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Copyright © 2006 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee | April / May 2006 |
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| Campers to be first to use Grace Point ‘tree house’ dorm
By Alice Clayton
The tree house has two wings, and each has a covered deck at its end. Each wing accommodates a counselor and 10 campers and has shower and restroom facilities. Every built-in bunk bed has its own window that opens. The tree house was sited and built with its environmental impact as a primary consideration. Early in the history of Grace Point, Chattanooga architect Bill Wilkerson suggested to the Rev. Bo Lewis that the center might seek to qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED provides a building rating system that awards points for environmentally friendly building practices in the areas of sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. “LEED gave us the chance to do basically a check-off of what was environmentally friendly and how we could include that in our building process,” former board member Ginny Tolbert said recently in an interview. As head of the board’s master plan committee, Tolbert oversaw the building of the tree house, and although she rotated off the board this year, she has agreed to continue in that role for any future tree houses. Locating the first dormitory to minimize the environmental impact was primary with the board even before they learned of the LEED program. “We moved the tree house on the site chosen to where we could leave as many trees as possible. We cut only what we had to cut to get the tree house in,” Tolbert said. “One of the things clear from the beginning was the fact we didn’t want to disturb the hillside,” Lewis said. This was also in keeping with the intent and drawings of Kent Cooper, an architect from Washington, D.C., who consulted with the board in the project’s initial stages. Guided by the LEED point system, the contractor used rapidly renewable materials such as bamboo flooring, materials that were manufactured and shipped within a radius of 500 miles and materials that emitted low amounts of toxic fumes. The design called for low-volume shower heads and toilets and low-energy lights, and it takes advantage of natural heating and cooling in the placement of windows and doors for good air flow throughout the building, Lewis said. Waste material management was important to the project as well. Scrap wood was gathered and burned in camp bonfires and the Retreat House fireplace. Two truckloads of scrap wood were made into surveyor stakes by participants in programs of the Michael Dunn Center in Roane County, a nonprofit organization that provides employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. More scrap wood was given away for small building projects, which reduced the amount of refuse for disposal to “a pile four feet high and 10 feet long,” Lewis said. “We did a really good job of recycling.” Tolbert said the contractor saved some plywood to make forms for the second tree house. Its construction should begin soon, and the process will incorporate lessons learned from the building of the first tree house, she said. Another facet of the center’s environmental stewardship involves following suggestions of four University of Tennessee forestry students, who recently visited Grace Point and evaluated its forest recreation and wildlife management practices. For example, Lewis said, “they have given us some suggestions for locating trails that will be much more interesting than the trails are now … mapping them so they will follow a much gentler contour,” and also adding a trail down by the lake. He said the students were excited by the health of the Grace Point forest and its potential recreational value. Oak, hickory, poplar and beech trees are scattered across the Grace Point woodland and provide plentiful food for wildlife. As part of their project, the students will identify and label trees along one trail to show the variety of trees on the property, he said. Lewis long ago had contacted the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to inquire about how to make the land more attractive to wildlife. TWRA provided advice and funds for curtailing erosion on some of the trails and helped remove invasive plant species that were choking out the native grasses, Lewis said. “This was done to enhance the environment for quail and other birds. We’ve also built lots of birdhouses, including wood duck houses,” he said. The positive impact is clear, because the property now boasts “a pond full of wood ducks,” Lewis added. Programming that emphasizes stewardship of the earth is one more way the board has addressed the mission they have defined for the diocesan camp and retreat center. “Campers have built hundreds of bluebird houses – some to leave here and some to take home,” he said. Nearly every session of summer camp has involved campers in their surroundings through nature lore activities, he said. “As far back as I can remember, the board wanted Grace Point to exhibit good environmental stewardship – to be good caregivers of such a wonderful place, and so we could encourage children and adults to then carry it home and put it to work in their own vineyards,” Tolbert said. Grace Point on the Web: etdiocese.net/gracepoint/index.php Board redefines its mission
By Sharon Rasmussen
In the past two years, the board has developed a defined rotation of members: four members rotate off every three years. At the 2006 diocesan convention, members rotated off who had served since the diocese purchased the property in May 2001 – including the longtime chairman, the Rev. Hugh Jones. At the retreat, board members honored the work of their predecessors, but they noted that the tasks facing them will be of a different nature, with different demands. Members showed they are willing and eager to make the “serious commitment of time and accountability” that retreat leader Liz Workman, who serves on the School of Theology faculty at Sewanee, noted would be essential in this “adolescent” time of life for both the board and Grace Point. “I think you’re dead on with where we are as a board,” said the Rev. Bo Lewis, camp vicar, in the second day’s morning session. “What we’ve done until now is react to what’s been handed to us. The previous board has done extremely well, but now we need to be more intentional.” While some of Workman’s comments seemed startling, such as: “Human systems are heliotropic – they grow toward the light,” and “I’d like to suggest that you make no decisions by voting; it takes longer, but you don’t have regrets that way” – several board members said she brought a breath of fresh air to the meeting. In a series of exercises, she assisted the group in defining its “identity, unity and mission.” They affirmed the value of relationships in working as a team, where trust and respect are essential. They agreed that a team is more creative and productive than individuals and that a team works best “when everyone contributes to pursue common goals.” They recognized that the “synergisms tied to Grace Point programs can benefit all diocesan mission.” They envisioned how the board will be structured, and they named committees with specific responsibilities under the overall umbrellas of programming, planning and finances. Each member signed up to serve on two committees, and the board will invite individuals throughout the diocese to assist committees as necessary. They agreed to attend monthly meetings over the coming year and set 3 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month as the time they will gather. Many of the committees planned to meet immediately prior to the board’s next meeting. Members agreed they should review the state of the master plan at the May meeting so that they may agree on the vision for the property and identify steps toward meeting development goals. Norma “Butch” Mills agreed to serve as the board’s chair for the next six months, convening meetings. If she must be absent, Jerry Askew will serve as vice-chair. Workman urged the board to rotate responsibility for reports to Bishop and Council among all the members by sending a different pair of board members to each B and C meeting. Bishop Charles vonRosenberg; Mary Berl, diocesan administrator; and Sharon Rasmussen, diocesan communication director, participated in the annual retreat. Board member John Woody and ex officio members Don Sproles, Alex Haralson and Alice Clayton were unable to attend. Board members, their parishes and the year their terms expire are: • Mr. Jerry Askew, St. John Cathedral (2007) Grace Point on the Web: etdiocese.net/gracepoint/index.php My extended family is looking for a place to have a reunion ...
Its location is easily accessible from Interstate 40: It’s less than an hour from Knoxville and about an hour and a half from Chattanooga. The property overlooking Watts Bar Lake near Kingston, Tenn., has 270 acres of woods, hills and fields and nearly two miles of shoreline — plenty of space for activities including boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, camping, picnicking, games, sports, reflection, meditation and worship. Kayaks and canoes are available by reservation. Hiking trails not only connect facilities but also traverse open fields, the lakeside and ridgetop. Benches along the way encourage pauses for rest and meditation, and more trails are being developed. The mission of Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center is “to be a Christian environment in which children and adults are renewed and transformed by encountering God in a beautiful place set apart, as well as through relationships that foster spiritual growth and a sense of responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation.” Discover this jewel of the diocese! For information about facilities, visit the Web at etdiocese.net/gracepoint/ or contact the Rev. Bo Lewis, vicar, at bojanrun@aol.com or 865-567-1159. For information on fees or availability, call Rosemary Davenport at 865-966-2110 or send an e-mail to her at rdavenport@etdiocese.net. 2006 summer camp schedule Session 1: June 3-June 9, Rising 10th- through 12th-graders and those just graduated Session 2: June 13-June 19, Rising 8th- & 9th-graders Session 3: June 26-July 2, Rising 6th- & 7th-graders Session 4: July 6-July 12, Rising 4th- & 5th-graders Session 5: July 14-July 16, Rising 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-graders with a parent Session 6: July 21-July 23, “Camp Grown-up” (adults) |
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The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg, Bishop 814 Episcopal School Way Phone: 865.966.2110 Web Editor: editor@etdiocese.net |
This year’s summer campers will be the first to experience the new “tree house” dormitory tucked beneath the oaks and pines at Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center near Kingston.
At its annual retreat March 31 - April 1, Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center’s Board of Managers applauded the past but directed its attention squarely toward the future.
Grace Point, the Camp and Retreat Center of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, serves a variety of groups: diocesan, parish, family, business, hobby, nonprofit and others. One can see by the reservations on the previous page how varied are its uses.