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This was the first retreat for some of our youth. They were so excited and loved Camp Glisson! Thank you for a wonderful, spiritual place...
- Kellie - Level Creek UMC
Alumni Spotlight
Because Glisson has been around for 85 years, several generations of people have enjoyed transformative experiences at Glisson summer camp and retreats. Thousands of summer campers, summer staff, retreat participants and retreat leaders have experienced God's presence at Glisson.
On this page, we hope to share some of the Glisson memories that our alumni carry with them to this day. These are their own memories, written in their own words.
If you are a former Glisson summer camper, staff member or retreat participant with special Glisson memories, please share them with us. Send them to Phil Dodson (phil.dodson@glisson.org).
Leslie Buice Carson
| Leslie, who lives in Brentwood, Tennessee, pictured with her son Will - a Glisson camper during summer 2010. |
“Lean on me when you’re not strong. I’ll be your friend; I’ll help you carry on…”
In 1972, Bill Withers had a hit with Lean On Me. Also, for one sweet week in July of 1972, I slept in the cabins up on the hill at Camp Glisson. We awoke to Bill Withers’ musical promise every morning drifting up from the dining hall. Of course, I can still sing all the lyrics to that song.
Fast forward to July, 2010. My husband and I arrived at the Friday night celebration to pick up my 12-year-old son after his first experience at Camp Glisson. Imagine the emotion conjured in my throat when I heard Mr. Withers’ familiar refrain pulsing with big choreography from sweaty, enthusiastic kids – 28 years later!
I grew up hearing stories of Camp Glisson. My mom traveled from Buford, Georgia with her youth group to tramp through the creek to Cane Creek Falls in the late 1940’s. It seemed like too much fun to be true. Every summer that I was able to visit was more wonderful than the year before. My son endured all my stories of Camp Glisson through the years, and now he is the 3rd generation in our family to create his own.
The most impactful of all my Glisson encounters was in 1982. My world and heart opened to Sparrowwood that year. I had applied to be a Village counselor, but when I was offered the opportunity to live at Sparrowwood, my response was a perfect “Yes”.
The summer of 1982 has affected every day of my life since. While in the last week of camp that year, I learned that I had been admitted to graduate school for physical therapy. A few years later, as a relatively new graduate, I accepted a job working with adults who have developmental issues. My time at Sparrowwood allowed me to see a path to my calling. For over 25 years I have worked in various settings and in several states, but always with people that have some form of developmental delay.
As I looked through old photos of the 1982 Sparrowwood team, including Susan, Ann, Phyllis, Scott, Teff and Begonia, they are all just as alive in my memory as they were during the days we were a family. Their laughter and voices remain with me. How can it get any better than to work with people whom you want to be your family? I have lost touch with most, but each person is secure in my heart.
Thank you to United Methodists throughout the North Georgia Conference who support the ministries of Camp Glisson - including Sparrowwood. This fine haven of reflection has improved my heart, deepened my soul and provided great friends. I was blessed to experience God’s Spirit moving through people and nature in the beauty of Camp Glisson. We are grateful for the continuation of this amazing ministry!
| Leslie (right) is pictured here with one of her Sparrowwood staff colleagues in 1982 - Susan Schussler Poolos. |
Tim Horne
| Tim Horne (back row, left) was a Glisson summer camper from 1972-1974, a counselor from 1976-1977 and Dining Hall manager 1988-1989. |
I grew up with my mother, siblings and grandparents in a ranch style house in “the ‘burbs” of Decatur. As far as I can remember, Jane Lee (aka “Ma”) always was toting me to Haygood Memorial UMC in Morningside - a huge Methodist suburban church that always had something going on for the youth.
Barry Fleet was the first youth pastor I remember. Barry would sometimes pick me up from football practice after school. Growing up in the 60’s in a single-parent situation was not as fashionable back then. The Lord knew how much guidance was going to be required in my life and he put people like Barry Fleet and Malone Dodson there to make sure I had extremely strong male mentors to emulate.
I was also blessed by being associated with the Ralph Berry Family. The Berrys actually had a cabin located on Lake Hale. I would beg my mother to ask the Berrys whenever they were going to Camp Glisson for a visit.
At the ripe old age of 12, I found out you could actually spend a week there in a cabin with a bunch of other cool kids by attending summer camp. We would meet at Druid Hills UMC and get on a Greyhound bus to Glisson every summer. After my senior year of high school, I spent the summer of ‘76 in a canvas tent at Pioneer Camp. I was both a CIT and Counselor at the same time due to the fact that Uncle Bob was running short on help. My total pay for the 9 weeks at camp was $180.00 and all the bug juice and Dining Hall cuisine I could hold. My fellow Pioneer Camp counselors were Pam & Beth Woodward, Donna, Lisa and Steve Springer. Donna was from LaGrange and Lisa was from Mableton. Steve was our local PK and Pam, being the oldest at 21, was in charge of this motley crew.
During camp we would keep the campers focused on the large amounts of fun and fellowship. It didn’t matter that we only had cold water for showers and had to prepare most of our own meals. We were in God’s pasture and enjoyed the freedoms of being young, full of energy and thankful for the blessing we did have.
Camp Glisson rescued me from a life of living in the ‘burbs - where knowing your neighbors and the insincerity to your fellow automotive operators were just a hand gesture away. Camp Glisson made me slow down and reflect on the truly important things in life: Your Soul, Your Heart and Your Time in His precious world. Several years later, while growing up in the blessed community of Dahlonega , I would meet my soul mate Jill, be blessed with two beautiful daughters Madison & Makenzy, and then purchase a piece of land that overlooks the Glisson property from the north. I have been so blessed with the many rewards of being associated with Camp Glisson.
(Ephesians 3: 20-21) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Stop by sometime if you ever go to Adventure Outpost; we’re in the little ranch home on the hill.
| Front row (l-r): Lee McNeil, Tim Horne, Andy Offutt Irwin Standing: Jim Giesler, Ann Black, Ephraim Davis, Diane Turner, Zip Long, Randy Garrard |
