“Living close to trees makes us healthier”
Somehow we knew this.
Come get your fix.
“Living close to trees makes us healthier”
Tag: Opossum Creek Retreat
Eavesdropping
I mean, I overheard some WVU students conversations over the past couple of days that may have saved my jaded soul and given me hope. The WVU Student Government Association held their leadership retreat at Opossum Creek Retreat. Almost 40 students and an OSSUM advisor, spent 2 days working their butts off in really nasty conditions helping fellow Mountaineers!
“This was the most challenging work I have ever done.” Just one of the many amazing things I ”overheard.”
They crawled under houses and cut and pulled out vapor barriers that had become laden with flood mud. Flood mud is different from regular mud because it carries with it all the stuff in the flood water like sewage, diesel fuel, other liquids and chemicals and, well, more sewage. Officials have told residents not to eat anything from their gardens and not to plant a garden on ground that was flooded for 3 years!
They also helped with demolition work and carried piles of debris into the street (I had thought all that work was complete.) Not! They crawled under one house and scooped the flood mud out from the crawl space with
buckets, and spread pulverized lime (to neutralize the flood mud) under yet another house. They did other work, too, helping organize donations and stack cases of bottled water on pallets. These kids from WVU accomplished a lot in 2 days.
It does not take 40 young adults to help. We had a young lady stay last week and work a couple days all by herself. She made a difference. You can, too.
More help is on the way from Trinity Baptist Church in NC. Both groups took advantage of our offer. (Pay for your first night in anyone of our cabins, volunteer the next day for flood relief and the next night is free.)
Suffice it to say, much help is still needed. You can find out more here, and we are continuing our offer.
The impacts of this flood event will be felt for a very long time, as will the good work these young adults will no doubt continue for the rest of their lives. Thank you and keep up the GOOD work!
Let’s GO, Mountaineers!
For the Birds
That’s what the next couple weeks are all about here at OCR! This week is bird banding class, next week is the legendary New River Birding and Nature Festival!
We just finished up a Beginner Bird Banding class taught by certified instructor from The Institute for Bird Population. This is an intense (too intense for me) week-long course that puts everyone through the paces. They learn everything they need to get a certificate to work under a master bander. This intensive, all-inclusive event is limited to 8 people. We have had this event before, and hope to make it annual. You can learn more; just call Keith at 888.488.4836. 
This week is BIG in a small way. Small birds, small groups, big fun! The New River Birding and Nature Festival is a unique event that allows our guests to spend quality time with lots of birds and each other. Yep, bird nerds are social creatures in the right environment, and man, do we have fun.
The New River Birding and Nature Festival is in its 15th year. From the beginning, we have used the proceeds to fund educational programing for the Students and Teachers of Fayette County. Our flagship program is Leadership Fayette County. We also put on a week-long middle school academy and close to a dozen other events throughout the year.
We are very proud to be part of such an OSSUM event that gives so very much back to the community.
See you in mid-May. Till then, look at a bird and smile.
We will be.
Splattered Like an Easter Egg Accident
Take a picture of this: your whole family spread out in one big room!
(If this gives you the cold chills, skip to bottom of page.)
The littles will be bouncing from guitar hero with their siblings to jigsaw puzzles with the crazy aunts to reading a book sitting in grandma’s lap to chasing each other outside to raiding the kitchen where grandpa is cooking dinner and back to the beginning at a pace that only the youthful can attain.
Some people have this everyday. For them, I recommend a quiet cabin in the woods, just big enough for two. (And I am jealous)
For the rest of us who crave this type of family time: this is why we designed The Meadows; it’s ideal for a full-family getaway. These memories last a life time.
Is it just me, or is spring break splattered all over the calendar now days? We have dear friends that we would love to go on spring break vacation with (not sure if they want to go with us but…) Anyway, our school calendars never match up. Or, that’s what they tell me anyway. So we happily settle for a quick weekend somewhere in the middle and make the best of it.
What are some of your childhood family get together memories?
We can help you make more.
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