“ With my feet on the ground and my heart attuned,
I shall reach for the stars.”
Crestridge 1955-2019
"Camp Crestridge opened for its first session on June 6, 1955. The first meeting was held in a combination dining hall and gymnasium. All of the facilities were not complete, and the staff and campers had to spend the first few nights at Ridgecrest. They also walked back and forth to the Conference Center for meals. The camp was set up based on the model Pickering had established at Camp Ridgecrest for Boys with two five-week sessions. Fifty girls attended the first session and 92 participated in the second session. Susan Harrell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Harrell was the first to enroll."
Ridgecrest: Mountain of Faith by Kenneth McAnear
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Crestridge had grown from that first summer. The current director is Sharon Aylestock. Under Sharon's leadership Camp Crestridge has added two news "tribes" and several additional buildings. Sharon is an Ex-Officio officer of the CCA&F Board and enjoys meeting Crestridge Alumnae from all over the country. Ashley Genoble is the Assistant Director and oversees staff hiring and program planning. If you meet Sharon or Ashley on a recruiting trip they could tell you about the SALT program, Cherokee Wilderness Program, or even about the new dog training skill. To learn more about the history of Camp Crestridge and keep up to date with all that is happening now, please check out:
