MTAV Goes Hybrid
During the pandemic, More Than A Vacation events were turned into online events – and we made many new friends by using this format. So now that we’re beginning to do things in person again, we don’t want to lose our friends who can only be with us online.
So, the week before we brought back our on-campus event for the first time since 2019, we had a week of online events – many of which would inform what we did on campus while gathering face-to-face.
David Williams, E&H Class of 1988, did a great discussion online about the science of gambling…then on-campus participants did a tour of the new casino in Bristol led by Jenny Poston Bishop, E&H Class of 1993.
Laken Brooks, E&H Class of 2017, did an online presentation on the healing power of music..then we started MTAV with an outdoor live music concert by WEHC station manager, Ivy Sheppard (and friends!).
Dr. Tal Stanley, E&H Class of 1983, did a presentation on a new history of SWVA endeavor called The Watershed Project…and while on campus in July, participants got to visit the Appalachian Center and meet with Debbie Foster, who is on The Watershed board.
And we heard about creating native habitat from Corey Kanuckle (US Fish and Wildlife Partners Program) and the important work of wasps from the woman who wrote the book on social wasps, Dr. Chris Alice Kratzer…then we took a little field trip to the E&H cemetery to hear about a new native habitat program happening on the hill.
We also took a field trip to the grave site of John Broddy after learning about him from Scrapper Broady, E&H Class of ’70, who had done an online program about him in January 2022.
Additionally, Dr. Charles Goolsby did a quick video to introduce us to the world of collage – and one of our favorite in-person events was a collage class where we could create our own masterpieces.
Other fun events included a trip to the Tumbling Creek Cider farm, a Barter Play, a tour of the Museum of the Middle Appalachians, a visit from The Whiskey Kitchen food truck from Tennessee Hills, and a very memorable presentation by Eugene Wolfe in his one-man show, The Book of Mamaw.
Watch for the 2023 dates and events to be published soon – expect more hybrid opportunities so you can participate from anywhere!
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Our collage projects were each very personal...and a lot of fun! -
Jenny Poston Bishop gave us a personal tour of the new casino in Bristol. -
Former students from the late ’70s and early ’80s had a little reunion with their friend Debbie Foster, who is a member of The Watershed Project. -
Jane Bellamy at the Museum of the Middle Appalachians. -
Neale Foster rang the church bell at Madam Russell United Methodist Church! -
Monica Hoel posing with Eugene Wolfe after his performance in The Book of Mamaw. -
Bob Boester and Ann Sharp Bane posed with Stephen and Jessica Callahan from Tennessee Hills – as they decided to add Tennessee Hills to their wedding reception! -
Sitting on the porch talking is STILL the favorite part of MTAV. -
Alicia Young putting her collage together. -
Alumni getting the history of John Broddy. -
Catie Dinger got a new sweatshirt at MOMA! -
More collage fun! -
Patty Lay and Debbie Foster catching up! -
Touring the casino. -
We kicked things off with live music on the lawn behind our residence hall in The Village.
Open gallery
