This unique and moving award was presented at the opening of Reunion 2007. Appropriately, there is no specific name engraved on it,
because it properly belongs to all the former campers who "keep the flame burning".

I proudly share it with hundreds of good friends and acquaintances who have contributed so much through the years of remembering those magic times and places.

Thank you all!
Bob Lilley

Reunion 2007 – July 15 - Reflections

We’re back on Blue Creek!

A lot of stuff has changed as time has passed.

How could they do that? How could they change such a special place? Well, we changed it – we moved other people’s stuff around when we built the camps. The extensive history of this valley is a most interesting study. Oil booms, logging booms, railroads long and short – all a very long time ago. And still the valley serves resource-hungry customers.

Time passes, and stuff happens. Like the much-changed Cliffside, the Creek is a magic spot to us, consecrated by our growing-up, but it doesn't really "belong" to us. As with Cliffside, eventually new owners will make their changes. Maybe they will come to realize that those places are indeed looked-after, and the memories cared for, by the happy and mischievous spirit we left behind.

Speaking of such mischief, Kristiin Glancy deserves special thanks for her time and effort and expense to help us remember our time here – I can’t help but think there’s a logger or gas dude thinking – “Aw, man; we spent good money burying all that stuff…now it’s dug up again.”

Thanks to Rails to Trails for their interest. I think this may be our best opportunity to give something permanent back to the Creek – in return for all those shining moments. I can only promise my best effort, but it’s our collective support of our new friends that will help to preserve “our” valley.

Thanks, Randy Rice, Barb Hicks Neddo and Dave Gardner for competent and cheerful contributions to Reunion 2007!

But it works best because you come to the Creek and enjoy the weekends.  Thank you for your kind words and for your loyalty and interest. When you view the pictures on the web, you’ll see that in the place of honor is the cherished “Sword in the Stone” award from Friday night’s presentation. It’s proudly dedicated to every camp alumnus.

We know that time on the Creek helped us to become what we are and what we'll be -- what our children are and what they'll be -- what we remember and what we impart. We know that’s a good legacy for a little piece of a West Virginia valley.

It is harder and harder to leave.

Good Job Carbide.   We’ll be back.  We’ll all be back.