I think a lot about friends in my job as director of the Valle Crucis Conference Center. We are blessed with so many. I can take little credit for these friendships - though I enjoy them immensely - because many of these people have relationships with the Center that are far longer and deeper than my brief two years as director here.

In this issue of the newsletter you'll read a wonderful article by Ralph Tilden about his longstanding love and friendship with Valle Crucis that began when he was just a boy. Ralph now serves on the Board of Directors here at the Conference Center and continues to be a good friend.

I often receive letters from women, now in their 70's or 80's, who attended boarding school here back in the late 1930's and early 1940's. They all describe it as "the happiest time of my life" and the friends made at the Center as their dearest.

	Pipemaster Sandy Jones

For 22 summers, the Center has had the pleasure of hosting a very special group of friends when Pipemaster Sandy Jones returns to lead four weeks of the North American Academy of Piping. There's also drumming instruction and Scottish fiddling led by Dr. John Turner. Over 275 people, ranging from age 12 to age 77, come to the Center each summer to learn from some of the best bagpiping, drumming, and fiddling instructors in the world. Not only are they delightful people, but they are good friends to the Conference Center. Thanks to their contributions in the past, two rooms in the Inn were completely renovated. Sandy's wife Dorcas initiated a campaign this year and helped us raise funds to add a ceiling fan to every room of the Inn. Not only did they give to the Fan Fund but many gave again in support of the much needed sewer and septic system. Their generosity matches their loving and playful (pun intended) spirit.

The Valle Crucis Conference Center is blessed to have people that have loved this place for decades. It is a special and sacred place to so many. We are blessed to have these friends. They are indeed a treasure.

- Tom Eshelman, Executive Director

• September Quiet Day: Centering Prayer - September 20, 1999 - This day offers guidance for centering prayer and creating quiet spaces with God in our busy lives.
• October Quiet Day: A Day With The Labyrinth - October 11, 1999 - Come learn about the Labyrinth and experience a quiet day of walking prayer and reflection.
• November Quiet Day: Nicodemus: Coming From Darkness Into Light - November 15, 1999 - Come spend the day with Nicodemus, with Jesus, and with fellow seekers.
• Exploring the Sacred Self Through the Art of the Mandala - December 3-5, 1999 - Discover your innate talents for creativity, spirituality, and healing through the art of the Mandala. With Laura Lanier & Dorrie Pratt.
• New Year's Eve Retreat with the Labyrinth - December 31, 1999 thru January 2, 2000 - Join us for a worldwide celebration and gather for prayer, meditation, creative expression, and walking the Labyrinth.

More information on all of these programs may be obtained on our Schedule of Events.

We've teamed up with the Blue Ridge Learning Center to offer a multi-disciplinary outdoor program designed to enhance the classroom curriculum. This new program, MountainQuest, will creatively challenge your class to learn about their environment and think creatively as responsible young adults. Program offerings include environmental education, social studies, language arts, and, of course, adventure! Give us a call or Email Us if you'd like to receive our new MountainQuest brochure.

These Labyrinth walks are free and open to the public. No registration is required. The Labyrinth will be presented in the Apple Barn:

• Saturday, August 21, 10:00-11:30 a.m., facilitators Amory King and Diana White
• Saturday, August 21, 7:00-8:00 p.m., facilitators Tom Eshelman and Jeanne Finan
• Friday, September 24, 8:00-9:00 p.m., facilitators Tom Eshelman and Jeanne Finan

If you are interested in having the Labyrinth come to your community between November and April, please contact Tom Eshelman to inquire about fees and available dates. The Labyrinth is currently scheduled for appearances as follows:

• St. Patricks Episcopal Mission in Mooresville, North Carolina will host the labryinth at The Summit in Brown's Summit, North Carolina on October 26, 1999. Contact the Rev. Gay Silver for details at 704-663-5659.
• Diocese of Western North Carolina Annual Convention, November 11-13, 1999 at the Kanuga Conference Center.
• Church of the Messiah in Murphy, North Carolina, December 8-9, 1999. Contact the Rev. Pat Reuss at 828-837-2021 for details.
• Church of the Incarnation, Highlands, North Carolina, December 11-12, 1999. Contact Jaan Ferree at 828-526-2968 for details.
• St. Phillip's, Brevard, North Carolina, March 18-19, 2000. Contact Peggy Hansen at 828-884-2424 for details.

Our rocking chair t-shirts have been very popular with our guests and now you can personalize your group's visit to the Valle Crucis Conference Center with special t-shirts. A beautiful color picture of the view from our front porch and some of our rocking chairs will be on the front of your t-shirt and the name and date (or other message) of your group visit will be printed on the back. These are 100% cotton pre-shrunk white t-shirts.

We only need 30 days notice prior to your visit in order to have the t-shirts printed with your message and delivered to the Conference Center awaiting your arrival.

Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large sizes are only $9.00 each, XX Large shirts are $11.00 each.

Call us with your order (no minimum number required) and the wording or your message (for example: The Finan Family Reunion, September 19-20, 1999). Payment is by cash or check upon arrival. You will be responsible for all shirts ordered.

The Valle Crucis Conference Center has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Episcopal Foundation of Western North Carolina to assist with the costs of replacing the sewer and septic system. We are delighted to receive this gift and truly appreciate the continued support of the Episcopal Foundation.

Thanks to this grant and grants from both the Janirve Foundation and the Balthis Foundation, as well as contributions from individuals, we have now raised $149,000 for the septic system. Our sincere thanks to all of you who have given.

We persevere to raise the remaining funds needed to complete the installation of this new and much needed system. We still need to raise $93,000, so if you have not given to this special fund, we would truly appreciate your gift. Thank you.

Lacy McCord Hayes has made a gift to the Center of photographs and newsletters from the early days of the Center. She carefully identified all the individuals in the photographs and provided us with some wonderful information about the Center's history.

If you have any photographs or other materials that you would like to donate to our archives, we would be very grateful. Board members Diana White and Ralph Tilden have volunteered to catalog all our photographs and other printed materials. We want to preserve the history of the Center so that it can be enjoyed by many future generations.

• Upright piano;
• Crosses (to hang in individual guest rooms);
• Old photos of the Conference Center / Mission School

Thanks to the work of some industrious Scouts, several improvements have been made on the trail to the waterfall. Eagle Scout Scott McKenzie and

	Eagle Scout Scott McKenzie

Scout Troop 12 from Asheville, North Carolina worked on the trail and added steps and railings to make slippery spots safer for our guests.

Eagle Scout David Koehler (the first Eagle Scout from Troop 160, Holy Cross Church) built four benches for the waterfall trail as his Eagle Scout project. Our guests are already enjoying these spots to sit, rest, and reflect as they hike to the falls.

Her real name is Alicia Donaldson, but everyone knows her as "Esh." When our former Kitchen Manager, Marian Miller, left after five years at the Center to return to school, Esh, who had worked as Assistant Kitchen Manager for almost two years, was promoted to the lead position. With over 18 years of experience in food service, she brings knowledge, experience, and sincere hospitality to her position.

	Alicia 'Esh' Donaldson

When asked about her new position, Esh responds, "I like to cook what people think of as their 'comfort' foods. Even though I like to turn people on to new things, too, my real mission is to nurture people with food - both physically and emotionally. I want our guests here at the Center to look forward to each and every meal."

In her spare hours out of the kitchen, Esh enjoys hiking, gardening, snowboarding, traveling, and reading. She grew up in the Finger Lakes area of New York State. Even though she has attended Appalachian State University, she likes to say she is a graduate of the "School of Hard Knocks." All we know is we are blessed to have such an excellent chef and kitchen manager. She's already making the Kitchen and Dining Room at the Center more welcoming - and more delicious!

There are several new improvements in the dining room that our guests are enthusiastically complimenting. Every morning at breakfast, a toast and bagel bar is now available. This is already quite popular, especially for guests trying to follow a low-fat diet.

We've also added a "Wall of Fire," two shelves of hot sauces from around the country. Guests can choose their "fire" of the day to add a little hot spice to their meal. A recent guest who grew up in Louisiana was especially thrilled as he proclaimed that he eats hot sauce "on everything except ice cream!"

To try to accommodate our younger guests, we now offer peanut butter and jelly at every meal. While it may not be everyone's choice, we've noticed a few of the younger set happily indulging in their old-time PBJ favorite - as one young fellow commented, "Don't leave home without it!"

Ralph Tilden, who now serves on the Board of Directors here at the Conference Center, has contributed a wonderful article about his longstanding love and friendship with Valle Crucis that began when he was just a boy. This article has been added to the Our Heritage section of this website. Please Click Here.

Our special thanks to these individuals and organizations for their generosity in giving to the Center in recent months.

The mission of the Valle Crucis Conference Center is to inspire, by loving example and service, those who break bread with us and share in the quest for spiritual renewal, Christian community, and stewardship of the sacred place.

The Right Reverend Robert H. Johnson
Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina

John Goodrich, President
John Huie, Vice President
Sally Hatch, Treasurer
David Yates, Secretary

The Rev. Ken Asel
Billy DuBose III
Tom Eshelman (ex officio)
The Rev. Randolph Ferebee
Ann Holtz
The Rt. Rev. Robert Johnson
Nina-Jo Moore
The Rev. Scott Oxford (ex officio)
Harper Thayer
Ralph Tilden
Diana White