Chattanooga Teen Retreat, January 2017
A group Hemophilia of Georgia (HoG) staff, volunteers, and teenagers arrived in Chattanooga, Tennessee for a holiday weekend spent learning about bleeding disorders, enjoying the sights, and serving others. Upon arrival in Chattanooga, the group enjoyed a ride on the famous Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. Known as “America’s Most Amazing Mile,” the trolley-style cars climb straight up (a 72.7% grade) to the top of Lookout Mountain. Some of us worked on overcoming our fear of heights during this adventure. As we rode up, we enjoyed the panoramic scenes of the area surrounding Chattanooga. We unloaded at the top station and took in the breathtaking views from the top observation deck.
We rode the Incline Rail back down the mountain and were treated to ice cream at Clumpie’s Ice Cream Company. They are famous for creating unique flavors of ice cream. The group favorite was “Firecracker” which is tutti-fruity ice cream with pop rocks sprinkled on top. After our treat, we loaded back up on the bus to visit the spectacular Ruby Falls. It is almost a one mile hike to Ruby Falls. We were thoroughly entertained by the rock formations along the way. There was one that looked like steak and eggs. Another looked like the tail end of a donkey.
We were tired after all these adventures, so we headed to camp for the night. Upon arrival at Camp Lookout we settled in our cabins, then met up for dinner. We were in for a treat. It was taco night, which in camp world means churros for dessert! After dinner, we enjoyed time around a camp fire, played hilarious camp fire games, then enjoyed hot cocoa and free time playing board games and a hotly contested card game of war.
On Sunday, Deniece Chevannes, HoG’s Director of Health Promotion and Evaluation, facilitated a relay race of educational games that included some physical and mental challenges. The teens were divided into groups, and the staff and volunteers facilitated the games. One game required teens to work as a team to figure out the path through a maze. Another game challenged them to figure out logic puzzles. There was a game called "genetic scramble" where the teens learned about the genetics behind hemophilia. Another game got everyone up and moving utilizing the SpinFit Frisbee. The person who caught the Frisbee had to spin the wheel on the Frisbee and do the exercise shown on it.
On Sunday afternoon, we boarded the bus to visit the Tennessee Aquarium. We enjoyed dinner while watching the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Green Bay Packers at one of the local eateries. After dinner, we went to Escape Experience Chattanooga. We were divided into groups and each group participated in a different experience. We had to work as a team to figure out clues, solve puzzles and escape before the one hour time clock ran out. Mass hilarity ensued for the next hour. The teams worked well together.
Monday, as participants in the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service, our teens created care packages for homeless teens. HoG teens created cards to go in each care package. It is sometimes hard to gauge if teens are excited about something, but there was not a single eye roll, or sigh or any outward sign of unwillingness to do this project. I think I can safely say they enjoyed it. The instructions were to imagine themselves in the shoes of the person who would be receiving this care package and create a card that they would want to receive. I frequently brag on our teens and the amazing, caring, thoughtful individuals they are. I can truly say, after reading the cards they created, I've never been prouder of each of them. The creativity in their designs and the sweet sentiments of their words made me swell with pride. This was a wonderful way to wrap up a fun-filled weekend in Chattanooga.
