I emailed Jack Neely at the Metropulse on Monday. This is the reply I got today
(Friday).

Katie

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Jack Neely <neely@...>
Sent: Nov 25, 2005 11:05 AM
To: Katie King <krdk@...>
Subject: Re: ET in danger of losing valuable resource

Katie:

That's interesting, and troubling, to hear. I have a personal history
with Montvale, myself, in the '60s, as almost everybody did. However,
neither one of my kids ever went there, and went to various other
camps, but never mentioned anyone going to Montvale. I'm assuming
it's not as popular as it used to be. If the Y's getting out of the
camp business in this area, that's their business, I guess, but I'd
sure hate to see the place redeveloped as a subdivision or something.
It has a deeper history than people realize; there was actually a
pretty famous hotel there before the Civil War.

Barry's out sick until at least next week, but we'll look into it.

Thanks for writing.

Jack Neely


>Dear Barry and Jack,
>
>Please allow me to add my voice to that of Elinor Benami whose
>summary I've included below. The Board of the Knoxville Metro YMCA
>voted last week to cease operations at YMCA Camp Montvale. In
>addition, they are said to be entertaining a bid to puchase the
>property for $4,000,000, though this was denied in the Maryville
>Times on November 11.
>(http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/223156) As a
>Montvale alum from the late 1970s/early 1980s, I am disappointed and
>saddened by this decision for several of reasons; the loss of my
>favorite childhood place, the loss of the history and historical
>context of the Montvale Springs Hotel, and the lack of vision of the
>YMCA board of directors to name a few. I am not alone in this, and
>several alumni of the camp are furiously emailing and phoning each
>other to come up with a strategy to forstall what we fear is
>inevitable. Right now my highest hope is that we can negotiate some
>time to try to come up with viable alternatives to selling. Our
>efforts to advocate for keeping Montvale are in the early stages.
>At least, if there are no options available, we will have a big
>reunion say goodbye properly.
>
>Over the 58 or so years of camping at Montvale thousands of campers
>and staff have come through gates that date from the last hotel and
>learned to love the Montvale experience. I was there nine
>consecutive summers. Some of my friends from that time boast 15+
>years. I have a student now who was hoping 2006 would be year
>number eight. From the staff my last summer there, there are three
>marriages going strong. Two of those three couples chose to hold
>their weddings at Montvale. It just gets in your blood.
>
>I've been told by people close to the situation that the new
>facility that the Y desperately wants to build in Farragut will cost
>about $4,000,000 - exactly the amount of the purchase offer on
>Montvale. There is some question also what the market value of @450
>acres of prime real estate in the foothills of the Smokies is really
>worth. For such a large parcel in a popular area, $4,000,000 may be
>low. Additionally, the willingness to consider an offer to sell
>comes after 5+ years of investing in Montvale facilities. The
>dining hall has been rennovated and several buidings built; new
>cabins, a new barn, a new director's house, a new house for the
>caretaker and a new pavillion at the top of the steps which remain
>from the last hotel which burned in 1933.
>
>Please consider writing a piece on Montvale or the YMCA. It is a
>great piece of regional history and a great place for kids to spend
>a summer.
>
>Thank you for your time.
>
>Katie King
>560-0504 work
>540-4216 home
>384-8412 cell
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Purposes of article:
>- to make the community aware of YMCA's decision [Montvale has been
>a home–away-
>from-home for many people and their children from all over the region]
>- to encourage more people to write to the YMCA Board of Directors
>and show them the
>impact of the place (while remaining positive -- understanding that
>it was a difficult
>decision, but one of importance to many in the community)
>- to prevent the camp from being shut down and/or to propose ways
>that it can return to
>being a viable economic entity
>- to gather the attention of alumni and contributors, and to tap
>into the resources and
>generosity of many neighbors, volunteers, and contributors who value
>the Montvale
>experience.
>--------
>The news of Camp Montvale closing its doors came as a shock to me.
>Nestled in the
>foothills of Blount County, Camp Montvale has provided opportunities
>for children and
>staff to grow as people and citizens for over fifty-five years. On
>November 18th, the East
>Tennessee Board of Directors for the YMCA voted to shut down Camp Montvale in
>response to several years of economic difficulties.
>
>For many, Montvale has been a refuge from hectic urban lives with
>acres of natural beauty
>and tranquility. For others, Montvale is the source of an enormous
>wealth of memories,
>evenings underneath the Smoky Mountain skies, the experience of
>living among peers
>away from home and family, games of Capture-the-Flag on the main
>campus, and the
>lasting friendships made along the way.
>
>There are remaining historic structures and boundaries
>of the main campus and trees planted by one of
> the last owners, and amature arborist. He asked that guests bring
>or send specimin trees from their home region. Some of these trees
>were imported from as far as Japan and are among the earliest of
>their species to be found in the US. Some are still quite rare in
>the US. Many at camp still boast their original identification
>plaques.
>
>Historical landmark: Before being sold to the YMCA, the Montvale
>property was home to
>three Montvale hotels. During its life as a hotel and wellness area
>[Montvale springs-
>claimed to have curative properties] , the area was a source for
>inspiration and recreation
>for people from around the region, including poet and author Sidney Lanier.
>
>As late as the summer of 1990, folks from Blount County drove in
>with empty jars and jugs to get water from Montvale Spring. They
>believe (as did the Victorians) in its medicinal properties.
>
>
>
>
>Montvale has invested in the future by providing a safe environment
>for those on the
>property, away from cars and urban life. Montvale builds character
>(value honor camper
>traits)
>
>-investment in the lives of children and families
> -functions as a retreat during non-summer season
> -Indian Princesses (father/daughter bonding weekend)
> -Indian Guides (father/son bonding weekend)
> -Family Retreats/ Church Retreats/ School Activities/ Company
>
>-Montvale is a place where kids can be kids
> -rare chance to get away from urban life (no cars,
>pedestrian-friendly environment;
>kids can ride bikes, horses, walk, etc )
> -has a long Cherokee heritage [double check this], a lesson in
>Tennessee's history
>
>- Provides enjoyable forms of exercise for kids (running, biking,
>swimming, canoeing,
>kayaking, rock climbing, land sports, etc) in an area whose
>citizens' waistlines have
>continued to increase
>
>- Budget issues: It would be difficult for anyone to solve a problem
>when they do not even
>know that one exists. Now that we/the community are/is aware of the
>problem, can we
>begin to address it. [Yes, this is an economic problem. The
>surrounding community has
>been perhaps unaware of this previously.]
>
>-Question: Why did they decide to do this now? They have invested in
>several new facilities
>in the past seven years (new boys cabins, new girls cabins,
>renovated dining hall, seven
>gables, riding ring, barn, bouldering wall, etc). Furthermore, why
>did they decide to do this
>without asking others in the area for assistance first? Why did they
>not openly say that the
>camp had financial problems and is looking for proposals or…??
>
>-People keep building up our mountains, making the Smoky Mountains
>truly smoky with
>pollution (recent article in Newsweek from Knoxville citizen
>addresses this—LOOK UP
>article!) Montvale is in danger of being made into subdivisions and
>cookie-cutter houses,
>We must prevent this.
>
>-Notable alumni? [access alumni list from website, maybe?]
>
>-International gathering point
> -campers from Japan, China, Switzerland, all over US
> -in recent years counselors from Germany, Russia, Sweden,
>Australia, South Africa,
> Hungary, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Great Britain, Colombia, etc.
> -UT program (occasionally they take their internationals up to
>Montvale to see the
>Smokies)
> - enrich lives: chance for campers and counselors to meet
>people from all over the
> region and world, all in the foothills of Tennessee!
>
>- Chance for parents to see their kids happy (and for parents to
>have their own mini-
>vacation while campers are away). Why do some campers resolve to
>stay all summer? Why
>do some come back, year after year (after ten years, even)? Some
>staff members have
>come back for many years, some internationals returning for even
>five plus years
>
>-Montvale springs, historical place
> -Three hotels/resorts (all burned down before eventually sold to YMCA
by
> relatives of Ludwig Pflanze)
> -Poet Sidney Lanier/Lanier Lake
> -Springs said to have healing properties
>
>-Epilepsy week for children with epilepsy-chance to meet others and
>feel at ease (first
>time last summer)
>
>-National guard trains there one day out of every summer, too
>

Katie King
865-560-0504 v
865-560-0314 f