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| Former CCC members take part in first Appreciation Day April 2, 2007 - Sally Voth
Camp Roosevelt foundation votes to merge with national association November 8, 2006 - Preston Knight
October 31, 2006 - Preston Knight
Youths to mark Conservation Corps contributions March 30, 2006 - Preston Knight
When the former members of the Civilian Conservation Corps are recognized on Friday, they will be looking toward Virginia's youth to honor them most.
Friday will mark the first Civilian Conservation Corps Members Appreciation Day in the state, after approval of a resolution by the Virginia General Assembly last month. The corps was a Depression-era program started by President Franklin Roosevelt on March 31, 1933, which gave millions of men ages 17 to 25 an opportunity to work and preserve American's natural resources, with the first camp, Camp Roosevelt, established in Fort Valley.
In Virginia, members are credited with the construction of Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest recreational system, among other things. "It's important, especially in this day and age, that we're aware of our heritage," said Joan Sharpe, president of the Camp Roosevelt CCC Legacy Foundation, based out of her Edinburg home. "The CCC is an emerging piece of American history. An appreciation day is a good way to elevate awareness of it in the legislative circle."
Sharpe, however, opted against holding a big celebration. For one, it is not known how many former corps members are around, she said, and only 10 live in Shenandoah County. Also, there was not enough time between the resolution's approval and March 31 to put a large event together, she said.
Instead, she distributed educational packets to the three elementary schools in the county, leaving it up to instructors to decide how to recognize the corps.
"We didn't really know how to go about celebrating the day and bringing attention to it in a real, useful, and fruitful way," Sharpe said. "You could have a reception, but somebody will just eat your food and go home. You want long-term value out of what you're doing. We chose an educational approach to do that."
It was a decision that should serve the foundation's cause well, said Holly Rusher, principal at Ashby-Lee Elementary School.
"It adds to (the children's) sense of community, the historical significance of things in their area," she said of education them of the corps at a young age. "It makes them become better citizens by giving them a wider view of the world, or even our area."
Rusher said she handed out material that Sharpe had provided to teachers, and it will be up to them to work the corps' history into lessons - on Friday or later - when it best fits the lesson plans and the Virginia Standards of Learning. In the fourth grade, for example, it could tie into Virginia history, Rusher said, while younger pupils could be taught the importance of citizenship.
Jeremy Raley, Principal at Sandy Hook Elementary, said the same will occur t his school. "The CCC is a part of county culture," he said. "It's a great benefit to educate children on the history of where they live."
Sharpe said the goal would be to reach every school in Virginia, but for now resources are limited to the county to see how they re used. A grant is being pursued that could enable the foundation to upgrade the information packet and put it in the media centers of junior high schools throughout the state, she said.
Virginia despite its rich history in the conservation corps, is behind in recognizing it, Sharpe said. The national organization is recommending all states declare March 31 as an appreciation day by 2008, when the corps will celebrate its 75th anniversary.
Most states, however, have already accomplished that, Sharpe said. In Virginia, the pursuit to maintain older history such as the Civil War, comes ahead of recognizing the corps, she said.
"The CCC is still considered modern history," Sharpe said. "[Virginia] was the first CCC ever. We should be front and center in promoting CCC history. We're way on down the line."
Shenandoah National Park and the Lee District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, however, have a museum and an interpretive display, respectively, planned to honor the corps. A day of appreciation is being viewed as one more positive step.
"It's always nice to have a focal point," said Stephanie Bushong, interpretive specialist for the Lee District's ranger office. "Having a day is have a focal point."
To view the education packet given to schools, visit www.ccclegacy.org/elementary.htm.
Edinburg to get new Forest Service Office - May 26, 2005 - Preston Knight
"This has been a long time coming, Smalls said. I'm pretty happy about it." A new 10,000-square-foot facility will be constructed at the district's equipment depot on Koontz Road, where the service has about 8.4 acres. The current office, which the service has leased for more than 20 years, is on Molineau Road.
Smalls had searched for a home for the new facility for months, targeting about 10 acres. The depot site always had been his safety value.
The new facility there will be able to accommodate 20 employees, Smalls said, and is expected to eventually be accessed by Railroad Avenue. For now, Koontz will be the main entrance. Railroad is much more conducive to public access," Smalls said, "It's a straight shot."
Park of the new office will included an interpretative display of Civilian Conservation Corps memorabilia. Started by Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression, the CCC was designed to give men ages 17 to 25 an opportunity to work and preserver America's natural resources at the same time. The men were responsible for building the parks, fish hatcheries and recreational areas in the forest.
Camp Roosevelt, in Fort Valley, was the first CCC camp. The Camp Roosevelt CCC Legacy Foundation is based in Edinburg. Mayor and Town Manager Dan Harshman expressed encouragement that such a project was taking place in Town.
"CCC Legacy is something that easily can fall through the cracks," he said. "It's almost a project you'd like to bring back. I'm really happy that it's occurring. It should be a great thing."
The display will also included work by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Smalls said a contract to bid on the project will go out next week, with a target date of the end of the summer to line up a contractor. If need be, tat decision can be pushed to as far back as Sept. 30.
Design of the office would follow suit and last until next spring. This time next year, Smalls said groundbreaking could occur. For the forest service and the town, it's believe to be money well spent. It just took a while to spend it.
"It's going to mean more tourist dollars,' Smalls said. "It fits in well with the heritage theme of the town and the historical aspects. You're still within walking distance to town. It will be a good attraction to the area."
March 3, 2005
Fred B. Helsley, 92, of 2567 Wolf Gap Road, Edinburg, died Tuesday at his home. The funeral will be conducted Saturday at 10 a.m. at New Columbia Furnace Church of the Brethren by the Rev. William Fitchett. Burial will be in Columbia Furnace Cemetery.
Mr. Helsley was born September 29, 1912 in Columbia Furnace, son of the late Noah and Bessie George Helsley. He had been with the CCC Camp Roosevelt in Fort Valley and a former fire warden for the U.S. Forest Service. He was a carpenter for Newman's in Woodstock and Wes Poland in Timberville, He owned and operated a barber shop and built furniture. He was a member of Liberty Brethren Church in Quicksburg, charter member of Columbia Furnace Community Club and lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He was the husband of the late Edith Jeanette Kirby Hottle Helsley.
Surviving are four sons, Freddie Helsley and Teddie Helsley, both of Woodstock, Randy Helsley and James R. Hottle Sr., Both of Edinburg; three daughters, Lois Funkhouser of Woodstock, Janice Wisman of Edinburg and Nancy Gioielli of Falls Church: 27 grand children, 41 great-grandchildren and 19 great-great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be grandchildren: Vincent James Gioielli II, Nathan Helsley, Matthew Helsley, Gary Funkhouser, Greg Funkhouser and Carl Lee Wisman Jr.
Members of the Columbia Furnace Community Club and Camp Roosevelt CCC Legacy Foundation will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family will receive friends Friday from 7 to 9 pm at Dellinger Funeral Home in Woodstock. Memorial contributions may be made to Liberty Brethren Church Building Fund c/o Joan Proctor, P.O. Box 483, Mt. Jackson 22842; or Columbia Furnace Church of the Brethren, c/o William D. Doman, 643 E. Washington St., Strasburg 22657.
Forest Service eyeing land for new facility -- Building would house interpretative display of Civilian Conservation Corps memorabilia February 22, 2005 - by Preston Knight Edinburg -- As Jim Smalls walks the turf that may well be is new home, his remarks make it evident that he's dealing with a fallback option. "We fell pretty hard," Smalls said. "I wasn't too excited about this." But Smalls, the district ranger for the Lee District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, is trying to be optimistic that all will go well for a new Forest Service office in Edinburg, The current office, on Molineu Road, is one the service has leased since the early 1980s, Smalls said. An 8.4 acre lot, which serves as the district's equipment depot on Koontz Road, would house a new 10,000 square-foot facility, Smalls said. Access to it would be by Railroad Avenue, requiring that road to be expanded. Because of the access problem, the depot site always was on the back burner for places the Forest Service looked to move. "We were originally looking for about 10 acres and we would get rid of this site," Smalls said. "Landowners either wanted more or they sold their property too quick. Some things just didn't work out. We've been holding on to the money for this. It's time to use it or lose it." Currently, the Forest Service has about $1.9million to use toward the new facility. Smalls said that money must be obligated, not necessarily used, by Sept. 30. The plan for the new facility, though, is more than just a bigger home for the 17 workers -- there's a possibility new jobs will be created, too, as it's also going to be home to an interpretative display of Civilian Conservation Corps memorabilia. The CCC was started by Franklin Roosevelt after the Great Depression to give boys and men ages 17 to 25 an opportunity work, while at the same time preserving American's natural resources said Joan Sharpe, president of the Camp Roosevelt CCC Legacy Foundation, based out of her Edinburg home. The foundation with about 135 members, mostly in Virginia was created in August 2001. More than 4500 CCC camps were opened nationwide from 1933 to 1942, and eventually also in England and Australia, with Camp Roosevelt, in Fort Valley, being the first one. Thus, interpreting what the men did should be done right where it all began, Sharpe said. "This piece of history has been put on the back burner for a long time," she said. "When Virginia is promoting history, you never hear of the CCC." The men who went though the Virginia camps are responsible for building he state parks, fish hatcheries, recreational area in the forest and the early dams in southern Virginia, Sharpe said. Moreover, they were behind the planting of 3 billion trees. In Shenandoah County, they built such places as the Woodstock Tower, and traveled to Pennsylvania to bring deer back for mating, Sharpe said. "This program put these kids to work," she said, adding they were paid $30 a month, $25 of which went to parents. "We don't typically think of how parkways or trees got there. That's why from a local historical and conservation standpoint, we want to remember the men of the CCC." The CCC portion of the new building will be about 4,000 square feet and is sketched to include a 50-seat auditorium, a commemorative wall of granite pavers, a barracks display and a 1942 stake body truck, which was the main transportation of the CCC program. Most of the material on display will have to be created, Smalls, said, and the Forest Service is still seeking items to put out. He added that the display will not be only CCC related, but also will depict the work of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Virginia Department of Forestry. It was decided early on that the display should be in the same building as the new Forest Service office. "There's a history of building different interpretive centers," Smalls said. "They don't always have money to run them. We can't afford two buildings." For now, engineers and land specialist are looking at the land -- a storage area that Smalls calls the "boneyard" -- where the proposed building would be constructed. Nearby landowners will soon be contacted. While the area is not idea, Smalls can find space in his heart to settle for it. "There's tons of room," he said. "The big thing to me is access. If we can get something straight to Stony Creek Boulevard, that would be awesome." September 27, 2001 - Lucy Chumbley
Recalling the Days CCC - Profile Rowand Stanley - September 26, 2001 - Lucy Chumbley
Together again - Alumni of CCC gather for 24th annual reunion September 10, 2001 - Lucy Chumbley
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