Friday

• 3 PM: Gates Open

• 5:30 PM: Dinner

• 7 PM: Welcome Keynote Address:

  • Kay Ripplemeyer, History of the Shawnee National Forest.

• 8:30 PM: Music and Storytelling with Carter and Connelley

Saturday

• 7 AM: Early Birds Hike

• 8 AM: Breakfast

• 9 AM: Morning Circle

• 11 AM: Panel Discussion

• 12:30 PM: Lunch and Break out Tables

• 2 PM: Panel Discussion

• 3:30 PM: Workshops and Breakout Sessions

• 4:45 PM: Group Activities

• 6 PM: Dinner

• 7 PM: Keynote by Will C. De Man

• 9 PM: Music and Frivolity with The Hornworms Marching Band

Sunday

• 7 AM: Early Birds Forest Bathing

• 8:30 AM: Breakfast

• 9:30 AM: Field Trip Logistics

• 10:00 AM: Field Trips with sack lunch

• 5:30 PM: Dinner

• 7:00 PM: Live Auction

• 9:00 PM: Evening Campfire

Monday

• 8:30 AM: Breakfast

• 10 AM: Memorial Circle

• 12 PM: Closing

Overview

Keynote Speakers

Kay Rippelmeyer

Drawing on more than thirty years of meticulous research, Kay Rippelmeyer traces the geological processes that led to the breathtaking scenery of Southern Illinois, and details the human history of the area from the Great Depression and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the Shawnee National Forest. Her hundreds of black-and-white photographs illustrate life in CCC camps and bring the history of the area to life.

Giant City State Park and the Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps in Southern Illinois, 1933-1942

Will C. De Man

Will is a social studies teacher from Michigan who moonlights as an American conservation historian. He graduated from Calvin University with degrees in history, education, and classics, degrees he employs to teach ancient history to 7th graders and research the history of the national parks.

A Short History of the National Parks