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Academy Boys take Trip of a Lifetime!
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The Beautiful view we have! WOW!
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Day 1: Wednesday, August 13, 2008
We are three hours behind Spartanburg here at The Cliffs - Kispiox River .
We left Charlotte early this morning flying to Chicago and then on to Vancouver. We departed Vancouver in a little puddle jumper plane on our way to Smithers. The flight was beautiful as we flew up the British Columbia coast over the "inside passage" where boats are shielded from the ocean by a string of islands. Almost all of the mountains were covered with snow. Many had small green pools of water laying in very precarious places on the mountain. I wondered how many of them had ever seen a human visitor.
The flight went well, but the time difference started to catch up with us. We landed about dusk here at an airport half the size of Spartanburg's downtown airport. Runway and taxi way were one in the same. The "concourse" was one room with a huge stuffed grizzly bear display. We were met by Gene from The Cliffs. He was incredibly hospitable as we loaded 7 boys, Kyle and I into the 15 passenger van for a two hour derive to the middle of nowhere. But what at spectacular play "nowhere" is!
About 30 minutes into the trip we passed a river where there was an Indian reservation. The Indians were "dipping", using along net to reach down into a choke point in the river and scoop out salmon. Gene said they are allowed to keep the pink and sockeye salmon, but as part of the deal with the government, they have to tag and release the king and coho salmon.
After going over several one lane bridges and driving through the towns of Old Hazelton and Hazelton, we passed the end of the "hydro line". No more power lines and we drove for another 15 miles or so. We pulled in abbout 1 AM Spartanburg time at the lodge,
I know Mr. Anthony is accustomed to building in difficult and remote locations, but this is incredible. We had a warm greeting from the the staff as they greeted us as part of their family. We stayed in the lodge because we arrived so late. The lodge is beautiful and the rooms spacious and very comfortable. After drinking pitchers of water and eating snacks that were prepared, we went downstairs to watch the Olympics in huge room with a pool table, foosball table , fireplace, slatefloors and sunken indoor hottub. I have to say that it was quite odd seeing the focus of the tv broadcasdt on the Canadian men's gymnastic team as opposed to the United States and Michael Phelps.
What is also amazing is that we have electricity from a generator and satellite internet and television access. After a hot shower, we hit the bed. With 9 of us here, I have my own room. The beds are AWESOME.
Day 2: Thursday, August 14, 2008
Joy, Gene's wife, who also works here, told us last night that we could sleep in until 9 AM BC time (12 noon Sptbg time) I woke to Lukie banging on my door and coming in saying "Mr Raney what do we do? It's 9 AM our time!" Lukie's goal for the week is going to be improving his listening skills! I am glad I woke up early to open the blinds out onto the back of the lodge. There sits a river with it's constant rush of water no more than 50 yards (not sure how many meters) away from my door. It is about 60 degress this morning (farenheit that it is). I am excited about what is in store for us today. more.. |
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Back To School Already!
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Yes, it's getting to be that time a year that we start preparing back to school supplies for our boys and the summer isn't even half way over! As you may imagine, with 32 boys, back to school comes with a flury and we look to get ahead of the game by stocking up on supplies!
These are a few things we have on our needs list:
- Backpacks
- Pocket Dictionaries
- #2 Pencils
- 2" Three ring binders
- Colored pencils
- Blue / Black pens
- Highlighters
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Rulers
- 3x5 notecards
- 2 subject spiral notebooks
- Pencil Sharpeners with cover
- Crayons
- Erasers
- Standard notebook paper
- Composition notebooks with pocket dividers
This year we have three in college too!
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2008 Erin Hardwick Award for Excellence
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The South Carolina Association of NonProfit Organizations announced this week that Glenn Springs Academy is the recipient of the 2008 Erin Hardwick Award for Excellence in NonProfit Management for organizations with an annual budget of $500,000 or more.
The Academy was selected as it best met the award criteria and best exemplified excellence in nonprofit management. SCANPO Awards Committee Chair, Reid Lehman said, “Michael (Raney, CEO), it was exciting to see the substantial progress that Glenn Springs Academy has made under your leadership. Congratulations, and I applaud your move to excellence in nonprofit management.
When notified that Glenn Springs Academy was the 2008 recipient, CEO Michael Raney said, “I cannot take the credit by myself, with the help of a very strong board, staff and great kids, we are able to blaze new trails for the Academy and look for new and better ways to be a home where boys can find a childhood.” The Academy is currently changing the look of the campus by building three new Blue Ridge Log Homes and planning for a capital campaign to provide more homelike environments for the boys of Glenn Springs Academy.
Glenn Springs Academy, originally founded as the Spartanburg Boys’ Home, is a private non-profit home and educational facility for abused, neglected, or abandoned boys from across the Upstate of South Carolina. Most of the boys are in the custody of the State of South Carolina as, in many cases, parental rights were terminated due to habitual abuse. The Academy is dedicated to providing a home where boys can find a childhood.
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Bringing Down the House!
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Exciting times here on the Glenn Springs Academy campus as the cabins are almost completed and ready for 16 boys to move in to their new homes. Leadership Spartanburg kicked off a $30,000 fundraising initiative this year to purchase the furniture, decorations, accessories and landscaping for the largest of the three cabins. This summer those contributions are making a difference as furniture and landscaping turned a construction site into a beautiful log home, the boys cannot wait to move in to their new home! To make a contribution and support the Leadership Spartanburg initiative, please visit our special contribution page.
If you would like to tour our new log homes and our campus, please call Kyle Boyles at 864-327-4096.
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Welcome to Glenn Springs Academy
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The Spartanburg Boys Home has a New Name!
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Originally founded as The Spartanburg Boys’ Home, Glenn Springs Academy is a private residential facility for 32 boys ages ten to nineteen located on 48 acres in Glenn Springs, Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
The campus of Glenn Springs Academy is filled with history dating back to the 1700's when the mud was found to have "healing properties" for skin and internal ailments. In addition to the historic Glenn Spring, the campus includes the site of the former Glenn Springs Hotel, a resort built in the late 1800's and the center of social activity for the upstate and State of South Carolina. Once the site of the Governor of South Carolina's summer headquarters and summer destination for hundreds of guests. While the hotel burned in 1941, the hotel's chapel, built in 1908, still remains on the site.
In 2008 Glenn Springs Academy will launch a capital campaign to build a continuum of care for nearly 100 boys on our campus. The continuum of care will include boys from 10 to 21 years of age and ensure a stable home environment and opportunity for a quality education for each and every boy at the Academy. The new campus will feature a new dorm with the architectural integrity of the resort hotel and cabins from Blue Ridge Log Cabins throughout the property nestled into the old growth forrest of Glenn Springs.
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