Camp Winding Gap
General Information
 Our
Philosophy
|
Religious
Life
|
Directions
to Camp
|
| Health
& Safety
|
Background
|
The
Directors & The Camp Family
|
| Location
and Weather
|
Campers
& Staff
|
Home
Page
|
Directions to
Camp (New for 2007- please read!)
| From
Asheville, NC |
From
Atlanta, GA |
From
Charlotte, NC |
Top
From
Asheville, NC
(1.5 hours)-
Take I-26 to Asheville Airport Exit.
Follow signs to Brevard (approximately 25 miles). Intersect NC 64 (at
entrance
to Pisgah National Park).
Take NC 64 from Brevard 15 miles to NC 281 North.
Turn right and follow 281 past large lake on left, fire station on
right,
then post office on right.
Take next left onto Slick Fisher Road (at church in fork in road).
Take Slick Fisher Road to end (3.5 miles)- very winding- don't lose
hope!
Dead ends onto dirt road- NC 281 again. Turn left and follow dirt road
1/8 mile.
After you turn left on the gravel,
once you pass the fish farm on your
immediate left, continue up the new road and take the first left. Do
not continue way up the mountain on the new road! Go left down
past
our mailboxes and then past the green house on right.
Continue into camp and around to the Lodge.
Top
From Atlanta,
GA (3.5
hours)-
Take I-85 North (approximately 80 miles) to the SC Welcome Center Exit.
Follow signs to and turn left onto SC 11.
Follow SC 11 (30 miles) to SC 130.
Turn left onto and follow SC 130 (20 miles) to NC 64 (once you cross
state
line SC 130 becomes NC 281).
Turn right onto NC 64 and follow until NC 281 splits left off NC 64
(2.5
miles).
Turn left onto NC 281 and follow it past large lake on left, fire
station
on right, then post office on right.
Take next left onto Slick Fisher Road (at church in fork in road).
Take Slick Fisher Road to end (3.5 miles)- very winding- don't lose
hope!
Dead ends onto dirt road- NC 281 again. Turn left and follow dirt road
1/8 mile.
After you turn left on the gravel,
once you pass the fish farm on your
immediate left, continue up the new road and take the first left. Do
not continue way up the mountain on the new road! Go left down
past
our mailboxes and then past the green house on right.
Continue into camp and around to the Lodge.
Top
From
Charlotte, NC
(3.5 hours)-
Take 85 South out of Charlotte to Spartanburg.
Take I-26 North to Hendersonville NC (toward Asheville NC).
Take I-26 to Hendersonville Exit.
Follow signs to Brevard (approximately 25 miles). Intersect NC 64 (at
entrance
to Pisgah National Park).
Take NC 64 from Brevard 15 miles to NC 281 North.
Turn right and follow 281 past large lake on left, fire station on
right,
then post office on right.
Take next left onto Slick Fisher Road (at church in fork in road).
Take Slick Fisher Road to end (3.5 miles)- very winding- don't lose
hope!
Dead ends onto dirt road- NC 281 again. Turn left and follow dirt road
1/8 mile.
After you turn left on the gravel,
once you pass the fish farm on your
immediate left, continue up the new road and take the first left. Do
not continue way up the mountain on the new road! Go left down
past
our mailboxes and then past the green house on right.
Continue into camp and around to the Lodge.
Top
Background
& Philosophy
Background:
Camp Winding Gap began 29 years ago as a Shepherd family venture. It is
owned by Marge and G. O. (Shep) Shepherd and their six children. Every
one of the children assisted building the facilities which are located
on an old homestead farm purchased by the family over 40 years
ago. The camp is also
family
operated: The Director is Ann Hertzberg. Ann and her husband
Dennis,
the Co-Camp Director, operate the camp year-round.
The family has grown to include
eight grandchildren who also have become extensively involved as
campers
and camp guides. All of the six Shepherd children grew up going to
camps;
there is a part of each of these camps in Camp Winding Gap. As
generations
progressed, the family felt there were fewer and fewer opportunities
for
children to enjoy a wholesome atmosphere and created a camp that was
small
enough to provide a comfortable family atmosphere, yet could also
provide
a large variety of quality programs. Camp Winding Gap believes that the
greatest opportunity to help today's children is to provide them with a
healthy peer group. This is why they insist on high standards of
behavior
and why they go to such lengths to provide staff who serve as role
models.
The camp provides a safe and comfortable environment where it's "okay
to
be yourself." Many older campers take the young ones by the hand and
help
them learn.
Top
Our Philosophy
Our healthy family atmosphere has provided help to many campers
at a time of their greatest need. The continuing list of 'success'
stories
has provided the impetus to keep us in this very fulfilling work.
Campers have the opportunity to experience a variety of activities
such as hiking, camping overnight with a horse, or learning to care for
animals through hands-on experience.Keeping our enrollment limited
allows
us to offer many programs and activities other camps cannot.
We also feel our greatest opportunity to help today's children is to
provide them with a healthy peer group. This is why we insist on high
standards
of behavior and why we go to such lengths to provide staff who serve as
role models.
We provide a safe and comfortable environment where it's okay to be
yourself. We see many older campers take the young ones by the hand and
help them learn. Many of them say they "wouldn't dare get caught doing
this a home or school."
Top
Religious
Life
Camp Winding Gap is nondenominational. On Sundays we get up half an
hour
later and put on our Sunday uniforms (Camp Winding Gap T-shirts and
blue
pants or shorts). The Sunday morning Service offers campers a chance to
reflect on the world around them. They prepare skits by cabin groups on
themes such as Friendship and Cooperation and present them to the rest
of the camp. The campers gather in a large circle on a scenic hilltop
to
perform their skits and sing songs that reflect an appreciation for the
nature surrounding them. These services are specifically nonsectarian.
Top
Health
& Safety
The camp staff is trained in Red Cross First Aid and CPR (both adult
and child). The hospital is located in Brevard, about 20 miles from the
camp. Local fire and rescue squads are located less than 10 minutes
away.
Our entire staff is health and safety minded. We have daily cabin
inspections,
a very clean and sanitary kitchen, and a qualified staff who encourage
campers to bring down their laundry at least twice per week. We have
always
held an "A" rating with the North Carolina Health Department, who check
not only the kitchen facilities, but also the grounds and cabins.
Complete
and current health forms are required by all campers and staff prior to
participation.
Camp Winding Gap goes the extra mile to ensure your child is in a safe
environement while in our care. All camp equipment and facilities are
regularly
checked and maintained for safe use. Low staff:camp ratios are
maintained
in all program areas that may present risks. A comprehensive risk
management
plan is implemented and available for parents review. All staff are
thoroughly
trained and qualified in every aspect of their employment.
Top
The
Directors and the Camp Family
| The
Directors |
The
Family |
THE DIRECTORS
The Camp Directors are Ann Shepherd Hertzberg and her
husband,
Dennis. The family has grown to include eight
grandchildren who also have become extensively involved as campers and
camp counselors.
Marge Shepherd has been involved with children and camping for many
years.
First as a camper and then as a counselor for a large Camp Fire Girls
Camp
serving the greater Boston area, and later as a waterfront counselor at
a sailing camp on Cape Cod. She taught riding and managed the western
riding
programs for YMCA and Girl Scout camps in North Carolina. In addition,
she managed her own riding stables for 12 years. As the mother of six
children,
all of whom have been active campers, she has incorporated into the
camp
program those activities which she has found to be the most value to
the
children's growth during the critical years of their development.
Her husband Shep is retired after 33 years at E.I. DuPont establishing
many environmental programs. He contributes from his business
background
and safety perspective. He helps around the camp with the boys and
girls
on various special projects such as photography, hay rides, and
building
projects. Marge and Shep live year round at the camp.
Ann has been with the camp for 26 years. She is a Pack & Trail
Instructor
as well as the Camp Director. She oversees the scheduling and
implementation
of the camp program and trains the staff during orientation. In
addition
she is responsible for hiring the camp staff and the camp promotion
throughout
the year. Ann spent several years as an Airborne Medic in the Army and
directs the Camp Health Program.
Dennis has been with the camp for 23 years. He is the Director of the
Waterfront
and also trains and oversees staff in the Archery and Riflery Programs.
He is a certified Canoeing Instructor, and also holds teaching
certifications
with the NRA. Dennis oversees and participates in many of the
out-of-camp
Canoeing and Hiking Trips during the camp season. He also takes care of
all the camp animals and maintenance in the off-season and holds a
degree
in Elementary Education fromWestern Carolina University. Dennis and Ann
live at the camp year-round with their daughters, Julie and Stacy.
Top
THE FAMILY
The owners of Camp Winding Gap, Marge & Shep, have six children
that
are all involved with Camp Winding Gap:
G.O.Shepherd III, the eldest son passed away during the
summer
of 2005. Shep lived nearby the camp at "Wildwood",
the camp's property where we spend many camp outings and
overnights,
his son, Kelsey, who lives in Florida, spent several years as a camper.
Scott
Shepherd lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia, with his wife Betsy and
their
daughters Katy and Diana. Betsy has often spent part of her summer
teaching
Arts & Crafts as well as many other programs at the camp. Katy
&
Diana have both been campers at Camp Winding Gap for the past several
years,
Katy joined the camp staff as a Counselor for two summers. Katy was
married to Daniel Countiss in the fall of 2004 in Atlanta GA. Beth
Shepherd
Hines lives in Chicago with her husband John Hines. Her daughter,
Sara
Boatwright, and her son, Jody Boatwright, both spent many summers as
campers;
John's daughter, Amy Hines joined the camp as a camper three summers
ago. Don
Shepherd lives at the camp and throughout the year assists with
maintenance. Ann
Shepherd Hertzberg is the Camp Director and lives at the camp year
round with her husband, Dennis, and their two daughters Julie and
Stacy.
Both girls spent many years as Winding Gap campers and three years ago
joined the staff as Counselors. Matthew Shepherd and his wife,
Carolyn,
live in Atlanta and were married here at the camp in the fall of 1999.
They welcomed their first baby girl, Saige, in December 2002 and their
second daughter, Dorian in September 2004, and their twin boys in the
spring of 2006.
Top
Location
and Weather
Camp Winding Gap is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains
about
53 southwest of Asheville, NC. The camp property is surrounded on three
sides by two National Forests: Pisgah and Nantahala. Miles of hiking
and
horseback riding trails are right outside our door. Many of our trails
lead to secluded camping sites complete with waterfalls and waterfall
slides.
Summertime weather is cool in the evenings and warm to hot during the
day.
Campers cool off with an afternoon Free Swim or creekstomp down a
nearby
stream. Even on the hottest days, the cabins stay cool under the trees.
Top
Campers
& Staff
OUR CAMPERS
Our campers come from all over the United States as well as other
countries.
No matter where they come from, our campers always form a cohesive
family
group while they are with us. While at camp they learn from each other
in a healthy, happy environment. The majority of our campers return
each
year, and this high rate of return shows that Camp Winding Gap is a
special
place indeed! Some campers have been with us for more then 5 years,
several
more than 10!
OUR STAFF
Our staff comes from not only the United States, but from many other
countries. Over the years we have had staff from Sweden, England,
Germany,
Northern Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, France,
Poland,
and many others! This adds an international cohesiveness found nowhere
else. All of our staff work well with and enjoy children; many already
have, or are planning a career in teaching or other areas involving
children.
Staff certifications include Red Cross First Aid/CPR, WSI, CAA (Camp
Archery Association), NRA, and many others.
Camp Winding Gap staff live in the cabins with the campers. All
staff
are thoroughly trained in emergency procedures for in-camp programs and
out-of-camp trips. All high-risk activities such as swimming,
riflery and archery are taught by qualified staff, and the camper:staff
ratios are kept low.