As you have probably seen if you follow Eagle’s Nest on Facebook or Instagram, plans for the new Staff Housing and Office Building have been approved, and construction is on track to begin this fall. We’ve very excited about this new building that will provide year round office spaces for the OA Director, Admissions staff and Deans and will also provide housing, a lounge and kitchen for OA Residents during the school year, and for Camp Administrators in the summer. The new two-story building will be nestled in the woods near the Traditional Arts buildings (Wayah and Cheoah) and will be seamlessly integrated into the landscape. As we work on plans for the building we will incorporate sustainable systems including lights with timers and sensors, storm water management, harvesting White Pine lumber from campus for the interior design, high-efficiency windows and more.

We are also excited that when working on construction plans for the new building we were able to include up-dates to the jet hanger below Cabin 7 Field. As some of you may know, in the late 1940s Eagle’s Nest was gifted with an F-100 jet that staff members could use on their limited time off during the summer. Legend has it that in the 1980s when Noni and Cissy Byrd were Junior Counselors it was also used to take the entire JC group on an overnight trip to the Yukon, but there is very little proof to back up this story). Over the years, and particularly during Snowmageddon in the winter of 2010, the hatch to open the secret doors of the hanger have sustained damage making it difficult to operate without waking Cabin 7 boys. In recent years Paige and other counselors have had to resort to serenading Cabins 6 and 7 to mask the noise of the squeaky doors so that counselor can still use the jet. On one occasion the doors actually got stuck half way open and Kyle was forced to set up tarps to control “erosion” to keep campers from learning the truth.

In addition to repairing the hanger and building a tunnel that will go to it from the new Housing and Office Building, we would also like to consider adding a few additional elements that will be attractive to staff. This is where we need your help. Eagle’s Nest is calling all alums to send us your ideas and sketches. Do you think that the building should include a zip line that leads from the deck of the new building to the lake or a hot tub for Hante staff to use after 14-days on the Appalachian Trail? What about a crow’s nest built on top that could include a telescope for viewing the Perseids Meteor shower each August? Start dreaming and send your ideas to Paige at paige@enf.org by the end of April. We hope to break ground in August when camp ends. Maybe one of your ideas will be included in the new building.

Footnote:
For more accurate information about the actual plans for the real Housing and Offices Building and to make a donation to help support it, click here.