CANYON COURIER Friends of McCormick s Creek State Park

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1 CANYON COURIER Friends of McCormick s Creek State Park 2017 Number 3 MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Friends of McCormick s Creek State Park is to develop and support projects and events that help preserve, restore, manage and interpret the natural and cultural heritage and recreational opportunities of McCormick s Creek State Park. Canyon Inn Dining Friends of McCormick s Creek recently sat down to chat with Emily O Hair, the Canyon Inn s Food and Beverage Director. Emily has been in the food service industry for over 8 years, graduating from Ivy Tech s culinary school and then working her way up through the ranks of kitchen at the Canyon Inn Restaurant. She has held her current position of Food and Beverage Director for three years. With that title comes the task of planning and organizing the menu, working along side the 13 members of the kitchen crew and overseeing the wait staff that numbers approximately 20. Keeping pace with a year round restaurant that seats over 120 can be a challenge, says Emily. However, with patience and her loyal staff they seat and serve guests with ease three seatings a day. Emily says on average they serve 100 for breakfast, 80 for lunch and approximately 120 for dinner. Emily mentioned that the restaurant is not only a favorite with park campers (continued) President David Gohn dgohn@bluemarble.net Vice President Dennis Goen goend@att.net Secretary Bob Dayhuff Fomcspsecretary@ gmail.com Board Members Treasurer Barbara Filtri treasurer@friendsmccormicks creek.org Park Liaison Sam Arthur sathur@dnr.in.gov Editor Crystal Corpe crystallize6@hotmail.com Contact Us Nature Center: info@friendsmccormickscreek.org Faceboook: Facebook.com/FMCCSP Website:

2 The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Please note that hours change seasonally. Call the inn for up-to-date ~ Friends of McCormick s Creek State Park ~ (Canyon Inn Dining continued) and inn guests but also with locals from the surrounding area. Emily tells us that all guests clamor for seats on the glass-enclosed porch which affords a lovely view of the woods and wildlife. One last question to Emily...what food is the crowd favorite? She didn t hesitate to respond. The Friday night buffet with the BBQ theme is popular as well as their delicious tenderloin. And she said if you haven t tried the peanut butter bacon burger...it s a must! Note from the editor As a child of the 50 s and 60 s, my family was much like many families those days. My parents were raising a growing family in an Indianapolis suburb on a one-parent income. Luxuries for our family were few and far between especially when it came to vacation time. Nonetheless, we found relief in what is now popularly called Staycations. Every few weeks or so, we would pack a picnic basket full of goodies, pull out the swimsuits, extra clothes, and pile into the family station wagon destination one of Indiana s State Parks. My siblings and I would giggle with anticipation of playing Car Bingo, Riddle-Riddley-Riddley Ree, or license plate identification as we made our way to a park within reasonable driving distance. One of our favorite park destinations was McCormick s Creek! Although there wasn t a beach, we found amusement wading in the stream below the falls, sliding through Wolf Cave or hiking to the Fire Tower. We would spend the entire day at the park heading home in the early evening. We would be so exhausted from the day s adventure we would fall asleep as quickly as the wagon wheels began to roll. I m confident my parents found respite from four boisterous and sometimes quarreling children on the drive home. As I matured and began raising a family of my own, trips to McCormick s Creek became fewer and far between (not from lack of want). With two working parents and busy schedules, finding family time away from home seemed much more challenging. Fast forward to last year, after several life-changing events, I found myself not by design but with delight living within five miles of the park I visited in my youth. I now have the time and the opportunity to re-discover McCormick s Creek. The first time I passed the gates of the park, it was like seeing an old friend. I felt overwhelmed with her steadfastness and her loyalty. It s been 50 years since I ve known her, and she hasn t changed much. A few new modern updates but for the most part, she s the same old gal. What has changed is how I see her. Not through youthful, spirited eyes, anticipating a playful day in the park, but through the eyes of shall I say it gently a woman in the final phase of life. I appreciate her natural beauty much more than I did as a child, and I ve found a quiet awareness in the connection between humans, wildlife and Mother Nature. I hope to take you along on my journey of re-discovering McCormick s Creek over the next few editions of the Canyon Courier. For some, it will be familiar, but hopefully you will see the park we love through a new set of eyes.

3 17 th Annual Wild About Wildlife This popular event returned to McCormick s Creek State Park in July. The series kicked off with an informative presentation called Raptors of Hardy Lake, sponsored by the Canyon Inn. Leslie Grow, a naturalist with 18 years experience working with raptors, gave an enlightening look into the lives and habits of Indiana birds of prey. Her feathered crew was on hand to allow us an up-close-and-personal look at these beautiful and sometimes misunderstood creatures. Leslie is in charge of the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Center at Hardy Lake in southern Indiana. The raptor center was established in 1985 and is unique in that it is the only state owned wildlife rehab raptor hospital. The hospital receives between 60 and 100 injured or orphaned raptors each year, 90% due to human related causes. The center is home to 10 permanently injured birds of prey. Five were visiting with us at Canyon Inn that evening. Leslie brought out each one individually and gave the audience their personal history as well as fascinating facts and figures related to their particular species. It is interesting to note that although the State funds the position of the naturalist, food, medicine, and medical equipment are purchased solely through donations and fundraisers sponsored by the Friends of Hardy Lake. Thank you, Leslie, for a truly informative look at our Birds of Prey! Raptors at Hardy Lake are on seasonal display only. Displays are subject to change so please call the park for detailed information.

4 Wild About Wildlife...A shout out to the staff and volunteers of WildCare, Inc.! WildCare continues to be a major part of McCormick s Creek Wild About Wildlife weekend. WildCare was incorporated in the spring of 2001 to not only provide professional care to sick, injured and orphaned wildlife so they may be returned to the wild, but also for educational outreach programs focusing on the value of sharing the planet with our wild neighbors. Members of this friendly and informative nonprofit rescue rehab and release organization were on hand at the nature center early Saturday morning and throughout the day. They brought with them a few of their animal ambassadors so that visitors to the nature center could learn of each animal s story and share in WildCare s mission, passion and philosophy. Yoga In The Park New This Summer! McCormick s Creek hosted its first Yoga In The Park series. The one hour yoga class was held outside on the grounds, under the big tree, at the nature center four Saturdays in July. It was open to campers, inn guests and the local community. Attendance was good for it s first run and Mother Nature co-operated with beautiful weather each week. Many attendees had little to no knowledge of yoga poses and most were pleasantly surprised by the end of the session with the ease of poses they learned and also how calm and relaxed they felt. It was a great way to start their day! Warrior Poses Look for the return of Yoga In The Park next summer! Focusing on the breath and centering

5 TearJerkers stage their round-up at McCormick s Creek Recently the National and International organization of TearJerkers held their round-up at McCormick s Creek. This group of folks are enthusiasts of small teardrop camping. A teardrop trailer, also known as a teardrop camper trailer, is a streamlined, compact, lightweight travel trailer, which gets its name from its teardrop profile. They usually only have sleeping space for two adults and often have a basic kitchen in the rear. Teardrop trailers first became popular in the 1930s, when magazines such as Mechanix Illustrated published plans. The first teardrop designs incorporated standard 4 by 8-foot sheets of plywood with hardwood spars. Teardrop trailers remained popular until the mid-1960s, after which they disappeared from mainstream camping. However, in the late 1990s, plans became available on the Internet and in recent years teardrop trailers have made a resurgence and are again growing in popularity. Todd Brunengraber is known as the founding father of the TearJerkers. Todd established the club in 1997 and since then the membership has grown to over 2,000 with 23 national and intertnational chapters. Oddly, the Indiana chapter lead by Kurt, had it s roots in Illinois but moved it s headquarters to the Hoosier state. They had their first official Indiana round-up in 2011 at McCormick s Creek. Since then, McCormick s Creek has hosted their gathering four times! When asking this diverse group about what they enjoyed most at the park, their comment was the shaded campsites and the friendly, cooperative staff that help make the weekend delighful. Driving through the campground during the weekend gave the curious an eye full of these fun little campers. All makes, models and sizes each decked out with signs, lights and awnings, proudly displaying their owners individual personalities. Saturday night pitch-in dinner

6 Saturday, August 26 was Tamara Loewenthal last installment of her traditional music and dance workshop at the park. It begun with an exciting hour of performance by the string players and the full contingent of the Foot Squad, which welcomed some newbies on their first public outing. After such an inspiring reminder of how fun dancing can be, many of the audience, young and not so young, got up and enjoyed square dancing, under the direction of Tamara. Thanks to the Arts for Learning for making this experience possible, and to the tireless performers, for the good time they provided! Camper Corner Campers and inn guests were asked where they traveled from and what was their favorite activity at the park... Four young men hailing from Kentucky, Clayton, Carmel, and Indianapolis, Indiana try to get together often at McCormick s Creek. They have been friends for years and enjoy hiking and wandering the creek and canyon. A young couple, Ashley and Seth, were visiting for the first time from Birdseye, Indiana. They absolutley loved the camp sites and were excited to try take in a quiet meal at the Canyon Inn that evening. Their dog, Buttercup, was excited too (his first time camping). They plan on a return trip! Jeremy, Rachel, Gretchen, AJ and Joey were cooking a delecious smelling lunch over a campfire. They have been coming to the park for almost three years. Their fave part of the park...wolf Cave! A lively group of campers who traveled from Wanamaker, Indiana were there for an annual family reunion. Some of their family members stay at the inn while others prefer to camp. They love the falls, like to horseback ride and just hang out with the family playing cards at their camp sites.

7 9th Annual BBQ and Blues Blues, Barbeque and a beautiful day were on tap for park guests and locals for the 9th annual BBQ and Blues event held Saturday September 9th at the park. It was evident this is a popular event as we watched folks raising their canopies and carefully placing their folding chairs in prime locations to get the best view of the stage and take advantage of the best acoustics. Smokin Jack s Rib Shack, Winks BBQ and the Canyon Inn Beer and Wine Garden began serving mouthwatering food as the first entertainer, John Ford, took the stage. King Bee and the Stinger were next on the agenda with some spirited blues songs and they were followed by the rousing Jack Whittle Band at 3pm. Adding fun to the event was a classic car show. Car buffs were invited to peruse the cars on display and vote their favorite choice at the FOMCC booth. Crowd numbers remained steady throughout the day however, numbers swelled before the headliners, Chris Canas Band, were staged to play. This renowned Blues band hailing from Ann Arbor Michigan, were traveling from their last performance in Illinois, entertaining at McCormick s Creek, and then heading to a noted Lansing Michigan Blues Festival. This mother and son headlining band got many folks on their feet clapping and dancing to the bands selection of cover and original songs. The highlight of their closing song was when Chris climbed from the stage...walking and playing among blues fans. It was delightful to see the youngsters following him like the pied piper of music. As momma Canas called the children... Our Blues Babies! Thanks to our sponsors: Friends of McCormick s Creek, Indiana Arts Commission, Canyon Inn, Smokin Jack s Rib Shack, Wink s BBQ and The Saddle Barn at McCormick s Creek for another exciting year of BBQ and Blues.

8 Events ~ Happenings Archaeology Day As part of the Indiana Archaeology Month, the park s nature center was turned into a museum of artifacts and geological wonders with displays from the White River Valley Archaeological Association. Hands-on activities were presented in the program room as well as outside the nature center. It was a fun, educational day for the whole family. Natural Dye Workshop September 16th Kate Ellis presented a workshop on Natural Dye. Kate demonstrated how easy it is to make colorful dyes from common flowers and plants that grow naturally in the area and your own backyard. 9th Annual 5K Run/Walk & 10K Trail Run On Sunday, September 24, at 2:00pm, the firing of a starter pistol marked the beginning of the eighth annual YMCA/Friends of McCormick s Creek Trail Run/Walk. Twenty-five determined athletes completed the rigorous 10K course while thirty-four ran and twenty walked the 5K route. Runners and walkers of various ages and experience levels attended from across the state. This event was hosted by FOMCC and the Owen County Family YMCA. Proceeds help support family programming and events at McCormick s Creek State Park as well as the YMCA scholarships for low-income families. Congratulations to the winners! Workshop: Let's Make a Cranky for McCormick's Creek State Park Thursday, October 5, :00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday, October 6, :00 PM - 5:00 PM Saturday, October 7, :00 PM - 5:00 PM Sunday, October 8, :00 PM - 5:00 PM Fall-o-Ween Festival, McCormick's Creek State Park at the Nature Center For complete details and information on other events please visit our facebook page and website Pumpkin Carving, Costume Contest, Haunted Trail, Movie thriller, Campsite Decorating & Trick or Treat and much more!! Friday, October 27, :00 PM - 8:30 PM Saturday, October 28, :00 AM - 10:00 PM Friends Gathering November 4th This is an annual gathering of all the Friends Groups throughout our Indiana State Parks. This year McCormick s Creek was selected to host the event. FOMCC Holiday Dinner Friends of McCormick s Creek Holiday Dinner is just around the corner. Please look for your invitation in the mail containing all the details! First Day Hike Monday, January 1 is our First Day Hike! Adults and children participate in this New Year Day Hike. Meet at the Canyon Inn at 2pm for the start of the hike. Enter the Winter Magic photo contest. Enjoy snacks, hot chocolate and cider provided by the Inn.

9 Updates ~ Meetings Centennial Cabin Progress is being made on the building of the Centennial Cabin! The foundation is prepared and the wood has been delivered and being stained at this moment. We are hoping for completion by the end of this year! Fire Tower At time of newsletter publication, the fire tower fund is at $66, Thanks to your support and generous donations we are getting very close to our goal! Work will begin on the road and trees this fall and tower renovations are scheduled for next spring. FOMCC Meeting Notes Friends Meeting highlights July July s meeting presentation was given by Emerson Lawrence, Interpretative Naturalist, on the subject of water filtration and purification. A short business meeting followed. August FOMCC hosted their annual summer Pool Party and picnic!! Members and family gathered at the Pool (especially reserved for members) for an hour of swimming and splashing, and then moved to the Red Bud shelter for a huge pitch-in dinner. Due to the special occasion, the business meeting was postponed until September. September Guest speaker and lecture on Bluebirds scheduled for the evening was postponed until the October meeting. The Treasurer gave her report on current funding. General topics for discussion included: The recent BBQ and Blues event Requests for volunteers for the Apple Butter Fest and the Walk/Run The upcoming annual Fall-o-Ween General Meetings Please join us on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Nature Center 6pm for our monthly meeting. Enjoy a pot-luck style dinner, snacks and fellowship. Monthly special guest speaker or activities are planned. We hope to see you there! Board Meetings Board meetings are open to all members. These meetings are held at the Canyon Inn, in the lobby, at 6pm every 1st Thursday of the month.

10 CANYON COURIER Friends of McCormick s Creek State Park P.0. Box 483, Spencer, IN We re GOING GREEN If you would like to receive this newsletter via in full-color, please infor@friendsmccormickscreek.org In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks ~ John Muir Come To Your Worst Nightmare Fall-O-Ween Festival October (volunteers needed contact The Snake Lady)