This past month, we have had a change of leadership at Flying Cloud, with Charlie Wyatt resigning his job as director, and Elliott Siegrest Jones (aka Elliott Drinkwater) being hired for the position of Interim Flying Cloud Director.
We appreciate Charlie for all he has given Flying Cloud. He was a patient teacher and a wonderful storyteller and did much to hold and instill the spirit of Flying Cloud to staff and campers. In Charlie’s own words: “. . .becoming the Director of Flying Cloud was an unimaginable gift – the opportunity to devote my full attention to helping others towards becoming their best selves and, in doing so, continue my own journey along that path that I had started walking as a Flying Cloud camper in 2006. Over the past two years . . . we’ve overcome challenges, created beautiful experiences, found unknown strength within ourselves and worked hard to create a place as warm, welcoming and powerful as we knew how. And, of course, we had a lot of fun too!” Thank you, Charlie for sharing your gifts with us!
And, how lucky we are to have Elliott stepping in immediately to fill the job of Interim Director of Flying Cloud. Elliott, a graduate of Warren Wilson College with a degree in Biology, is deeply passionate about the connections between humans and the natural world. He has “spent the better part of ten years either working at Flying Cloud or dreaming about it in the off-season,” having worked at the camp since 2013, serving as the resident baker, a lodge staff, the trips coordinator as well as Assistant Director during the last two summers. Elliott is wonderfully outgoing and is well-known and loved by the Flying Cloud and Farm & Wilderness community.
Elliott is quickly contacting families, hiring staff, and planning for the summer ahead. Although the leadership of the program is changing, Elliott anticipates that this coming summer will hold of much of the same wonder, work, and play that makes Flying Cloud such a special place. Campers and staff can look forward to activities in the woods, carving and other crafts, games in the clearing, delicious meals cooked over a fire and in the clay oven, and of course, the distinct feeling of nightfall gathering to the sound of singing voices. Should you want to reach out with questions or ideas, please email Elliott at elliott@farmandwilderness.org. And, if all of this sounds wonderful to you, or someone you know might be entranced, we still have spaces at Flying Cloud for both summer 2020 sessions.