The Blue Ridge Parkway: Connection to Lake Junaluska Transformation of The Terrace 2016 A LOOK AT THE YEAR AHEAD 2 DISCOVER MAGAZINE · 2016 « Table of Contents IN THIS ISSUE DISCOVER LAKE JUNALUSKA THE OUTDOORS ISSUE In this issue of Discover Magazine, learn about the outdoor places and spaces that make Lake Junaluska a fun and beautiful destination for your next vacation, retreat or conference. 4 Letter 5 STAFF PROFILE Ryan Surrett Employee shares his love for clogging 12 6 TOP 10 Go Outside The best outdoor activities 9 DONOR FEATURE Joanna Paysour Giving back to Lake Junaluska 10 ‘No Better Location’ Planning a conference at Lake Junaluska 21 PHOTO ESSAY 33 Lodging Options 12 Blue Ridge Parkway In Bloom Where to stay at Lake Junaluska A rich history intertwines A photographic tour of our gardens with Lake Junaluska 34 CALENDAR 26 Youth Adventures 2016 Events 16 Girls on the Green Why youth come back to Looking to the year ahead Young women learn golf Lake Junaluska year after year 42 Special Events 17 Grand Tour 27 Green Thumbs & Packages Getting to know the Lake Meet the landscaping team Great escapes at incredible prices Junaluska Singers 30 Transformation 43 Remembered 19 Dream Wedding of The Terrace In history: Eleanor Roosevelt Perfect spot for a special day A look at our 2015 renovations visits Lake Junaluska VISIT LAKE JUNALUSKA Lake Junaluska is a conference and retreat center in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Lake Junaluska first opened its doors in 1913 as part of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. We welcome corporate and nonprofit groups, families, weddings, reunions, leisure guests and church groups of all denominations. We also host concerts and ministry events throughout the year. To plan your Lake Junaluska getaway, visit lakejunaluska.com. lakejunaluska.com 3 Welcome » Discover LAKE JUNALUSKA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JACK EWING EDITORIAL Editor MARY BATES Graphic Designer SUSANNAH BRINKLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susanna Barbee, Mary Bates, Sunny Cook, DISCOVER Stephanie Drum, Amy Walker, Rachel Watkins CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Mary Bates, Esther Blakely, Beth Brown Photography, Beth Buchanan, LAKE Stephanie Drum, Ken Howle, Robert Ludlow, Steven McBride, Marie Metcalf, Tita Parham, Sposa Bella Photography, Amy Walker, JUNALUSKA Woody White, Madalyn Yates Photography ON THE COVER fishing pole is cast over the side of an Sunset at Lake Junaluska. Photo by Robert Ludlow. aluminum boat as morning mist rises off the water. Two swans glide across HAVE AN IDEA FOR DISCOVER MAGAZINE? the lake and touch beaks. A couple We welcome story contributions and feedback. A Contact the editor at [email protected]. says vows against the backdrop of blue mountains under the shadow of the Lake Junaluska Cross. After a night of worship, a youth group discovers the thrill of a whitewater excursion on the Pigeon River. Lake Junaluska is a gateway to the best outdoors The mission of Lake Junaluska is to be a place of that Western North Carolina has to offer. The lake Christian hospitality where lives are transformed itself has 16 gardens, four miles of walking trails, through renewal of soul, mind and body. a golf course, boat rentals and dozens of areas for meditation. Not far from the lake you’ll find Lake Junaluska is owned by the United Methodist Church. whitewater rafting, skiing and easy access to two of the most-visited national parks in the country. MAILING ADDRESS: PHYSICAL ADDRESS: PO Box 67 91 N. Lakeshore Dr. This issue ofDiscover Magazine is dedicated to Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 outdoor spaces— both at Lake Junaluska and in PHONE 800-222-4930 the surrounding area. There’s a list of the top 10 outdoor activities for your next trip. A story about FOLLOW US the lake’s connection to the Blue Ridge Parkway. An inside look at the landscaping team who grow facebook facebook.com/lakejunaluska all the lake’s plants in an on-campus greenhouse. twitter @lake_junaluska And a photo essay on Lake Junaluska’s hidden instagram @lakejunaluska gems—the gardens. pinterest @lakejunaluska Whether you visit for a vacation, a conference or email [email protected] company retreat, we invite you to explore the link lakejunaluska.com outdoor spaces and Discover Lake Junaluska. • PHOTO BY WOODY WHITE 4 DISCOVER MAGAZINE · 2016 © 2016 Lake Junaluska. « Staff Feature CLOGGING & TWIRLING EMPLOYEE RYAN SURRETT SHARES PASSION FOR CLOGGING hen guests wave at Ryan Surrett as he drives a laundry van along Lakeshore Drive, they would never guess that he is a highly-skilled, award-winning clogger. During the day, Surrett is a member of theW Lake Junaluska staff, but in the afternoons and on week- ends, Surrett ties on his clogging shoes and entertains fans across the Southeast. Among his many accolades, Surrett was named grand cham- pion at America’s Clogging Hall of Fame annual World Championships. This is just one of many first-place titles. In fact, he’s become somewhat of a local celebrity. Folks love seeing him clog at festivals, fairs and local venues. We sat down with Surrett, 27, to learn more about his life as a clogger. When did you start clogging? I’ve been clogging since I was 4 or 5, a long time. My entire family clogs. It’s just something I’ve been doing my whole life. Even my grandparents clogged. They clogged at the Grand Ol’ Opry, and my grandma is in America’s Clogging Hall of Fame. Ryan Surrett performs Do you clog by yourself or with a group? on the stage of Stuart Auditorium. Surrett, who works in the laundry department at Lake Junaluska, is a world champion clogger. Both, but I mostly clog with the group where we alternate partners. Right now, I’m with Southern Mountain Fire, but I’ve clogged with a lot of groups. Some of the other ones Are clogging groups competitive with one another? were Smokey Mountain Stompers, Blue Ridge High Step- pers and Carolina Country Cloggers. Well, when we’re on the floor competing we are, but oth- er than that, we’re all good friends. We have something in Where have you performed? common. I have a lot of friends from other groups like the Dixie Darlins’. All over the place. North Carolina, South Carolina, Ten- nessee. We clog at all the fairs and festivals in Waynesville, Why do you think you’ve continued clogging for so long? Canton, Asheville and other places around here. We per- form at the Mountain State Fair, the Haywood County Fair I like clogging like someone else might like playing a sport and the Stompin’ Ground in Maggie Valley. I love perform- or lifting weights. I think clogging is really fun. I’ve met ing for people. a lot of people and have gotten to do a lot of great things because of clogging. How often do you compete? What has clogging meant to you? Cloggers don’t compete as much as they used to. Competi- tions were really big in the 1980s and 1990s. I have competed a I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t clogging. It’s a way of PHOTO BY KEN HOWLE lot, though, and have won first place every time but once. life. It means everything to me. • lakejunaluska.com 5 Get Outside TOP 10 ACTIVITIES AT AND AROUND LAKE JUNALUSKA With mountain peaks dropping into blue waters and our unique location between two of the most popular national parks in the country, Lake Junaluska is your gateway to the best outdoor activities in the North Carolina mountains. Check out these 10 most popular outdoor activities in and around Lake Junaluska, and plan your getaway today. 6 DISCOVER MAGAZINE · 2016 « Top 10 CATALOOCHEE ELK 1 45 minutes from Lake Junaluska Thousands of elk once roamed the mountainous region along the North Caroli- na-Tennessee border, where mountain peaks rise between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in elevation. They were hunted to extinction in the mid-1800s, but re-introduced in 2001 as one of the National Park Service’s most successful conservation efforts. Drive 45 minutes from the Welcome Center to see these magnificent creatures and you’ll feel like you’ve entered another realm. The best spot for viewing the elk is the Cataloochee Valley, once home to the largest settlement in the Smoky Mountains. Now part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cataloochee Valley’s historic buildings still stand among the elk. There are also several hiking trails and historic buildings open to the public. An information sheet is available at the Welcome Center. BIRD WATCHING 3 At Lake Junaluska Lake Junaluska is a haven for birds, making it a bird watcher’s paradise. BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY Ruddy ducks, buffleheads, mergansers 4 Closest entrance, 16 minutes and grebes are plentiful, with from Lake Junaluska occasional sightings of Bonaparte’s WATERFALLS gull, common goldeneye, scaup and Skimming along the ridgelines, the 2 18 minutes to 1 hour many more. Winter residents include Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the best from Lake Junaluska brown creeper, pine siskin, winter wren ways to see gorgeous mountain views and fox sparrow. and access popular hikes. Some of the Discover the romance of a mountain most beautiful destinations around waterfall. Several of the best North The best views are near the pool, the Lake Junaluska include Waterrock Carolina waterfalls are easily accessible parking lot near the Memorial Chapel, Knob, Richland-Balsam Peak, Hay- from Lake Junaluska, including the cross at Inspiration Point, a pull- wood-Jackson overlook and trail, and Graveyard Fields, Sliding Rock, Moore off across the dam Mount Pisgah. Or don’t choose a des- Cove, Looking Glass and Mingo where North Lakeshore tination at all; simply turn off the radio, Falls.