Lees-McRae College News

Lees-McRae College is pleased to announce that Martha Hartley has earned the designation of Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) after successfully completing a rigorous certification examination developed and administered by the National League for Nursing (NLN). Mrs. Hartley is director of the RN-BSN Completion Program offered at Mayland Community College that allows registered nurses to receive a baccalaureate degree from Lees-McRae College.

Mrs. Hartley is a native of Banner Elk, North Carolina. She attended Lees-McRae College prior to receiving her bachelor of science in nursing from East Tennessee State University. She received her master of science in nursing from the University of New Mexico and is currently enrolled in the PhD program at East Tennessee State University.

Mrs. Hartley’s career experience includes work at Johnson City Medical Center, Cannon Memorial Hospital, University of New Mexico Medical Center, and Bristol Regional Medical Center.

Mrs. Hartley stated: “I am pleased to be a part of renewing the history of nursing at Lees-McRae College. My mother received her nursing training at Grace
Hospital (presently Tate Hall) on the campus of Lees-McRae College.

Lees-McRae’s nursing program was also recently reaccredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for the maximum period of 10 years.

Learn more about Appalachian culture and the region during the John B. Stephenson Lecture Series on Appalachia at Lees-McRae College Wednesday evenings in July. Named in honor of the late Dr. John B. Stephenson, noted Appalachian and Scottish Highlands scholar, the series features three scholars whose work has contributed to the advancement of the discipline of Appalachian Studies and the region itself.

Dr. Peter Crow opens the series July 9 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium in the Carson Library on the campus of Lees-McRae. His lecture “Do, Die, or Get Along - Some Unexpected Coalfield Lessons in Cultural Education” will feature his field research in the towns of St. Paul and Dante in the southwest Virginia coalfields. Dr. Crow is a Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Ferrum College where he is Chair of the Division of Language, Literature, Philosophy, and Religion.

Next in the series is Dr. Amy Clark with her lecture “Quiltin’, Cookin’, and Testifyin’ - Central Appalachian Women Writing Their Lives” July 16 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium. Dr. Clark is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric at the University of Virginia at Wise where she also serves as the Founding Director of the Appalachian Writing Project.

Dr. John Inscoe closes the series July 23 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium in the Cannon Student Center with his lecture, “Appalachian Women during the Civil War.” Dr. Inscoe is a University Professor of History at the University of Georgia and is considered an authority on the Civil War in the mountains of western North Carolina and north Georgia.

“This year’s speakers are outstanding teachers and scholars who will provide memorable evenings of stories that celebrate the rich culture and history of Appalachia,” said Provost Dr. Debra Thatcher. “Be sure to linger at the end of the presentations for informal chats with the speakers.”

The Stephenson Lecture series is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Warren Doyle at (828) 898-8896 or doylew@lmc.edu . You can also visit the lecture series website at www.go.lmc.edu/summer.

“We hope that area residents who are interested in the cultural heritage of these magnificent mountains will visit our beautiful campus on Wednesday evenings to listen to these interesting speakers,” said Dr. Warren Doyle, past director of the Stephenson Center.

As an addition to the John B. Stephenson Center Lecture Series on Appalachia at Lees-McRae, Dr. Warren Doyle, a noted Appalachian scholar and member of the faculty at Lees-McRae, will present a series of lectures called Summer Sunday Evenings at Lees-McRae College.

Dr. Doyle opens the series June 29 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium in the Cannon Student Center with a slide and music lecture about the Appalachian Trail. Learn more about the famous 2,174 mile trail that runs through the area on its way from Georgia to Maine in what audiences have described as an “informative, inspirational, entertaining, and thought-provoking” lecture.

The next presentation is July 6 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium. This time he will be discussing the life and poetry of Don West. West was a noted Appalachian educator, minister, activist, and people’s poet, as well as an early advocate of Appalachian Studies. West holds the distinction of being the most heavily investigated southern Appalachian during the McCarthy period.

Dr. Doyle ends his series with “30,000 Miles of Trail Stories” July 13 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium in the Carson Library. Someone who has walked 30,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail (14 times to be exact) should have some entertaining and thought-provoking stories to share. This storytelling session will cover a variety of themes and is sure to entertain.

The series is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Warren Doyle at (828) 898-8896 or doylew@lmc.edu. You can also visit the lecture series website at www.go.lmc.edu/summer.

“I invite area residents to spend three Sunday evenings at our beautiful campus experiencing the beauty and adventure of the Appalachian Trail and the wonderful, thought-provoking poetry of an amazing Appalachian – Don West.” said Dr. Doyle.

Before coming to Lees-McRae in 2004, Dr. Warren Doyle taught Appalachian Studies for four years at Concord College and for eleven years at George Mason University. Besides his appreciation of the history and culture of Appalachia, he has expressed his wonder of the physical geography by walking the entire Appalachian Trail a record fourteen times. National Geographic referred to him as a ‘legend’ and Sports Illustrated a ‘hiker-philosopher trek star’. He is the founder and honorary lifetime member of the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association.

The 36^th Annual Alumni Arts and Crafts Show and Sale will be held July 12-20 in the Cannon Student Center at Lees-McRae College as part of the Alumni Frolic Week, July 11-20. With 100 reservations and more arriving daily, alumni representing graduating classes from 1940 to 2007 will stay on campus during Frolic Week and participate in class reunions, dinners and group trips.

All proceeds from the sale benefit the College. Since its inception, the show has contributed more than $222,500 to College projects, including the purchase of computers, audio-equipment and physical plant improvements. In addition, an invested endowment of $135,000 provides annual Alumni Arts and Crafts Scholarship to worthy students.

The show began as an outdoor “clothesline” exhibition held by two alumni in 1973 and has grown to a show of 25 vendors, including pottery, woodworking items, jewelry, pillows, wooden bowls, paintings, crocheted items, ceramics, stained glass, mosaics, and floral arrangements.

“Two of our alumni started this show with their artwork 36 years ago and we continue that legacy today with alumni and friends of the College participating in the show each year,” says Sandy Ramsey, coordinator of the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show.

The schedule for the show is as follows:

Saturday, July 12, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 15, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, July 16 - Friday, July 20, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, July 21, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, July 22, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The show is free and open to the public. For more information on the Arts and Crafts Show and Sale or Alumni Frolic Week, please contact Sandy Ramsey by email at ramsey@lmc.edu or by telephone at (828) 898-8748.

Daniel de Granville, Brazilian photojournalist and guide, will present slides of Brazil’s Pantanal: Flora, Fauna and People at Lees-McRae College June 24. The presentation will be held in King-Shivell Gallery in the Cannon Student Center from 7-8 p.m.

Following his lecture and slide presentation, twenty of his photographs will be on display and refreshments will be served from 8-8:30. The Granville Pantanal Exhibit will be on display in the King-Shivell Gallery Monday, June 23-Friday, June 27.

Daniel De Granville, biologist, nature photographer, guide and naturalist, is completing graduate work in Science Journalism. For 13 years he lived and guided in the Pantanal region; now he lives near the mountains in the Atlantic Rainforest. Photographs of Granville’s have been published by the National Geographic Society and Conservation International. In addition to presentations in Brazil, he was invited to exhibit in Germany by the Munich Cultural Department. His work can be seen at www.photoinnatura.com and www.fotogramabits.blogspot.com.

“Lees-McRae College is thrilled to have Daniel de Granville showcasing his talents. His exhibit will be a great addition to our summer programs,” said Associate Director of Communications Meghan Wright.

The FORUM series of eight summer programs at Lees-McRae College begins June 17 with a performance by Manhattan Piano Trio, a trio gifted in chamber music, and concludes August 5 with the spectacular Synergy Brass Quintet.

FORUM is a membership/subscription organization that was founded in 1979 by Jean Williams, along with a small group of summer residents, with the intent to bring a stimulating series of cultural programs to the area.

With the help of Lees-McRae College, FORUM has grown by leaps and bounds and embarks on its twenty-ninth year of providing both cultural enrichment and wholesome entertainment.

“The key to FORUM’s success is the dedicated involvement and cooperation between seasonal residents, local residents and Lees-McRae College,” explains Sandy Ramsey, coordinator of the FORUM series for more than a decade.

Nearly 30 years after its inception, FORUM continues to be a vibrant part of the Avery County summer life. Though it started with only six patrons in 1979, it now includes a membership of more than 800.

“Our FORUM events are not only cultural and educational but social, as well,” Ramsey said. “A patron-only social is held at the beginning of the FORUM series, June 10 this year. Patrons can enjoy the social contact of renewing friendships and making new ones during these events.”

Members of FORUM have priority seating for all events and receive preferred parking passes entitling them to patrons-only parking in lots near Hayes Auditorium.

“We always invite those who feel they would enjoy the programs to become Patrons and support our efforts to bring these types of programs to the area,” says Ramsey.

“The low cost of the FORUM membership, coupled with the great entertainment and the opportunity to be with friends, makes Hayes Auditorium on the Lees-McRae College campus the place to be on Tuesday nights during the summer. I look forward to seeing everyone there,” Ramsey added.

In addition to the Manhattan Piano Trio and the Synergy Brass Quintet, the 2008 program series includes Russian pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski June 24; Speaker, journalist, and author Bonnie Angelo July 1; t he Western Piedmont Symphony July 8; vocalist Jennifer Fair July 15; classical music ensemble Quartetto Gelato July 22; the Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival July 29; and Synergy Brass Quintet August 5.

Additional information about membership in FORUM or its programs is available at www.forum.lmc.edu or from Sandy Ramsey at the FORUM office in the Chaffee Building at Lees-McRae College. She can also be reached by email at ramsey@lmc.edu or by telephone at 898-8748.

By Jamie Petrik, Lees-McRae Volleyball Coach

The thermometer read 115 degrees and we were not shocked. Today seemed hotter than ever as Lees-McRae staff and students rotated playing ultimate Frisbee and jump rope in the shadeless field with the village children. Pato, pato, ganzo (duck, duck, goose) was moved from the field to under the large tree that helped shade our parked mini-bus. The bus was our refuge from the sun and the children, but sitting in a hundred degree bus seemed light years away from the cool summer breezes of Banner Elk.

Our journey to Guatemala was full of joy, love, and unexpected twists. This year twelve of us from Lees-McRae College worked with a group of nine UNEC volunteers (see end of story) from Guatemala. We helped dig a well, operated a medical clinic/pharmacy, led Vacation Bible School (VBS), and played organized games. I prefer to skip through the numerous planning meetings of our crew, the vast purchasing of $600 of food and supplies two days before, the short flight, the two days of training in a gnat-infested camp, and the 8-hour drive to our home base in Flores. As country singer Kenny Chesney writes, this article will focus on the “good stuff,” our time in the village of Chinatal.

DAY 1
Since half of our group was returning for the second year in a row, our anticipation of seeing the children was met as they ran out a good half mile from the village to greet us. Freddie (a seven year-old boy from Chinatal) jogged alongside us in tears as a few of us joined him in the Hallmark moment. After our group was swarmed by the 70+ children, we participated in a welcoming ceremony with music, greetings, and messages in 3 languages (Spanish, English and Kekchi, their native language). Many children adorned our laps, and with Freddie on mine, found awe in the fact that my watch lit up if he pressed a certain button.

By this time it was 12:30 p.m., and the village had graciously made us lunch. Because of parasites and other health concerns, the gringos went to the bus for cold water and Barbara’s PB&J sandwiches while the UNEC group accepted their offer. Our VBS leaders then split the kids into groups (a singing/story group and a craft group), and two hours later I watched as two little girls proudly showed me their white paper plates neatly designed into fish.

Last year I was assigned to the roofing work crew and I felt worthless on the first day as we spent 3 hours handing out aluminum roofing to the town. This year I was welcomed to miracle #1; the well was nearly dug. It was 30 feet deep, there was water, and I was shocked. It needed to be 10-15 feet deeper but a majority of the work was done. Today’s big decision was which way to run the piping trench to the main water line. The elders decided, to the chagrin of our group, to run it through a field to a pipe that seemed a good half mile away. We wanted to run it 500 feet to a closer location.

So, with five guys, four machetes, and an idea of where we were going, we set off into this field. I was excited because they said there were pit vipers (poisonous snakes) in the field. About fifteen minutes into the task, I noticed ten more men had joined our machete crew. Thirty minutes later, there were thirty of us. While I was pleased to see the teamwork, I realized that, two hours and no pit vipers later, we were well over (no pun intended) a mile away from the well. Our water pump would not be able to push water that far so all of us were relieved when the elders said the trench would not be built that way. The bright side was that we made a nice path and that Luke was now a champ with a machete.

DAY 2
As the mini-bus approached the town, we were shocked to see miracle #2 – the new trench was completely dug. The elders decided to use the shorter route and the thirty men dug a trench 500 feet yesterday. So Brad, Luke, the UNEC guys and I spent the day working at the well. The Chinatal men had constructed a simple 3-post frame. Two posts (tree limbs) were dug into the ground beside the well and one post linked the two above the well. Two or three men would dig and fill buckets in the well and we would pull up the buckets on pulleys and dump them fifteen feet off to the side. The village men were amused at the strength of the young gringos because they would use one arm to grab a full bucket when it reached the top and the others would struggle to carry a bucket with both arms.

Freddie was one of the children (about half) that did not go to school. So from 10 a.m. to noon, he played numerous games with our crew. At noon, all the village children were supposed to go home and eat, but at least twenty of them hung out near the bus, skipping lunch. VBS again split the large group into two, and Freddie went to the singing group first. He was not happy and at 1:30 p.m. Tonya watched as our angelic Freddie climbed the barred windows, slipped through the bars, and jumped into the craft group making puppet cotton ball sheep with brown bags.

DAY 3
After a day hiking in Tikal, the Mayan Ruins, day 3 found us one down (Grace stayed back) and many more churning. Brad, our first aid man, was busy with varied cures for the crew—Pepto Bismal was the drink of the day! Day 3 also brought seventy patients to our two volunteer Guatemalan doctors, Alex and Angie. They treated many cuts, ear and parasite infections, malnutrition, etc. Most of the children’s ailments stem from their exposed feet, for all of them live in dirt floor shacks where animals and insects have free reign. Only two of the fifty homes have outhouses, so their yard is the Baño for humans and animals alike.

The piping was laid in the trench and the digging continued. Smokey, a horse, helped pull up buckets and men via his owner’s beckoning. Today’s bucket fair was muddy rock and water, so we came back to the bus speckled in what looked like milk chocolate.

VBS went great, but recreation sought overtime pay as our bus driver discovered a flat tire at our 3 p.m. departure time. My discovery, for the next hour, was “Wow, Megan and Luke taught Frisbee really well to these kids – they are good.” I also learned that stage 1 of milk chocolate removal from pants involves two boys using their finger nails to clean them while playing Frisbee.

DAY 4
Some like it hot but we did not. 115 degree weather found us rotating games to the shade though Freddie wanted to play soccer in the open field. VBS was depleted of staff because Krista and Audrey (Presbyterian USA young adult volunteer) helped me measure each child’s foot size. Churches and schools had donated over 200 pairs, but we wanted exact sizes, with names, for the future. Next door, the doctors treated another fifty patients. With the heat and lack of staff energy, only the Guatemalan men helped at the well as Luke rotated in with recreation and Brad helped the doctors.

The big hit/chaos of the day was the picture frames. When the children and mothers walked in to VBS, Daviana told the story of the wise men bringing presents to baby Jesus. But the children’s eyes were glued on the wooden picture frames as if they were gold. The frames were handed out to decorate, with stickers and markers. Some moms even hid an extra frame in their shawls! With both groups decorating (the moms loved to color), FreDrica helped form a single line and Renee took Polaroid photos. In the end, the kids and moms were proud of their new frames and photos. The oldest couple in the village showed up right at the end all dressed up in their Sunday best and asked if they could have their picture taken. We were honored.

DAY 5
Because four of our UNEC guys left the night before and because I could not bribe the referee with enough Quetzals, we lost 4-1 to Chinatal in the 2^nd annual soccer game on the final day. We could not blame it on the heat because it was a mere 100 degrees F. Luke needed twenty minutes and a gallon of water to cool down before the most joyful moment of the trip: he gave the town a juggling show. Not only did the kid’s faces light up, but the men of the village were cracking up as numerous high-pitched laughs came from their mouths. Immediately after Luke’s act, Megan and Kathy coordinated the distribution of koosh balls to the kids and within seconds we watched “Luke want to be’s” burst into action.

The final two agenda items, labeling the kid’s shoes and participating in a closing service, took a bit longer than expected. The shoe labeling took two plus hours as Krista, Megan, Audrey, and Tonya managed that task. The elders were going to hand out the shoes to the families after our departure. We also left behind donated clothing, school supplies, over-the-counter medications, and recreational equipment.

The closing ceremony was organized at the last moment. It opened with a few songs in Spanish and Kekchi. I had the honor to talk about the 11^th commandment in John 15: “How we should love each other. ” I was proud as I witnessed numerous gestures of love all week, from a simple refilling of a water bottle in our group to a hug from one of the children. My simple message was translated into Spanish and Kekche, and then our group ended by singing “Open the Eyes of My Heart” in Spanish and English.

The hugs and tears as we left are forever etched into our hearts. Things ended just as they had begun. We drove off, with more tears, watching our kids, Freddie included, running after the bus in tears.

And, now, we return to the USA to reflect on this experience and to prepare for our next trip to Chinatal in January 2010.

A Short History of the UNEC/Lees-McRae Partnership
A brief history of the relationship between UNEC and Lees-McRae College– Four years ago, Kathy Campbell and Barbara Hosbein went to Guatemala to meet with the UNEC Officers who are the young adult leaders of the Presbyterian Church of Guatemala. They thought we were coming to set up an educational /travel experience for our students. When the UNEC Officers realized that we wanted to partner with them in service, they were astounded. They chose one of the most remote and poverty stricken villages they had visited and asked us to join them on their mission trip to Chinatal. Four years and three shared trips later, God continues to bless our partnership with UNEC, Lees-McRae College, and the village of Chinatal!

The annual cost for this partnership is $35,000 raised through the generous support of foundations, congregations, judicatories, service groups, schools, and friends. If you would like more information about our Guatemala Partnership and how you can support this ongoing program, please contact Kathy Campbell at campbellk@lmc.edu

Summer has finally arrived! When you’re not outside enjoying the beautiful mountain air or relaxing by the pool, Lees-McRae College offers a special series of enriching courses.

The summer enrichment courses are offered between June 7 and August 23. They are designed for the general public and cover topics from the history of Irish troubles to couple dancing. There is something for everyone, whether you want to explore Irish reconciliation efforts or learn the salty dog rag.

The series opens June 7 with Dr. Anatoly Isaenko’s class Ethnic Conflicts: East versus West. Dr. Isaenko will continue discussion with his International Terrorism course, which also begins June 7.

Dr. Stewart Skeate’s daily hikes in The Nature of the Appalachians start June 16.

John Mosbey will delve into Justice and Reconciliation: The Irish Troubles beginning June 23.

Dr. Warren Doyle will do-si-do on July 7 with his Square and Contra Dancing sessions. Also beginning July 7, Dr. Doyle will continue showing ‘the moves’ with Couple Dancing.

Next is Dr. Fiona H. Chyrstall’s exploration into The Water of Life: Appreciating the Finer Points of Scottish History and Culture, starting July 7.

Stacey B. Trivett’s Beginning Clogging sessions start July 15. If clogging isn’t for you, try Beginning Tap with Stacey B. Trivett, also starting July 15.

Dr. Warren Doyle shares his experiences in The Appalachian Trail class, beginning July 14.

Approaching Wine: A Basic Introduction is sure to be a hit with Dustin Ellis as your guide starting August 2.

Unlock your creative ideas through collage making, journaling, music and other techniques in Dr. Tessa Carr’s Creative Explorations workshop-based course beginning August 5.

“We never stop being students because of the joy we experience when learning something new. The summer enrichment courses at Lees-McRae College provide opportunities for personal growth, creative expression, interaction with others, and pure fun,” said Provost Dr. Debra Thatcher.

Each course requires a $50 fee, along with official class registration. Some courses require materials or an additional fee for specialized course needs. Contact Tammy Franklin at the Lees-McRae College Academic Affairs Office at (828) 898-8738 for more information.

Beat the heat and get some exercise in the newly renovated Rhea-Lyons Swimming Pool at Lees-McRae College this summer.

After undergoing major reconstruction, the pool reopened in January thanks in part to the generosity of the Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trusts and the Cannon Foundation.

The public is welcome to swim laps, take swim lessons or participate in water aerobics beginning Tuesday, June 3. The summer schedule runs from June 3 to August 9. Admission to the pool is $1. Keep in mind that two lanes of the pool are open for lap swim even during posted open swim hours.

The pool is closed Sunday and Monday with a few exceptions during the summer. The regular schedule for summer is as follows:

Tuesday and Thursday:

• 8-10 a.m. lap
• 10-11 a.m. water aerobics
• 1-5 p.m. open
• 5-6 p.m. lap

Wednesday and Friday:

• 8-10 a.m. lap
• 1-5 p.m. open

Saturday:

• 10 a.m.-12 p.m. swim lessons
• 1-4 p.m. open

The pool will be open on Monday, June 30 from 8 to 10 a.m. for lap swim and 1 to 5 p.m. for open swim. The pool will be closed for the Independence Day holiday on July 4-5, and will reopen Tuesday, July 8.

    Water aerobics and swim lessons will be taught by Caroline Stancik, a certified lifeguard. For additional information, call (828) 898-8725, or log on to www.webcalendar.lmc.edu for a full listing of pool hours.

The Rhea-Lyons Swimming Pool is located in the back of Williams Gymnasium on the Lees-McRae College campus.

Lees-McRae College is pleased to announce the start of a Business Degree Completion Program beginning August 2008 on the campus of Lees-McRae in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Many working adults with Associate’s degrees find difficulty in completing the final two years of a Bachelor’s degree. Lees-McRae can assist you in this endeavor by offering a Bachelor’s degree completion program in Business Administration.

“We recognize that many graduates of community colleges have needs that prevent them from obtaining a degree through a traditional college or university,” said Carolyn West, Dean of Continuing and Professional Education. “By offering weeknight meeting times, our program is structured to meet when most individuals are available without interfering with employment or other priorities.

“Having completed general education requirements, community college graduates are more than halfway to reaching their goal of earning a Bachelor’s degree,” West continued. “We have targeted those with an Associate’s degree so that we can tailor our program to their needs.”

Lees-McRae offers a convenient location and schedule with weeknight meeting times. The convenience of Banner Elk to surrounding communities in the area allows you to visit the college community without moving, and our class times are structured to fit busy schedules.

The program is comprised of 21 classes, each with six hours of classroom instruction per week. Currently, the plan is to have one class taught on Tuesday night and one on Thursday night, each lasting from 6 to 9 p.m.

Degree requirements will be completed over a two-year period, with the first class to finish the program in May 2010. Students completing this program will obtain the same Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree as on-campus graduates, and the classes are taught by Lees-McRae College faculty.

The program is structured around real work applications, problems and solutions. While exploring the business field, you gain valuable knowledge that will increase your potential.

So why choose Lees-McRae College to increase your potential? Lees-McRae is known for its outstanding personalized attention with a low student-faculty ratio. While working with students in the program, you will gain the knowledge to assimilate people of various backgrounds into a working, functional group.

With all classes taught by Lees-McRae College certified faculty, students enrolling in this program can rest assured they are getting a beneficial education.

Enrolling in the Business Administration Degree Completion Program also allows students access to Lees-McRae’s state-of-the-art facilities including the Student Recreation Complex (opening in fall 2008), the swimming pool, library and many other amenities.

For additional information regarding the Business Administration Degree Completion Program, contact Forrest Pulley, program coordinator, at PulleyF@lmc.edu or (828) 898-8845, or Lynn Hinshaw, associate dean of continuing and professional education, at (828) 898-2518 or Hinshaw@lmc.edu.

Fort Collins, Colo.: The Lees-McRae Bobcats pedaled their way to the top of the competition this past weekend in the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships in Fort Collins, Colorado claiming their second national championship title in a single calendar year.  The Bobcats, in an unprecedented manner, not only took their first ever Division I Team Championship in Road Nationals, but saw Carla Swart (Buford, Ga.) and Andrew Talansky (Key Biscayne, Fla.) take home not only the Road Race Individual Championships but the Women’s and Men’s Individual Overall Championships as well.

The Bobcats opened up the first day of Road Nationals by taking an early, commanding lead in the Division I Men’s Team Time Trials, a lead which they held until the University of California-Davis pushed their way into first place, finishing with a time of 23:18.490.  The University of Colorado-Boulder came in a mere nine seconds behind, pushing the Bobcats, who finished at of 24:00.980 for the 20 kilometer race, to third place.

“With four freshmen in the contest, we’re very pleased with our result,” said Lees-McRae Head Coach Doug Owen. “Brian (Sheedy), our assistant coach, got them together as a team and had them mentally prepared.”

The women, racing the same 20 kilometer course as the men, completed the race in 29:18.470 to finish in fifth place.  At the end of the day the Bobcats stood in fourth place overall with 129 points, well within striking distance of first place University of California - Davis (158), Fort Lewis College (139), and Stanford University (132).

On Saturday the Bobcats continued their quest for a national title with the road race segment of the competition on a windy, 51 mile lollipop course through the foothills of western Colorado.  The women took to the course first with Lees-McRae’s Carla Swart among the strong front seven setting the pace for the race.  The group stayed together through the flats, steep climbs and descents until the final stretch when the sprint to the finish line saw the sophomore Swart overpower Chloe Foresman of the University of Arizona to claim the Women’s Division I Road Race Individual National Title.  Also placing for the Bobcats were junior Ally Starcher of Etna, California (14th) who rode with a strong chase group and senior Kacey Manderfield of Davisburg, Michigan (26th) who was among the peloton.

The men, with more than 100 riders competing, also saw a group of seven cyclists separate themselves early in the race.  Freshman rider Andrew Talansky found himself in the lead group and hung on until the end, when he too broke away in the sprint to claim the Bobcats’ second individual title of the day.

“I didn’t know I was going to win until the last 300-meters,” said Talansky. “I was hoping to be able to stay with the Davis rider when he attacked on the final climb. Once I did, I knew I had a shot.”

Teammate Scott Jackson (Chatham, N.J.) road a strong race to finish 16th while classmate Mike Anderson (Alpena, Mich.), recovering from an early wreck, finished 47th in the demanding race to accrue more points for the Bobcats.

At the end of the second day the Bobcats, with 285 points, had moved to third place in the team omnium standings, a mere ten points behind Fort Lewis College and the University of California-Davis who had 295 points each.  The stage was set for a shootout between these three tough competitors in the final day of the championships.

On the third and final day of competition the cyclists headed to Old Town Fort Collins for the criterium races.  The women once again started the day, providing an exciting sixty minute race as top contenders from leading schools and two surprise riders battled for points in their final event of the championships.  In the end it was Michigan’s Julie Bellerose and Harvard’s Anna McLoon who broke away to claim the gold and silver while Lees-McRae’s Swart and Manderfield won the field sprint to take third and fourth respectively, adding valuable points to the Bobcats’ tally in the process.

In the eight-turn, technical sixty minute race the Division I Men’s riders hung together for the duration with the race finally determined by the field sprint at the end which saw Colorado State University’s Phil Mann claim his second consecutive Road Race Criterium Title while Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin - Madison) went home with the silver for the event.  Talansky was the top finisher for the Bobcats, pedaling to a respectable ninth place finish and securing the Bobcats’ first-ever USA Cycling Collegiate Road Race Team Overall National Title.

The Bobcats finished the three day event with 473 total points, 41 points ahead of the second place finisher, rival Fort Lewis College (432).  Colorado State University claimed the third spot on the podium with 362 points.  The Bobcats also claimed both the men’s and women’s individual overall titles with Carla Swart amassing 281 points to outscore silver medalist Anna McLoon (Harvard University) by 55 points in a decisive victory.  In a much closer race, Andrew Talansky put together 244 points, enough to place himself ahead of Phil Mann’s (Colorado State University) 223 points.

Lees-McRae’s rise to prominence in the collegiate cycling world is evidenced by two national championship titles (cyclocross and road), a second place finish in the mountain bike nationals and a fifth place finish in track in a single year.  The Bobcats have also claimed seven individual titles as they have pushed themselves to be top contenders in every genre of the sport.

For full results and articles, visit www.usacycling.org.

The national championship Lees-McRae Bobcat Cycling Team was featured in USA Today in its Tuesday, May 6 edition.

To read the article, click here.

Lees-McRae College offers exciting and enriching programs throughout the summer months, and is pleased to announce the schedule for summer 2008. Programs include exceptional Summer Theatre performances, fun and educational non-credit courses and enriching lectures on Appalachia.

If you are looking to broaden your experiences this summer, or simply want to learn new things, our summer enrichment courses are for you. Designed for the general public, these non-credit courses are offered between June 7 and August 23.

The topics, listed by the date of the first class and instructor, are:

• June 7 – Ethnic Conflict: East versus West – Dr. Anatoly Isaenko
• June 7 – International Terrorism – Dr. Anatoly Isaenko
• June 16 – The Nature of the Appalachians – Dr. Stewart Skeate
• June 23 – Justice and Reconciliation: The Irish Troubles – John Mosbey
• July 7 – Square and Contra Dancing – Dr. Warren Doyle
• July 7 – Couple Dancing – Dr. Warren Doyle
• July 7 – The Water of Life: Appreciating the Finer Points of Scottish History and Culture – Dr. Fiona Chrystall
• July 14 – The Appalachian Trail – Dr. Warren Doyle
• July 15 – Beginning Clogging – Stacey Trivett
• July 15 – Beginning Tap – Stacey Trivett
• August 2 – Approaching Wine: A Basic Introduction – Dustin Ellis
• August 5 – Creative Explorations – Dr. Tessa Carr

The John B. Stephenson Lecture Series on Appalachia also offers enriching and educational experiences on Wednesday evenings during July.

First in the series is Dr. Peter Crow, Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Ferrum College and Director of the NEH Summer Institutes on Appalachia, presenting his lecture titled “Do, Die, or Get Along (Some Unexpected Coalfield Lessons in Cultural Exchange)” on July 9 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium in the Carson Library. He will be talking about his field research in the towns of St. Paul and Dante in the southwest Virginia coalfields, which was the basis of his recent book, Do, Die, or Get Along: A Tale of Two Appalachian Towns.

Next up in the series is Dr. Amy Clark on July 16 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium with her lecture, “Quiltin’, Cookin’, and Testifyin’ (Central Appalachian Women Writing Their Lives).” Clark is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric at the University of Virginia at Wise where she also serves as the Founding Director of the Appalachian Writing Project.

Ending the series with “Appalachian Women during the Civil War” is Dr. John Inscoe on July 23 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium. Inscoe is a University Professor of History at the University of Georgia and considered an authority on the Civil War in the mountains of western North Carolina and north Georgia.

As an addition to the Stephenson Lecture Series on Appalachia, Dr. Warren Doyle, noted Appalachian scholar and Assistant Professor of Education at Lees-McRae, will a series of lectures called Summer Sunday Evenings.

Doyle’s lectures begin June 30 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium with a slide/music lecture on The Appalachian Trail. This presentation on the famous 2,174 mile trail that runs through our neighborhood on its way from Georgia to Maine, has been well-received by audiences in many states who have described it as “informative, inspirational, entertaining and thought-provoking.”

On July 6 at 7 p.m., Doyle will present “The Life and Poetry of Don West.” Don West was a noted Appalachian educator, minister, activist, and people’s poet as well as Doyle’s mentor for many years while West served as the director of the Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem, WV.

The final lecture in Doyle’s series titled “30,000 Miles of Trail Stories” takes place July 13 at 7 p.m. in Abrams Auditorium. This storytelling session has entertaining and thought-provoking tales from Doyle, who has hiked the Appalachian Trail 14 times.

FORUM and Lees-McRae Summer Theatre also offer wonderful experiences during the summer. For additional information regarding Lees-McRae Summer Theatre, visit www.lmst.lmc.edu. Please visit www.forum.lmc.edu for additional information about FORUM programs and patronage.

To view a PDF version of the Summer Enrichment Series brochure, visit www.go.lmc.edu/summer.

Lees-McRae College is pleased to announce that Dr. Walter Earl Fluker, executive director of the Leadership Center at Morehouse College in Atlanta, will deliver the commencement address during commencement exercises being held May 10 at 10 a.m. at the Williams Physical Education Center.

At Morehouse College, Dr. Fluker also serves as Coca-Cola Professor of Leadership Studies and is currently serving as interim director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. Since 1992, he has served as editor of the Howard Thurman Papers Project. Under his direction, the Center has developed into a preeminent academic center for the study and practice of ethical leadership in national and global venues.

He is currently engaged in expanding a multi-faceted international leadership project in South Africa in partnership with The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, the United States Department of State and the African Presidential Archives and Research Center at Boston University.

Known as an expert in the theory and practice of ethical leadership, Dr. Fluker is a featured speaker, lecturer and workshop leader at foundations, businesses, corporations, religious institutions, colleges and universities as well as consultant to both national and international organizations. In his consulting practice, he works with professionals and emerging leaders in both the public and private domains.

“I met Dr. Fluker in Salzburg, Austria, at the 22^nd International Studies Program. He stood out in a crowd of 45 very capable faculty and administrators as someone with a very thoughtful and informed approach to life and learning. His considerable experience in working with many different organizations on ethical leadership issues means that he will provide our graduates with a wonderful message that clearly relates to Lees-McRae College’s mission of ‘inspiring and enabling individuals to contribute to a changing society with integrity and civic responsibility’ as they move to the next stage of their lives,” said Dr. Fiona Chrystall, Assistant Dean of Assessment and Effectiveness and Associate Professor of Environmental Science.

    More than 450 Lees-McRae College students, faculty and staff completed over 30 service projects during the College’s 4^th Annual Mountain Day of Service on Thursday, April 17.

Several groups chose to work on campus, planting flowers and spreading mulch, doing maintenance in residence halls, building a turtle habitat at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute, and recycling used electronics from local businesses and individuals.

Others volunteered their time in the community at agencies including Blazing Saddles, Avery Arts Council and Reaching Avery Ministries. Students picked up trash along the side of the road, helped with spring cleaning at the Banner Elk Presbyterian Church, removed dilapidated playground equipment at the Valle Crucis Park, and shelved books at the New Opportunity School for Women.

Participants finished the day weary, and many sunburned, but all with a sense of satisfaction, having completed a service project for the good of the College and community. Their efforts were rewarded with a celebration cookout on Tate Lawn featuring Fort Pastor, an acoustic, social justice band, whose members also participated in a service project during Mountain Day of Service.

“The point of Mountain Day isn’t to log or count service hours. The point is to come and work together, improve our community together, and to share fellowship with one another,” said Selena Hilemon, Director of Community Outreach at Lees-McRae College. “This is what being a community is all about.”

    The tradition of Mountain Day goes back to the school’s founder, the Rev. Edgar Tufts. Each fall, Tufts would surprise the school during chapel by announcing, “it was a good day to climb Beech.” Following the proclamation, the entire school would set off up the mountain. When they reached the end of the five-mile climb, a feast of potatoes and corn and sandwiches would be waiting on the group.

    Mountain Day was renewed during the early years of the 21^st century; more than 100 years after Tufts founded the school. It became a semiannual tradition, though the hike was limited to Wildcat Lake via the Hemlock Trail.

    Beginning in April 2005, the spring mountain day was dedicated to community service, leaving the fall celebration as a day of rest of fun.

    For more information about Mountain Day, or questions about how you can be involved, contact Selena Hilemon in the Office of Community Outreach at Lees-McRae at hilemons@lmc.edu. For additional information about Fort Pastor, visit www.fortpastor.com.

Join Lees-McRae’s wildlife rehabilitation students Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium as they share stories, photos and video from their month-long service trip to New Zealand.

A group of ten students and two staff members from Lees-McRae spent winter break traveling the north and south islands of New Zealand being of service to numerous rehabilitation facilities and learning about the wildlife and unique culture of New Zealand.

“The presentation will include pictures of the places we went, information on the people we met and some of the inspirational experiences that we had,” said Krista Lyle, a sophomore Wildlife Rehabilitation major. “We’re bringing some of New Zealand back to Lees-McRae College.”

You will have a chance to adopt a yellow-eyed penguin from New Zealand, as well as a chance to purchase photos, postcards and magnets featuring landscapes and wildlife of New Zealand. All proceeds from adoptions and the sale of materials will be used to help protect the endangered yellow-eyed penguins of New Zealand.

Lees-McRae College is set to host its annual Global Community Series April 7-10. The topic this spring focuses on moral leadership from the Baha’i perspective. The series will feature guest speakers and a dance performance.

“This semester’s Global Community Series on moral leadership will open our students’ minds wide with the example of the Baha’i Faith’s deep commitment to living the wisdom of the world’s religions, showing how they can work together for positive change,” said Robert Black, Director of the Global Community Center at Lees-McRae.

The first event is scheduled for Monday, April 7 from 2 to 3 p.m. in Evans Auditorium. Layli Miller-Muro will address the topic of violence against women. Miller-Muro is the executive director of the Tahirih Justice Center in Washington, D.C.

The Tahirih Justice Center is committed to creating a diverse community of support for women seeking refuge from gender-based persecution such as genital mutilation, honor killings, sexual slavery and abuse.

“Moral leadership is perfectly highlighted by our keynote speaker, Layli Miller-Muro. It is a huge honor to have her on campus. She has lived her life as a moral leader with integrity and a passion for justice which is an inspiration to us all. We desperately need to raise awareness of men’s violence against women, still such a pervasive problem both at home and abroad, and Miller-Muro’s life gives us the example we need,” said Black.

Following Layli Miller-Muro in the series is Dr. Gordon Naylor, executive director of the Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute, a residential treatment agency for youth and children. His discussion, held on Wednesday, April 9 from 2 to 3 p.m. in Evans Auditorium, will focus on the role of moral leadership on our campus and in the world. Dr. Naylor has completed graduate studies in international education, clinical psychology, and educational administration.

Also on Wednesday, April 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. is a performance by Wildfire Dance Theater in Hayes Auditorium. This group of students travels and shares their interpretation of the Baha’i faith through performing arts. The Wildfire Dance Theatre, established in 1998 by The Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute, works collaboratively with the Baha’i Council of Ontario and share a sincere desire to be of service to humanity.

Their dances tell the story of our planet’s present challenges while taking the audience through a time of reflection that will hopefully lead to greater understanding and change. The performance consists of a variety of dances from hip-hop and swing, to folk and aboriginal. Topics include racial unity, extremes of wealth and poverty, substance abuse and peer pressure.

As a precursor to the spring 2008 Global Community Series, Baha’i 101 offers an introduction to the Baha’i Faith for those unfamiliar with the religion. Susan Shuford, who has a deep knowledge of the Baha’i Faith, will give an overview to be followed by time for questions and answers. This will take place on Wednesday, April 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. in Evans Auditorium.

“This April’s Global Community week is a wonderful way for people to learn more about the Baha’i Faith, and the work these amazing members of our community are doing to help better the world. Because the Baha’i Faith is the youngest of the world’s major religions, many people don’t know a lot about it, or have misconceptions. This week can help change that in our community!” said Susan Shuford.

The Baha’i Faith is the youngest of the world’s monotheistic religions. Founded in Iran in 1844, it now has more than five million adherents in 236 countries and territories. Baha’is come from nearly every national, ethnic, and religious background, making the Baha’i Faith the second-most-widespread religion in the world.

Baha’is view the world’s major religions as a part of a single, progressive process through which God reveals His will to humanity. The central theme of the Baha’i message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for humanity’s unification into one global society.

“The April Global Community Series on Moral Leadership gives the college and the community a wonderful opportunity to explore the issues of moral leadership on our campus, in the local community, and in our society,” said Kathy Campbell, Lees-McRae College chaplain. “Our speakers and dance troupe are sharing the role of moral leadership from the Baha’i perspective and provide us with a great opportunity for dialogue about faith, ethics, morals, and how as institutions and individuals, we will be engaged in these issues that affect every aspect of our lives.  I hope that people will participate in the Global Community Series Events and in the conversation.”

The Global Community Series events are sponsored by Lees-McRae’s Global Community Center which also hosted Kerry Kennedy in 2007 and Arun Gandhi in 2006.

For additional information, please call 898-8729.

The Lees-McRae College Climbing Club attended a competition at East Tennessee State University on Saturday. Climbers had the opportunity to meet and climb with college teams from North Carolina and Tennessee.

Twenty Lees-McRae students, notably the largest team at the competition, joined 30 other climbers from Appalachian State University, East Tennessee State University, Belmont Abbey College, and Western Carolina University.

Four Lees-McRae Students placed in the top three of their division and were awarded prizes and certificates. Three Lees-McRae students placed in the New Climbers Division. Jacob Vigneault placed first, J.R. Phillips placed second and Tara Jobe placed third.

Although not placing in the top three, Hannah Trimble, Erin Tyler, Nathan Smith, Adam Phillips, Tom Cockerton, Valerie Jones, Dan Morris and Aaron Linville were close on the heels of the winners. Vic Almeyda, Hershe Crispe, Dani Usedom, Heather Morrison, Yaritza Acosta and Darya Fedoseyeva all made strong efforts, including Leeth Davis who attempted the very difficult Crack Climb. 

Lees-McRae College Outdoor Programs helped pay for the students to attend the competition, which was a great success.

All climbers learned a lot and were proud of their climbs,” said Dee Thomas, Director of Outdoor Programs. “Congratulations to all climbers!”

Internationally respected nutritionist Lou Niles N.D. will present a wellness seminar for coaches, athletes, and the college community Wednesday, February 27 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium.

Come and join Dr. Niles to learn about the athlete’s paradox.

• How many long-lived, healthy athletes do you know?
• Why do some societies live well into theirs 90s healthy and some don’t?
• What should I be putting into my body for maximum performance?
• How to live a healthy long disease free life.

This educational information about your health and future will be a life-changing event. With just a few changes in your everyday habits, you can alter your future.

Are you looking for a bit of health advice? Do you have nutrition questions? Dr. Niles is here to help. Lees-McRae’s health services program is sponsoring an eating disorder screening in the dining hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Anyone who takes the screening will be entered in a raffle for two free movie tickets!

For additional information, please contact Jim McHugh at (954) 260-7444 or Dani Usedom at usedomdn@lmc.edu.

Are you looking for something to do during Spring Break? Are you interested in service and learning? Are you interested in exploring the world of advocacy and activism in the United States?

Sign up for this year’s Alternative Spring Break trip! This year’s trip is called Impact in America: Exploration of Activism.

The trip happens February 29 through March 6. The cost is $65 (including food, lodging and travel) for a trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City. Students will be visiting lots of cool museums, activist organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign, and of course, doing service at local care facilities like soup kitchens, homeless shelters and much, much more!

Many students on the trip will also attend the IMPACT Conference, a student conference on civic engagement that happens March 7 through March 9 in Boston, MA. The cost is $30 to attend the conference.

The Lees-McRae Fund office is pleased to announce the participants in our upcoming Phone-a-thon:  Bonner Leaders, Club of Athletic Trainers (CAT), Men’s Soccer and Delta Omicron Theta (DOT).

“With these groups and their history of calling alumni for phone-a-thon, I am confident we will be successful… and have loads of fun!,” stated Michelle Scott ‘86 ‘90, Director of The Lees-McRae Fund.  

The Phone-a-thon is important to The Lees-McRae Fund because it captures individual alumni pledges and it provides an opportunity for alumni to have positive conversations with current students about Lees-McRae College.  One way foundations measure the strength of colleges applying for grants is by the percentage of alumni who give—no matter the amount!

Special thanks to the sponsors/coaches who encourage and support these student callers during Phone-a-thon week!

Lees-McRae College is one stop on the two-week tour of Tour Baby Deux! to raise $500,000 for collegiate cycling and the Davis Phinney Foundation. The tour makes a stop in Banner Elk on February 5 in Evans Auditorium with doors opening and a silent auction preview at 6 p.m. and film screening following at 7:15.

In Tour Baby Deux!, filmmaker Scott Coady lives every cycling fan’s dream by following the entire 2005 Tour de France from start to finish, filming all the craziness in this “hilarious and intimate look at the Tour”.

The tour began on January 30 in Boulder, CO, and will cover 4,000 miles as it winds around the country to join up with the Tour of California’s prologue for a screening and fundraiser in Palo Alto, CA, on February 17.

This year’s tour is a follow-up to College Tour Baby! that also raised money for collegiate cycling and the Davis Phinney Foundation.

The Davis Phinney Foundation was founded by Davis Phinney, a former pro-cyclist diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2000. The foundation has one mission: to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease.

Tickets are general admission and are available at the door for $15 each. For more information contact, Doug Owen at nccyclist49@aol.com or (828) 387-6600.

Lees-McRae College welcomed students back for the spring semester with a pool party — in January!

After undergoing extensive renovations made possible by the generosity of the Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trusts and The Cannon Foundation, the Rhea-Lyons Swimming Pool opened its doors for its grand re-opening January 15 from 7 to 11 p.m. The evening was filled with games, music, fun, and, of course, swimming.

More than 100 students attended the pool party Tuesday evening to check out the pool and spend time with friends after the holiday break.

“It was great to see so many students and people from the Lees-McRae community come together for the pool party. We are all so happy that the pool is open again! It looks great and everyone seems incredibly excited to use it!” said Dani Usedom, Director of Intramurals at Lees-McRae. “It was also a great opportunity for students to hang out together after getting back from break.”

Regular pool hours will be posted at www.webcalendar.lmc.edu.

Valentine’s Day is lending a fun theme to this year’s Lees-McRae Fund Phone-a-thon. Students will be making calls to alumni for pledges to The Lees-McRae Fund February 10-13.

The Lees-McRae Fund is vitally important in the daily life of the College. It is from this fund that the College is able to use gifts where they are needed most—to positively affect the “Lees-McRae experience” of every student: upgrades in technology, in classrooms, in institutional scholarships, etc.

The number of alumni who give to The Lees-McRae Fund is as important as the amount of the gift! Alumni support of Lees-McRae College indicates strength and confidence to foundations from whom we are seeking grant support for major gifts—if you have not yet joined in the success of giving to Lees-McRae, it is time for you to invest in the excellence of a Lees-McRae education.

December 20, 2007

     Today was the day everyone looked forward to…a car ride to figure out everyone’s deepest darkest secrets. It was a 9-hour car trip all together in our small cozy van, bundled in like sardines. Oh how the car rides are so much fun. Nevertheless, most people slept the majority of the trip or listened to music on their ipods, and occasionally some people watched movies or read magazines and books. Before we got on the road we took a quick hike to Fox Glacier. It was about a 15-minute walk from the car park to the glacier view. The glacier was thicker than Franz Joseph (glacier seen pervious day) but not as wide or as tall. Fox Glacier looked more like a castle with a spiral swirled peak on the top and long narrow openings that appeared to look like stained glass windows. The different colorations of purple, blues and glistening white shined through the different openings. In the background the ice was melting and rocks were falling to the ground at great speeds. Glaciers are changing shape and formation consistently; it was amazing to see it just before our eyes. I preferred Fox Glacier to Franz Joseph glacier in terms of the free self-guided tour. However, if I were to take a guided tour, I would have loved to walk up and hike the Franz Josef Glacier because of its massive size. The glaciers were a truly amazing experience. Most people didn’t know what a glacier was until we got to see and learn about them first hand. Once we returned to the car park, we encountered a Kea. A Kea is like a parrot, which is highly known for its destruction to cars, especially rubber particles. A Kea can destroy a car in less than 10 minutes. It can pull apart the window lining, shatter all the windows, and take off the rear-view mirrors and antennas completely totaling a car or RV. We saw two different Keas jumping from roof to roof of the different cars in the car park. The Keas appeared to be playing a game… “Who could get the first thing detached from the car?” However, we were not able to see complete destruction, probably because numerous people were taking photos and hovering over creating a distraction. Our final destination was Lake Taukpo, where were going to be celebrating the New Year. We arrived so late that we had some dinner, took showers, and went to bed.

Natalie Burns

3 Mile Lagoon Hike - Okarito
December 28, 2007

    We all awoke this morning with an impending excitement of the day’s hike. The group was able to eat breakfast with a spectacular view of Franz Joseph glacier right outside of the kitchen window. We had a nice drive on a dirt road out to a beach and after unfolding out of the van, we set out on our way. As we descended onto the beach, Nina spotted a couple of guys that turned out to be from New Zealand and asked them about the hike we were looking to go on. We were told that in order to make it to the beginning section of the walk, we would have to beat high tide otherwise we would be stuck on the rocks! The beach part of the hike involved attempting to seek out small rocks to hop onto to avoid the sinking sand, which was pretty difficult to walk in. Many of us stopped to click pictures of the ocean and look for shells, while others forged ahead like soldiers. There were parts of the hike on the beach where large rocks dominated the landscape and the only way to the other side was to climb over or through them. For those of us that chose to be brave, great landscape shots could be gained by climbing on top of some of the tall rocks! After some inspection, we found the beginning of the actual hike. The start was a pretty steep incline, but we all made it without huffing and puffing. We took a detour off of the 3- mile hike to eat lunch. We walked across a bridge that suspended us over water. We sat down on a smooth pebble beach and ate. Some laid on their backs to sunbathe and others skipped rocks across the water. While the food settled, we finally began our actual hike. In the beginning, we knew who our power hikers were; therefore we paired up and went our own pace. At times the terrain was rough, but thankfully we all had a supportive partner or group of people that we were hiking with. The flora was a temperate tropical forest; the birds over our heads serenaded us with sweet songs as we walked along. There was a faint echo of the waves crashing on the beach as we made our way up the mountain. At one point on the hike, there was a part in the trees that gave way to a breathtaking view of the ocean. The sky was a beautiful light blue that meshed with the turquoise hue of the ocean. Ashleigh and Natalie took the lead ahead of the rest of the group and would leave us stacks of rocks, large to small, to show the paths that they had taken. The group that consisted of Whitney, Savannah, Brittany, and Robert spent a majority of their hike laughing and giggling when Whitney would stop in the middle of the trail and exclaiming: “I just can’t go any farther!” Needless to say, Whitney was able to go the whole distance thanks to the support of her hiking buddies! The group shared hiking stories after reaching the van, and we piled in to head back to the Glo-worm hostel for a night of rest and relaxation.

Charlie Herron

December 31, 2007

    New Year’s Eve has arrived! We started the day at Lake Tepako well rested, as we didn’t have to meet until 10 a.m. I on the other hand somehow managed to wake myself up at 8. Don’t ask me how I could do it so easily on my own that day and every other day it seems like a treacherous task to behold! Nina and Robert made me glad to be awake that early when they fixed eggs and hash browns for breakfast (yummy!) By the time everybody woke up, we discussed whether we would hike Mt. Cook then or the next day. It was unanimous, New Year’s Eve was our free day and we would hike the next morning. Everybody rushed to the lake immediately after our meeting. While some were soaking up rays, Natalie and I really wanted something to float on in the lake, so we decided to commandeer a couple rafts from a few guys. The guys ended up beaching their rafts a few feet away and came to talk to us, it turns out they were from Christchurch, NZ, and they came to the lake for the holiday. After chatting for a bit, I think they realized that we were eyeing the rafts next to them and they let us take them for a nice float around the lake. Well we didn’t really get that far- we ended up beached as well. As for the rest of the crew that stayed lying in the sun, well let’s just say they should avoid contact with the deadly rays for the rest of their lives! It hurt me just to look at the painful burns that covered their entire bodies. I’m talking blisters people! Let’s just say it was a harsh reminder not to skimp on the sunscreen…SPF 5,000 maybe? Well, after the hot tamales evacuated the beach, a Scottish band came through the area. I didn’t get much of a chance to check them out, but I was definitely digging the bagpipes from my spot in the sand. What a nice way to ring in the New Year in another country!

    After taking in as much sun as possible, the rest of us came inside to watch Grease while Joe and Robert cooked us a great dinner. They cooked up some tasty potatoes, veggies, and steak for those with a carnivorous habit. Not long after dinner, everyone was all prettied up for our dance party beside our rental van! We started the night with my iPod blaring “Brick House” just for Nina, I’m sure she loved it. We danced ’til midnight with our group, and a bunch of other random kiwi’s from the nearby campground. Once 12 o’clock rolled around we had not one, but three countdowns. I have to say, it was one of the best New Year’s Eves ever.

Ashleigh Stumler

January 1, 2008

    Happy New Year!!! We started the year at 12:01 a.m., with two countdowns!?! Don’t ask me why. We all went to bed soon after that because we were getting up early to go to New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mount Cook, or Aoraki in Maori.

    We dragged ourselves up relatively early and headed out toward the mountain. We all felt the excitement and anticipation of the magical destination where we would start the New Year. Before we got anywhere near the mountain we had to start off with an animal rehab opportunity. Nina spotted a black Labrador standing by the fence and was afraid it had been tied there and left. We slammed on the brakes and pulled one of our by now all too common u-turns. When we got back to the dog we found it was very skittish and definitely not tied up. It took off down the fence at great speed and we had no chance of catching it.

    Our first view of the mountain came as we rounded a corner beside Lake Pukaki. Lake Pukaki is one of the New Zealand lakes filled with “rock flour” (fine dust left when a glacier rubs across rock over thousands of years), which creates a stunning turquoise tint in the water. So as we rounded the corner over the amazing blue lake the massive majestic mountain loomed above it in the distance. It was like a scene from a movie when the hero finds a lost land full of dinosaurs, with no way to tell where we were in time. We had to stop to take pictures and Nina’s daring dash across the road earned her a disgruntled horn blast. We were tourists and we had to accept the fact. Every time we went around a corner from then on our jaws dropped as the dominating 3755 meter (about 10000 or 11000 ft.) peak seemed to get larger and larger in front of us. There was also a line of peaks that were almost as high in a line looming over us, with glaciers hanging down.

    After we reached the visitors’ center and decided on a hike to take we ate lunch to gather energy for the impending walk. We chose to walk up Hooker Valley towards Hooker Glacier. Several in the group were nursing sunburns after their “sun block malfunctioned” the day before while they lay out on the beach so two dropped out after we reached the first swinging bridge. The bridge hung over the grey raging torrent below and invoked a mixture of excitement and dread as it swayed with the rhythm of our steps as we crossed. The terrain was rocky but it was a very gentle grade so the hike was reasonably easy. It was inspiring to look up hundreds of feet on either side were waterfalls dropped from rivers truncated by glaciers centuries ago. The sun radiated its soft warmth throughout the valley. We walked slowly, stopping along the way to take occasional pictures of the next incredible view that seemed to appear around each corner.

    Eventually we reached the second swinging bridge, which was just as enthralling as the first. Others in the group who had said they would drop out had by that point been convinced by the mountain that they should keep walking despite their pain. The walkie-talkies Ashleigh had brought came in handy as we talked back and forth with the speedsters up front. The main group knew Natalie and Ashleigh had reached the lake at the glacier terminus so we pushed on to catch them up there.

    The lake sat below the most spectacular of the waterfalls we had seen so far. The wind was catching it in one place, spraying it out into the sunlight, which created the hint of a rainbow coming out of the face of the cliff. Icebergs floated in the lake having been left stranded by the glacier’s natural summer retreat. (On average the glaciers in New Zealand are advancing, which is one reason the experts are changing the name of “global warming” to “climate change”. The drastic spike in our global average temperatures caused by pollution is affecting different parts of the globe in different ways, which includes some cooling in this part of New Zealand.) The glacier was actually quite visually unimpressive although quite interesting. It was covered in moraine (rock carved off the side of the valley by the glacier), giving it the appearance of a giant Popsicle rolled in gravel. It was hard to tell if there was a glacier there at all if you didn’t know what to look for.

    After sitting by the small lake for a little while we headed back to the van and drove back to Lake Tekapo. It had been such a long day we decided to eat out at the Japanese restaurant. Many of the students have developed a love for sushi since we have been here so it was fun to eat raw fish with them, adding another cultural dimension to our trip. After dinner everyone was ready to crash and we all went to bed early to be ready for our next day of travel.

Robert Black

January 4, 2008

“The Royals of Taiaroa”

We started off the morning getting up around 7:00 a.m…this was very difficult for some people! Nina and Robert fixed everyone breakfast and then we headed off on our way. Our first stop was at Rosalie’s to drop off our penguin bags and our picture. We have given all the rehabilitators one of these as a gift and a way to say thank you! We then headed a little east of Dunedin to the Otago Peninsula to Taiaroa Head where we hoped to find a colony of Royal Albatross! When we arrived Robert and Nina went up to the information center to find out what we needed to do to the see the birds while the rest of us fixed lunch and chatted with the noisy Red Billed Gulls that hovered close by our “Chilly Bin”, or cooler! While we were eating lunch we had a juvenile Red Billed Gull approach us that had injuries to the back of his head where the other gulls were pecking at him viciously. Brittany caught him and we cleaned up his would and placed him in a box to take to Rosalie in the afternoon! When Nina and Robert returned they informed us that we would be going on a guided tour of the colony that would start at 1:30.

    I must stop a moment and say thank you to Nina and her husband Mike who decided to pay for everyone to take the tour. Mike called while Nina was in the information area and they decided that it would be such an amazing experience that they wanted to “donate” the money for the group to see the Albatross! So from everyone…Thank you so very much!!

    We had some time to kill before our tour started so we went up and walked through the small museum that was set up in the information center. There was information displayed about all of the different species of wildlife that could be seen and found on the conservation site: Little Blue Penguins or Fairy Penguins, Yellow-Eyed Penguins, New Zealand Fur Seals, Hooker’s Sea Lions, Elephant Seals, Leopard Seals, several species of Shags, or Cormorants as we know them, several species of Gulls, Shearwaters, and the Royal Albatrosses!

    There were videos playing all around the museum with clips of the different species and some of their behavior along with several videos that told about what different people and organizations were doing to help conserve the Albatross. One video especially remains in my mind; one of the biggest issues with Albatross is connected with the fishing boats. When the boats let out their lines the seabirds swarm the waters following the boats feeding on the bait that is placed on the hooks. When the lines are released from the back of the boat they don’t sink fast enough giving the birds access to the baited hooks. The birds dive for the bait and swallow the hooks along with their bit of food. They are then pulled under the water … attached to the lines … and drown. The video was entirely about this problem and what was trying to be done to help limit the number of birds caught by fishing boats. Roughly 10,000 Albatross are pulled aboard each month from the hooks and lines, approximately 100,000 a year. Different organizations are working to have the lines dropped from the side of boats instead of the back allowing them to sink faster due to the pull of the propellers and water and also having the lines weighted heavier to try and have them sink before the birds have a chance to go after the bait. These are some of the adaptations that Hawaii has already put into action and they have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of seabirds being caught by their boats. The video was very wrenching and really caught me off guard. I had no idea that this happened to seabirds. I knew that fishermen were always catching turtles and other sea dwellers that they didn’t mean to, but never would I have thought of birds. There are 19 species of Albatross that face extinction at the moment and this problem is one of the main causes. I believe that everyone who watched this particular video walked away from it with a mindset that they wanted to figure out a way that they could do something to help. The website that pertains to this information and other about the Albatross and how we can help them is www.savethealbatross.org.nz!

    We started off our tour by our guide giving us facts and information about the Royal Albatross and the conservation site that they were breeding and residing on. The first egg was found on Taiaroa Head in 1920 and the first reared chick flew in 1938. It was in 1937 when the Otago Branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand and Dr. L.E. Richdale worked to protect the colony from interference. The first field officer was appointed to act as caretaker of the Albatrosses in 1951. The colony has slowly grown and now consists of 150 birds or more. Each bird reared on Taiaroa Head is banded with a number and a color-code, this band allows the rangers to record the bird’s life history along with being able to distinguish the Taiaroa Albatrosses from other albatrosses that sometimes wander onto Taiaroa Head and stay to breed. The breeding birds arrive in September and build their nest during early November. The male builds the nest, before the female comes ashore; they sit and pull vegetation and dirt around themselves with their bills. The female will come ashore and find her mate…they do mate for life! If she doesn’t approve of the nest she will move it around and fix it the way she wants and then will lay her 500 gram egg during the first three weeks of November. The parents share incubation duty in spells of two to eight days over a length of eleven weeks…one of the longest incubation periods of any bird. When the chick is hatched the parents take turns at guarding and feeding it for the first 30 to 40 days. After this time the parents will leave the chick alone for 3 to 4 days at a time while they go off to fish. The parents tend to the chick for roughly 300 days before the chick spreads its enormous wings and is lifted onto the sea breeze. There are no practice runs, just one shot! After the chick is gone the parents head out to sea and will remain there for a year before returning to breed again. Each pair lays only one egg per season and only every other year. The young birds spend 3 to 7 years on the open ocean before returning to shore to pick a mate, once they return to their original colonies they will chose a mate and then return back to sea to be sure that their mate is the right pick. The average age for a pair to rear their first clutch is around 9 or 10 years of age. After we had listened and talked with our guide and watched a short documentary on the Royal Albatrosses of Taiaroa Head we headed up the hill to the observation building to see the colony.

    We were told that we were guaranteed to see 4 birds sitting on nest and we might be lucky enough to see one fly into the colony. We walked into a large open room full of educational displays about the Albatross and the shags that lined the hills above the ocean on the back walls and windows covered the front walls. The windows provided a view across the ocean as far as your eyes could see along with the most spectacular view of these amazing stoic creatures. There sat the Albatrosses, so majestic and elegant; their white feathers with the black contrasting so deeply with the grass as they huddled against the wind keeping their precious egg warm and safe. The sight out the window alone was breathtaking but the view along with these fabulous creatures dotting the hillside made it unbelievable. The birds have such a serene look to them, so peaceful and calm. We were told that the birds that were on the nests consisted of two males and two females. We were hoping to see one fly…Albatross have the largest wingspan of any bird, 3 meters from tip to tip and a body length of 1 meter from bill to tail…but we were all so mesmerized with the ones sitting on the nests that we almost missed the giant bird soaring in toward us from over the ocean. This is what we were all praying that we would see and now we were witnessing this magnificent creature soar just above our heads and circling above those on the ground. It shifted its wings to guide it in the direction it intended with no problem. This wonderful bird just floated on the sea breeze ever so gently. It was a moment that will remain with several of us for such a long time! The stunning creature landed close to one of the others that were on the ground and we hoped that it was going to be a mate and we would get to witness a nest exchange. It definitely didn’t have the most graceful landing, crashing to the ground on his head…oops! It turned out to be a young bird coming in to visit the colony. The rangers call these young birds “teenage birds”; they come in