Carrier Pigeon 2010

December 23, 2010

We just finished this year’s Carrier Pigeon, Rockbrook Camp’s summer “yearbook,” and have mailed it to all of our campers! The Rockbrook Carrier Pigeon is another long tradition dating back to the very beginning when Nancy Carrier first founded the camp. Every year, Rockbrook has published a book of snap shots, camper drawings, poems, writings and all the cabin photos from the previous summer.

Also included in the mailing this year is a copy of our highlights DVD, a full-length movie with chapters from each session. Relive a little of camp, the banquet and the play from this summer!

It’s so much fun to have time over the holidays to look through the Carrier Pigeon and watch the DVD— a perfect way to “…Bring memories of Rockbrook to us all winter long…”

RBC Equestrian Program Profiled

December 22, 2010

By Jeff Carter

Leave a Comment

Rockbrook has recently been added to the “all things horse” web site infohorse.com. With information and articles about horse care, horse breeds, horse careers, horse training, and of course horse camps, it is a fantastic Internet resource. Since 1997, infohorse.com has been a great place for every horse enthusiast to find out about horse related products and services.

Rockbrook is proud to now be included. Our equestrian program has a very nice detailed profile on the site.

Want to learn more about horses and horseback riding? Head on over to infohorse.com!

Clyde Wins Outstanding Teacher Award!!

December 20, 2010

By Jeff Carter

2 Comments

We’re so pleased and proud to announce that Clyde Carter, our amazing Outdoor Adventure Director, has been named the Outstanding Experiential Education Teacher of the year by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE). This is an international award recognizing that Clyde has “demonstrated an active passion for experiential education principles and theories,” has “practiced innovative, experiential educational methodologies,” and has consistently shown “the highest ethical standards in working with students.” We knew Clyde had been nominated for this prestigious award, and recently that he had won. In late November, he accepted the award at the AEE International conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In addition to working full time in the summer as Rockbrook’s Adventure Director, Clyde is an Associate Professor of Recreation/Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education at Brevard College. In 1989, with encouragement from Jerry Stone, Rockbrook’s Director at the time, Clyde came to Brevard to establish the College’s Outdoor Leadership major, one of it’s most popular offerings. He helped develop Brevard College’s Voice of the Rivers (VOR) program in 1997 and led expeditions in 1999 and 2008. Throughout the year you can find Clyde teaching courses on Risk Management, Experiential Education, Wilderness Leadership, as well as Rock Climbing and Kayaking.

Congratulations Clyde!

Make a Pillow!

December 16, 2010

By Jeff Carter

1 Comment

Here’s a great camp crafts idea that you can do at home over the holidays. Make a pillow! Gather up scraps of cloth and decorative fabrics. Find some buttons, ribbon or yarn. And with a needle and thread, you are ready to sew. This is a simple hand sewing project that begins with laying out the shape of the pillow. Just a front and similarly sized back. But that’s just the start of it. The front and back can be an unusual shape (hearts! Circles! Diamonds!) Now comes the decoration, the different shapes sewn on top, the yarn letters that spell something, or the ribbon wrapping around the edge. These camp crafts ideas are virtually endless. When you have all the decoration done on each side of the pillow, you sew the front and back together leaving one side open. That’s where you then stuff the pillow with a polyester fiber to make it puffy and soft. Sew up that last opening and you’ve got a cool decorative pillow, designed and sewn by you!

Hello from Jessi Nixon

December 10, 2010

Leave a Comment

Last evening Mandy got to enjoy dinner with former Staff Director Jessi Nixon. Luckily, Jessi lives just down the road in Arden, NC. Jessi wanted to make sure that everyone got a big “Hello!” from her, and she is so happy that everyone is excited for summer 2011 at Rockbrook. Here are some quick updates on Jessi.

Former Program Director Jessi Nixon — Former Staff Director Jessi Nixon

Jessi’s currently doing about a million different things. She is training for another mini-triathlon. Last year, she did her first one along with directors Mandy and Charlotte. So, she is spending lots of time in the pool and on the bike. She is living with a retired lady with whom Jessi spends lots of time and helps her around the house. Her graduate program in Charlotte is taking up a lot of her energy as well. Jessi is constantly on the road and cannot wait to begin her second semester in Christian Leadership. Her other main focus is her part-time job as one of the youth directors at a church in Arden. She continues to love working with youth and the directors team there.

If you would like to contact Jessi, let us know. She would love to hear any updates from our fabulous Rockbrook counselors!

Camp Estivation

December 9, 2010

By Jeff Carter

Leave a Comment

Word of the Day! estivate. This is a great word that applies to camp. You’ve heard of “hibernate,” which basically means to “spend the winter in a dormant condition.” Well, estivate means the opposite— “to spend the summer, as at a specific place or in a certain activity.”

Looking it up here, you find that estivate is derived from the latin word aestīvāre meaning “to reside during the summer (akin to aestīvus of or relating to summer).”

So, what’s the best way to estivate this year? At Rockbrook Camp! Are you a camp estivator? Are you ready for some seriously fun estivation?!! Oh yeah!

The Youth Camps of North Carolina

December 6, 2010

By Jeff Carter

Leave a Comment

Visitors to western North Carolina often remark that there are a lot of summer youth camps located in the area. There sure are! The awesome natural features of this part of NC— the highest peaks east of the Mississippi River, millions of acres of State and National forests, whitewater rivers, rock climbing crags, and beautiful lakes —make it ideal for adventure activity, cooler summer temperatures, and the outdoor setting for summer camps. It’s not too surprising western North Carolina has a long history of summer camping.

Looking at the entire state, there’s a clear pattern to where summer camps are located. Take a look at this map.

%CODE3%

It shows all of the youth summer camps in North Carolina. There are approximately 186 camps, with more than half (about 90) located in the western mountains. The others are concentrated near 3 major population centers (Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh). Many of these are smaller day camps that serve the local communities.

There’s a lot of data here. You can zoom in and see an individual pin for each camp. Click on the pin and see further info about the camp, including a phone number and web address. American Camp Association accredited camps, like Rockbrook, have red pins. Here too, more than half of the State’s ACA accredited camps are located in the western region.

Explore the map! It’s really cool!

Posters for Girls

December 2, 2010

By Jeff Carter

1 Comment

Mark Frauenfelder alerts us to these really cool posters by the graphic artist Amanda Vissell. They are drawn especially for girls, each having a message inspiring confidence and independence. “I am my own Captain” is our favorite, but there’s also, “I can save myself,” “I am wild,” and “I am a maverick.” Click the image to see a larger version.

The artist explains:

I decided to make a line of posters for girls. In a world where girls grow up feeling like their value is how they look these are meant to be a friendly reminder that they can do anything. That they can dream up their lives and make it happen. In the end we all do, it’s just how big we dream.

Camp is another reminder that girls have untapped abilities, that they can do amazing things far beyond what they have even imagined thus far. Camp provides daily encouragement and support as girls step out in new ways. Over time, the girls who attend camp build up a book of empowering experiences from which they can draw later in life. Rockbrook is a place for girls chock full of moments proving each of these posters.

You are your own captain!

Camp Photos

Camp Tags