It’s a bright, clear day as I walk out of The Huckleberry holding a cup of ice cream one afternoon in late May. I hear the leaves rustling in nearby trees and see ripples on the surface of Lake Susan as a light breeze blows past. As I walk by, a pair of summer staff who have just arrived comment on how good the lake looks while, just ahead of me, three young children follow their mother around the lake. They run and laugh, overjoyed that school is out and summer is here at last.
I’m sure that for many of you, the scene described above is a familiar one. And, likely, one that uniquely brings Montreat to mind. Montreat is a place where people come seeking rest, renewal, growth, friendship, faith, recreation, and so much more. It is truly a place set apart and one which people feel drawn to experience. But beyond that, once someone experiences Montreat, their connection to it tends to remain strong throughout the course of their life. Young lovers get engaged here. Pastors receive their call to ministry here. Youth cry here as they lament the conclusion of another youth conference and the idea that it is time to return home. Montreat is full of stories, emotions, and meaning. So, as a member of our marketing team, I am continually asking “how can we collect and share these deep feelings with the rest of the world?”
What I have found is that Montreat is a full mind and body experience. You have to take time to slow down, to engage your senses, to explore new thoughts and ideas, and to connect with those around you. Only then can you truly understand and communicate the complexities of this special place. This summer, we hope our marketing assistant does just that.
Over the next nine weeks, Kayden Foyles, a senior Communication Media, Film Studies, and Arts Entrepreneurship major at North Carolina State University, will spend time shadowing and working with summer staff from other departments with a goal of documenting and sharing their Montreat experience. Kayden will experience for herself the many elements that make up a summer in Montreat before then sharing her experience with the rest of the Montreat community. Kayden’s articles on the Clubs program, conference support staff, The Montreat Store, wilderness rangers, recreation staff, and audio-visual production staff will be shared in This Week in Montreat beginning June 13.
We hope that by spending time with each of these departments and engaging in Montreat’s many activities, Kayden will be able to share just what makes the Montreat experience special to so many people. We also hope that through her writings, you might come to experience Montreat – either through the stories that are shared or because you are inspired to make a visit here yourself. We hope you will join us over the next few weeks as Kayden learns to see and share the vibrant stories of our place set apart.
Celeste Abney-Crowe is a creative services manager at Montreat Conference Center. She lives in Asheville, NC, with her husband Peter. In her free time, she enjoys drawing and painting scenes from life.