and scholarships play a great role in Camp’s at?capacity enrollment and financial stability – thank you!!

In addition, several garden clubs periodically hold events which benefit Nature Camp. Once again, we extend our most sincere thanks to organizations that choose Nature Camp as the beneficiary of their efforts, and we would like to do what we can to help publicize any such upcoming events. If you would like to have your future event mentioned in “The Afterglow,” please send details to Shirley Napps or Nell Fredericksen.

“Afterglow” readers in the Richmond area, mark your calendars for this fabulous event which recently came to our attention:

“Fashions with Flowers XIII” will be held Friday, Feb.18, 2011 at 10:00 am at Ginter Park Woman’s Club, 3016 Seminary Ave., Richmond, VA 23227. This event includes a floral design demonstration by Mark Landa of Boulevard Flower Gardens, Fashions by Chico’s Fashions, Inc., Lunch by Ginter Park Woman’s Club, and a Silent Auction. The floral designs will be raffled. Tickets for the event are $25, and you can reserve a spot by sending your check in that amount, made payable to Richmond Council of Garden Clubs, to Jane VanDenburgh, 6235 Madonna Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23111 by Feb.11th.

From the October 2010 Afterglow - orginally published in the Fords Colony Garden Club of Williamsburg newsletter

by Tina Taverna

(Information on this years adult session and how to register is here: http://naturecamp.net/programs/adult-session-programs/)

As a youngster, I never had the opportunity to attend camp. So at the age of 67, I thought – it’s never too late!

Camping in the woods has always been one of my hidden wishes in life. Another one of my wishes was to someday join a garden club when I retired. Well, six years ago, my husband, Jim, and I moved to Ford’s Colony where both of my dreams came true, made possible by my joining the Ford’s Colony Garden Club.

The Ford’s Colony Garden Club provides Nature Camp scholarships to students in our area. Nature Camp, located in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, was started by the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs in 1942 and is one of the oldest camps of its kind in the country. The scholarships are funded to the recipients through profits made by the Club’s yearly Hidden Gardens Tour. As Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, I am happy to say that we were able to sponsor five students to Nature Camp this year, plus help provide the camp with a new washer/dryer. My contacts with Nature Camp revealed that the camp offers an Adult Session each summer! So it occurred to me that if I could convince Jim that this was a chance of a lifetime, camp might be in my future and I might be able to check one of my dreams off my “bucket list”. I also thought itwould be fun to invite another couple to join us in the adventure and managed to convince our friends, Ellen and Paul Salvione, to come along. Well, my plan worked!

Needless to say, I was hoping that our four days in the mountains would prove to be enjoyable and memorable for all of us and they were! Each morning at eight o’clock, we arrived at the mess hall for breakfast, one of three meals served each day with a vegetarian alternative as part of every meal. Between meals and on into the evening, we took hikes and field trips, observed flora and fauna, and attended a variety of lectures taught by experts in the fields of biology, astronomy, botany, geology, forestry, agriculture and environmental science.

We even learned about herpetology, which was a new one to me! In case you are wondering, herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians and yes, we saw snakes.

Three “counselors” ran tutorials in playing Appalachian string band music, and both Jim and Paul performed in the string band concert on our third evening at camp. It was wonderful!

I kept a diary of my camping adventure, but before putting it away along with all my pictures, collected leaves and memories of a wonderful Nature Camp experience, I just thought I would share it with you all in the event you too have a desire to go to camp someday.

Remember, it is never too late to do something you may have always dreamed about but just didn’t have time to do.