I’m excited to tell you about a new partnership with our long time neighbors at The Greenbrier, an inn, community, resort, and residential properties in nearby White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
The Greenbrier has over a 230 year old history in the area! Talk about putting down roots!
Well, at only almost 100 years old — which seems old to us — Camp Alleghany is just a teenager down there. But just listen to the storied history of the Greenbrier from their website:
In the late 1700s, the sulphur springs were discovered as a medicinal miracle and as word of their healing powers spread, more and more travelers came to the area. These visitors began building a cottage community in the early 1800s and in 1858, The Grand Central Hotel, commonly known as the Old White Hotel, was added to provide additional guest rooms and a dining room. In 1910, the C & O Railway purchased the property, including the cottages and hotel, for $150,000. That same year, construction began on the central portion of today’s Greenbrier. During World War II, the property was sold to the U.S. Army and became known as Ashford General Hospital. After the war, C & O repurchased the property and hired the renowned interior designer Dorothy Draper to completely redecorate The Greenbrier.
And on top of all that, it’s beautiful!
Visiting, seeing, staying
Over the years we’ve visited the Greenbrier several times, but last summer during Family Camp there was a Summit Soiree — a buffet and cocktail party at the top of the mountain at The Summit Lodge on the Greenbrier Sporting Club (GSC) property. Family Campers from Alleghany were invited to attend, as well as take a tour of some of the homes or try out a couple of other GSC amenities.
A few Family Campers attended, along with me, my husband Matt and my cousin Vickie. It was a spectacular evening — so beautiful, and a lot of fun!
And the idea began to grow that it would be wonderful for Camp Alleghany and The Greenbrier to work together in some capacity, to create an informal partnership since both businesses are long term regional stakeholders.
I, of course, loved this idea!
Kiki kicks it off
And it’s Alleghany alumna Katherine “Kiki” Cooper Hoffman who really got the ball rolling.
Kiki, whose mother attended Alleghany, who attended Alleghany herself and was a counselor, and whose daughter now attends Alleghany, definitely loves Camp Alleghany. (And we love her!) Her passion and commitment are so strong that she’s even a Bethesda, Maryland area recruiter who recently had a camp information party for us.
Kiki also works for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty and has a few properties for sale at the Greenbrier Sporting Club. And in one of those cosmic moments it seems, a partner at her firm hosted a party that featured the chefs of the Sporting Club as a way to further introduce TTR Sotheby’s to the Greenbrier.
Well, of course our Kiki would love that — she’s three generation deep into a love for Greenbrier County!
At this party Kiki met Suzanne Horst, the Director of Real Estate at the GSC. They got to talking and Kiki mentioned that many alums still come back to the area for Family Camp or to drop off and pick up campers at term camp and mini camp. There are plenty of non-alum parents who visit the area, too.
Kiki proposed that a relationship between Camp Alleghany and the Greenbrier would make it even sweeter for camp families and alums to stick around, stay at the Greenbrier, and explore the whole area around Greenbrier County.
From there everything just took off!
Offers and opportunities
Here’s what this developing partnership means for you and your camper:
- Special Greenbrier room rates and GSC privileges for current (2013) camper families/parents and for any CAAA members who join or renew for 2013. See prices and additional information here.
- Opportunities to see GSC real estate offerings and, with purchases through Kiki (or mentioning Kiki), a donation made to the Camp Alleghany Alumni Association.
- GSC-run Fly Fishing lessons in the Greenbrier River during Family Camp (and maybe during term camp in Wild World — fingers crossed!)
- This is developing but — hopefully — Horseback Trail Rides at the GSC during term camp as an added camper option. Details to come as it’s worked out.
When you register for Summer 2013 — remember, our early bird registration rate expires at midnight on December 1 — or if you already have registered, you’ll be emailed a special phone number to call to take advantage of the GSC offer. CAAA members will receive that same number when you join or renew in January.
So, with many thanks to Kiki for all she has done to make this possible and with thanks to the GSC for their generosity and warmth, we invite you to explore the opportunities.
I continue to work with Stacy Eskins, the GSC’s Marketing Director, who has been so helpful and open to developing this relationship. It’s really an exciting opportunity for us and for our camp family and we’re thrilled to finally share it with you!
We hope you’ll check out our page about this relationship on the main Camp Alleghany website as well as explore The Greenbrier website and the Greenbrier Sporting Club site.
And of course we’d love for you to take advantage of this offer to spend a little more time in the area, to see its beauty and historic charm as well as enjoy a little luxury during your stay!
See you in the summer and, until then, stay tuned to the blog!
–Elizabeth Dawson Shreckhise, Assistant Director, Camp Alleghany for Girls
