Rooms for a Naturalist
We are offering 16 beautifully restored rooms with the ability to sleep 68 individuals in the historic 1924 Konnarock Training School!
The Rally is back!
We are very excited to announce the return of the Naturalist Rally!! After a two year remote hiatus the 48th Annual Mount Rogers Spring Naturalist Rally is back in full force May 6-8! Online ticket purchasing and room reservation is now available.
How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons)
I got my copy of How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) by Barbara Kingsolver in the mail recently and I can't stop picking it up, flipping to a random page, and leaping off the cliff into it’s deep waters. I turn to it when the stress of Covid-19 overwhelms and my head hurts from problem-solving. The book is both an escape and a lesson at the same time.
Seeking Applications for Naturalist/Educator
Blue Ridge Discovery Center is seeking applications for a Naturalist/Educator (N/E) and help connect our regional youth and adults to one of the greatest natural treasures in the east. This is an excellent opportunity to make an impact in our community while building naturalist skills.
BRDC Summer Camp Announcement
We have made the decision to scale back on summer camps due to the ongoing threat of Covid-19. We are canceling all camps for the month of June and are limiting participation for the rest of summer to a level that ensures we can meet safety guidelines. At the core of our decision-making process is first and foremost our ability to provide a safe environment for participants along with staff. Secondly, as a community-funded non-profit, part of our decision-making process is how to best serve our community in a time of great need.
Repping the Hellbender!
We were recently asked to collaborate on a short blurb about hellbenders for a new label from the Tumbling Creek Cidery Company: HELLBENDER - HOPPED HARD CIDER.
Seeking Applications for Facilities Manager
Blue Ridge Discovery Center is seeking applications for a Facilities Manager to help create and maintain one of the most exciting projects in Southwest Virginia. This is an opportunity to fill a vital role in the success of our mission while working at the base of Virginia’s highest mountain and in one of the most stunning landscapes in the East.
Seeking Applications for Naturalist/Educator
Blue Ridge Discovery Center is seeking applications for a Naturalist/Educator (N/E) and help connect our regional youth and adults to one of the greatest natural treasures in the east. This is an excellent opportunity to make an impact in our community while building naturalist skills.
Seeking Applications for Bookkeeper/Administrator
Blue Ridge Discovery Center is seeking applications for a Bookkeeper/Administrator to help build the structural framework for our future. This is an opportunity to fill a vital role in the success of our mission while working at the base of Virginia’s highest mountain and in one of the most stunning landscapes in the East.
The Beginnings of Our First Nature Trail
Through the ingenuity, brute force, and determination of a group of volunteers led by Luke Benish, the beginnings of our first on-site nature trail have been established!
New River Expedition 2018!
Being in the thick of winter we thought it might be a good time to compile the footage from our New River Expedition last summer, when the days were hot, long, and filled with all sorts of fun!
KTS Historic Photos
Recently we were gifted a treasure trove of over 500 historic photos of the old Konnarock Training School by Sheila (Blevins) Brown and the Blevins family. The three albums appear to have been compiled over the lifespan of the school, from 1924-1959, with photographs ranging from the construction of the facility to field trips up Whitetop Mountain to yearbook-style portraits.
A Reunion of the Konnarock Training School Alumni
Blue Ridge Discovery Center and the Konnarock Retreat House hosted the alumni of the Historic Konnarock Training School and their families on July 7th, 2018. Since the 1960's this group has been getting together to share stories and pass down the oral history of the KTS.
Scholarships offered for 2018 Summer Camps
Through the generous support of the Great Outdoor Provisions Company and Mitchel Morton and Johnny Foster of Foster Lake and Pond Management we are able to offer four full scholarships to local youth to our summer camps!
Cottage renovation progress!
The cottage renovation is making quick progress due to the great work by contractor David Hood and generous contributions by both longtime supporters and new donors.
New School Partnerships: Fairview and Baywood
We are excited to announce two new school partnerships this summer with Baywood and Fairview schools in Grayson County. Blue Ridge Discovery Center will be offering "Summer Camps" to each school as part of their summer school programming.
Birds... Neighbors? Tenants? Friends?
Imagine for a moment, if a friend of yours traveled 2,500 miles by his own power with just the clothes on his back, across mountains, seas, rivers, through storms, dodging danger day in and day out, just to come to your doorstep. What kind of reception would you give him when he arrived after such a journey?
Cottage Renovations Underway
Over the past month, Blue Ridge Discovery Center has begun renovations on the cottage adjacent to our center! Our aim is to move our offices out there by the Spring Naturalist Rally in early May and set up shop!
Support from Smyth County
We are excited to receive the recent resolution from the Smyth County Board of Supervisors supporting our mission and application to the Department of Housing and Community Development Industrial Redevelopment Fund grant.
