Hey, climbers!

It's Michael Gray, online curmudgeon, Franklin routesetter and maintenance man and all-around WV transplant and climbing addict, inviting you all to the First Eagle Rock Climber's Dinner and Fall Foliage Celebration potluck dinner, to be held on Saturday, October 17, 2009, in Eagle Rock Campground, located just 2 miles from Rte 220N in beautiful Smoke Hole Canyon, just 10 miles North of Franklin, WV. Proceeds from the weekend will go to benefit Cindy Bender.

As some of you may or may not know, Cindy has been instrumental in Franklin trailwork and soils reclamation, as well as in the development of several other trail and crag systems in WV. Just over a month ago, Cindy was bitten by a copperhead (twice) during a hike on her birthday. She spent four days in Grant Memorial Hospital, receiving excellent care from their dedicated nursing and ER staff, and proving that it would take more than the venom of the third most poisonous creature on the North American continent to stop her. She is now home; back on the trail and climbing 5.8s about three weeks ahead of the doctors' projected "best-case scenario"....

The cost of her care amounted to over $38,000.

Cindy has MS, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis in both knees. She lives on a fixed income in a modest apartment here in Smoke Hole Canyon, making jewelry and carving walking sticks to supplement her income, which, with side work, amounts to less than $1,200 per month. Between rising gas prices, utility bills, and the cost of her numerous medications to treat the MS and other ailments, she is left with very little in the way of discretionary income to spend on catastophic incidents and bills such as this.

If you can attend the dinner or would like to reserve a site for the night or weekend, please RSVP wvmgray@gmail.com. No fee is required, but any goodwill donations will be greatly appreciated, and every dime will go to paying Cindy's bills. There will be both carnivore and vegetarian fare available, and all contributors will receive a free 1-year membership in the Smoke Hole/Valley Guiding Service CLIMB program, which gives members discounts on future stays at the campground, free firewood during their stays, and access to crags on private land here within the canyon. One such crag is Eagle Rock, located directly across the river from the campground; a privately-owned, 300-foot-tall limestone cliff with a number of moderate, intermediate, and bold trad climbs, as well as an incredible view of the canyon from its summit, which can be reached by trail as well as on rope. On Sunday, we will be heading to the Guide Wall, another bit of private land bolted by the Seneca Rocks guides and friends over a decade ago, with a wealth of sport climbs ranging from 5.8 to 5.12R.

You can call me at 304-358-3330 to reserve your site or confirm for the dinner. You can also email this address, which I log into at least twice a week. For those of you who are unable to attend but would still like to help, you can snailmail donations to:

Cindy Bender
c/o Mike Gray
HC 62, Box 85C
Upper Tract, WV 26866

Even if you can't give a dime- and in all honesty, who can't spare a buck or two for a fellow climber?- please come and join us for an evening of good food and friends in a beautiful setting. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and have a great weekend.

Climb on-

Michael Gray

This event has been moved back a week due to bad weather and conflicting scheduling with other WV climbing events. come join us Saturday, October 24, at 6pm, for the makeup event.