august 2018 luray caverns prepares to region one open new ...members.cavern.com › content ›...
TRANSCRIPT
Robert A. Holt PO Box 625, Cobleskill, NY 12043 Executive Director Phone: 518-231-5420 Email: [email protected] cavern.com
August 2018
Luray Caverns Prepares to
Open New Entrance
Luray Caverns will soon realize a decades long goal of eliminating the remaining steps on the 1 ¼ miles tour route in the world-renowned attraction. The only steps leading from the Entrance Lobby into the caverns will be bypassed by excavating a 164-foot tunnel into the hillside adjacent to the Entrance Building. A looping covered walkway will connect the existing building to the new entrance. The exterior appearance of historic Entrance Building will not be altered, and the new entrance and walkway will maintain the cosmetic elements of the existing structure for a consistent outward appearance.
The late H.T.N. (Ted) Graves, longtime Luray Caverns President, began removing steps and improving walkways with brick, concrete and ramps throughout the caverns in 1954 - a process that was completed in 1975. A major component of this undertaking in order to totally finish the effort – the steps into the building - remained elusive due to uncertain methods and cost. “A new entrance with no steps was always a project that our father wanted to see completed,” said current President John Graves.
OFFICERS President: John Graves
Luray Caverns, VA
Ph: 540-743-6551 [email protected]
Vice President: Al Mathis
DeSoto Caverns, AL
Ph: 256-872-6240 [email protected]
Secretary Treasurer: Bob Holt
National Caves Association
Ph: 518-231-5420 [email protected]
Past President: Patty Perlaky
Cave Without A Name, TX
Ph: 830-537-4212 [email protected]
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Region One:
(CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT)
Greg Beckler –Natural Stone Bridge & Caves, NY
[email protected] Ph: 518-494-2283 Region Two:
(MD, VA, WV, KY)
Eric Helton – Diamond Caverns, KY
[email protected] Ph: 270-749-2233
Region Three: (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Claudia Yundt - Squire Boone Caverns, IN
[email protected] Ph: 812-732-4382
Region Four: (AR, IA, KS, MO, NE)
Dennis Boyer - War Eagle Cavern, AR
[email protected] Ph: 479-789-2909
Region Five: (MN, MT, ND, SD, WI)
Tom Hagen - Rushmore Cave, SD
[email protected] Ph: 605-255-4467
Region Six: (CA, ID, NV, OR, WA, AK, HI,
Barbados, Bermuda)
Matt Doyle – Lake Shasta Caverns, CA [email protected] Ph: 800-795-CAVE
Region Seven: (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY)
Steve Beckley – Glenwood Caverns, CO
[email protected] Ph: 970-945-4CAV
Region Eight: (LA, OK, TX) Ed Mayfield – Caverns of Sonora, TX [email protected] Ph: 325-387-3105
Region Nine: (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN)
Lisa McClung – Lost Sea, TN
[email protected] Ph: 423-337-6616
DIRECTOR AT LARGE Denise Bell – Seneca Caverns, OH
[email protected] Ph: 419-483-6711
DIRECTOR EMERITUS Steve Runkle - Cave of the Winds, CO
[email protected] Ph: 719-685-5444
John and Sr. Vice President, Rod Graves over the past several years renewed efforts to achieve their father’s goal. Racey Engineering of Luray and Lantz Construction of Broadway, VA provided a workable plan in March and completion date in fall of 2018 is anticipated. “The addition of the new entrance is a remarkable achievement. This will create a new avenue and ease of entrance to one of the world’s greatest cave,” said Sr. Vice President Rod Graves.
Luray Caverns at that time would be one of the few underground wonders providing tours on all-paved walkways with step free entry making the attraction more accessible to visitors today and into the future.
John and Rod Graves
Cave of the Winds Adds New Features and Updates
Cave of the Winds has opened its new Via Ferrata course as well as our Magic Lantern Virtual Reality ride. Bringing the total of above ground activities to six!
You won’t need nerves of steel for our Via Ferrata, but you will need an adventurous spirit for outdoor climbing fun! Created in the mountains of Europe, the Via Ferrata is a system of cables and ladders that helped World War I soldiers navigate the front line between Austria, Hungary and Italy. You will be connected to our Via Ferrata track cable for an exhilarating climbing activity through spectacular mountain terrain on a 2 hour guided tour under the close supervision of our experienced guides leading you around limestone cliffs and mountain paths high above the canyon floor. The excitement of vertical canyon walls and amazing views will make for a perfect Colorado Adventure! Our course is geared toward the inexperienced climber. Our safety equipment is designed to keep you on course. Each climber will be provided with a specially designed Via Ferrata harness system, helmet and gloves. You must wear sturdy hiking/climbing footwear. The tour is an unforgettable Colorado experience!
In addition just before the
season opened we completed the remodel of our Canyon Rim Grill and added a new Beer Garden and kitchen to our new
Frontier Canyon area, a place to gather with friends, have a cold beer, a snack (really great Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches!) and enjoy the views. This area is where the Via Ferrata and Lantern Tours now leave from. With luck our new zip line experience will be complete before the convention this fall. Grant Carey Cave of the Winds
In Remembrance
Jeanne M. Gurnee Cave Developer, Preservationist, Author,
NCA Honorary Member, and NSS Member On June 17, 2018, Jeanne Marie (Bustanoby) Gurnee passed away at the age of 91 at her home in Tennessee. Born in 1926 in Englewood, NJ, Jeanne was a graduate of Tenafly High School in Tenafly, NJ and the Katharine Gibbs School in New York, NY. In 1951 Jeanne married Russell Gurnee and settled in Closter, NJ. During this
time Jeanne worked for an art studio in Rockefeller Plaza and was an active member of her community, serving on the Board of Zoning Adjustment and as the Environmental Commissioner for the Borough of Closter. Jeanne was a long-time member of the Society of Woman Geographers; she was one of the first female members, and first female president, of the National Speleological Society; and as a member of The Explorers Club she served on the Board of Directors of the Club and was the editor and publisher of The Explorers Club Magazine, The Explorers Journal. Jeanne and Russ had a life-long interest in Speleology, the scientific study and exploration of caves. Together they explored and developed many caves, including Kartchner Caverns in Arizona, Harrison’s Cave in Barbados, Fountain Cave in the British West Indies, and most notably, the Rio Camuy Cave system in Puerto Rico. She was an author of numerous articles and co-author with her husband of Discovery at the Rio Camuy and Gurnee Guide to American Caves. Jeanne is preceded in death by her husband Russell Gurnee (1995) and will be lovingly remembered by her daughters Susan Gurnee and Wendy (Mike) Gustafson, grandchildren Luke (Mackenzie) Gustafson and Hillary (Roy) Adcock and great-grandchildren Miller Gustafson and Michael and Ethan Adcock. A celebration of her life-long involvement with the National Speleological Society will be held at the NSS Convention on August 2, 2018 in Helena Montana at 4:00 PM. Details on a family memorial service to be held in Tennessee this fall will be forthcoming. As a tribute to our friend Jeanne, I would like to share some excerpts “in her own words” from a wonderful interview conducted by our friends Beth Fratesi and Todd Chavez of the University of South Florida, Tampa. Todd is in charge of the Karst Library holdings which includes our Cave Talk issues along with NSS materials. I would like to thank Todd for allowing me to share parts of the interview with you. -Bob Jeanne Gurnee, speleologist, explorer, writer, editor, conservationist, and land-use planner, discusses how she developed her lifelong interest in caving, how she met her husband Russell, and how they began their involvement with the National Speleological Society (NSS) as a professional pair. She gives an in-depth, chronological discussion of her professional involvement with caving groups and organizations, specifically the founding of fifty or more grottos, as well as her cave projects in Puerto Rico, Barbados, and Angola. Jeanne Gurnee speaks of her love of "show caves", their importance, her reception as an ecological lecturer, and her advice to young women beginning careers in the geographical field. She also discusses the topic of journal publication, target readership, and the future for karst environments. Jeanne went to school in New Jersey and later in New York City and New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers University.
When asked about how she got started in caving, she replied “Everybody knows that New Jersey caves have a measurement of a you. And a you is the length of a body. And you’d say, ’The cave is four you’s long.’ So, we didn’t have much in the way of caves in New Jersey. But it just so happened that I was giving a lecture one time and on the same platform was a man from the Academy of Science in Philadelphia. And he mentioned that there was a society— National Speleological Society. And on our wedding trip we had stopped in and looked at some caves going to Mexico. When I got home I said, “Russ, you know there’s a society of people and all they do is go cave exploring?” And he said, “Where do they meet? We met at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. So we went there to a meeting and were welcomed very nicely. And [soon] we went caving, and that was it. We were really very interested, both of us.” They joined the NSS in 1951. Jeanne met Russ in church in the young adult group. “He was the president of the group, a nice six-foot-five man who had [an] absolutely beautiful baritone voice. And I’m very interested in music. And so, it sort of progressed from there.” They were married in 1951. “Marvelous person and wonderful partner. We complemented each other because he was an engineer so that when we developed caves or when we did work, he would do the engineering and was a definite leader in every way. I would follow through with the reporting, the publishing, the written material, logistics, and things of that sort. So, we worked very well together. We had areas that we liked best and that we worked together well on.” After 44 years of marriage, Russ passed in 1995.
“Well, very early on, we were all over the country because in 1962, I believe it was, we wrote the first book, Visiting American Caves. So we went to all of the caves that were open to the public in the United States. We took several trips across the United States and personally saw all of those caves. So today when I’m writing the book and I get a letter from Crystal Cave in Wisconsin, my mind immediately goes underground. I know exactly what that cave looks like. So we did a lot of wild caving in cave country—Tennessee, Virginia, you know, Missouri. All of the big cave states and—(when asked of her favorite) I think my favorite cave is Sonora Caverns in Texas. It is a very beautiful cave. I was, I guess, the sixth person in there exploring. And it was like walking in a china shop because there were even formations coming
up from the ground and we were trying to stay on the little narrow trail, so as not to damage anything. But you still heard this little clinking sound, you know, but it just is like a geode inside, the crystals everywhere.” Jeanne was asked about joining the NSS and her active work from the onset of membership and how she held every job in the Society, serving as President from 1992-1994—“I did Internal Organizations for a while … [and] I was interested in chartering new Grottos. And I established the Internal Organization Newsletter that I wrote and printed on a temperamental machine. [I] sent [a copy] to every Grotto to try and keep a sense of unity among the chapters so that they felt that they were a part of something. That there was some connection to the central—Ah, and I think that’s where we probably can do a little bit more currently. And so, I chartered— I don’t know how many—I think fifty or more Grottos during the time that I was chairman
Russ and Jeanne Gurnee 1980
Jeanne and Harrison Terk at the NCA Missouri Convention 2009
Jack Herschend and Jeanne chat at the 2002 NCA Convention in Red Wing, Minnesota
and I did advertising for the NSS News. You name the department [and] I probably worked in it at one time or another. I was just very interested in a lot of aspects of the NSS. And certainly did not expect to end up having the job I ended with. I shouldn’t say “end with” because I’m still working.”
Jeanne and Russ did exploration and development work in several caves including Kartchner Caverns, Fountain Cave in Anguilla, Harrison’s Cave in Barbados and Rio Cumuy in Puerto Rico. (There is much detail in her interview on these caves and just too lengthy to print here)
On speaking of the NCA—“I believe that the show caves are probably the most beautiful caves in the United States, and if you want people on the surface—the traveling public—to understand the underground world, you want to be able to present [the caves well] and preserve them in the best way you can. I was an environmental commissioner, and I took planning and environmental action and environmental law and all of those things. [Then] I realized that all of those subjects 17 applied to show cave development. I [had] joined the National Caves Association back in the sixties [1960s], I guess.
And I realized that a lot of the owners didn’t understand the nature of caves. They were exhibiting a cave as a commodity. And to me, there was so much more to it. We have the precipitation of mineral-laden waters that come through and so on, where in some cases there were asphalt parking lots, for instance, over the caves [that prevented the penetration of water in the cave]. They said, “All of a sudden, our cave died.” And I said, “Well, it died because it’s not getting any food.” (laughs) I started a series of talks every year to the National Caves Association on the environmental side of caves [emphasizing] that being a good custodian to the environment is good business.
Because it keeps your cave in peak condition and will attract customers––or as we call them, visitors––in the show cave industry. (laughs) It just developed then, that there was no book of all the caves that are open to the public. And Russell said, “That sounds like fun, traveling around the United States and seeing all these caves.” I don’t have the metamorphosis of all the books, but we started out in the sixties [1960s] with Visiting American Caves and then Gurnee Guide to American Caves, and now I’m calling this one Gurnee Guide to American Show Caves. They used to call them commercial caves—and in Europe they objected to that very strongly, particularly back in the communist days. They said, ‘We are not operating this cave for
commercial gain!’ ‘We will not call it a commercial cave.” So we tried to settle on a name that would be translated well in many languages, and so they said, “You could call it show caves.’ And so—vote after vote [was taken until] they finally came to that. When we came back to the United States, we said that ‘show caves’ had been adopted. Then the U.S. cave owners [agreed] except for a couple of holdouts who still said, ‘I have a commercial cave!’—but most have used the term
Jeanne M. Gurnee was bestowed Honorary Member of the NCA in 2015.
Jeanne and her Bermuda friend Henry David Warrington Laing share a moment at the 2003 NCA Convention in Redding, California
Russ and Jeanne are pictured with NCA friends at the 1988 Cave of the Winds, Colorado, Convention
‘show caves.’ And that’s even federal, state, and county caves. They still are exhibition caves—whether or not they’re operated for gain.” When asked how were you received when you first began your talks to try to spread the word about the ecological aspects of show caves? Jeanne replied “Well—(laughs) I don’t know. We had so many friends in the National Caves Association. It wasn’t that we were saying, ‘Look! You’re not doing things right.’ and I would never do that with anyone, anyway. But [instead we would say], ‘Here’s a way we can enlarge our effectiveness in the industry—how we can make it better.’ It was just really a lack of consciousness of it. I know we did a study in Curacao. Russ said, ‘Maybe if we just sprayed water up above [the cave] we could reactivate the cave.’ And I’d never thought of that! We never did it, but we were always thinking of ways … to preserve, augment, and help the underground architecture. It was received well until—today it goes without saying. All of these things are what they operate under. In fact, I’m working on their committee for revising the bylaws. And conservation of caves is one of the important parts of the mission, while that, I think, a number of years back, would not have been included. So they realize the importance now of conserving the underground.”
The interview concludes with questions on Jeanne’s love of music. “We had a quartet. Not I; it was a male quartet. It was beautiful. And also in Europe, I’ve heard men’s—like in Yugoslavia or Czechoslovakia—the men’s octets [that] are marvelous. They stand in a circle [facing inward]. And you don’t know where they get the pitch from. And all of a sudden they begin [singing] … and it resounds around the cave. But there was a quartet, and they were telling me that a cave has a key—like this is a B, or key of C cave, or key of G, that at that [particular key] sound, the cave resounds in a most complimentary way. But it is wonderful, singing in caves, yes, by all means. (laughs) In fact, one of these guys was sitting around a campfire and I hear them singing. I didn’t know this fellow and he’s singing, (singing) “Go tell Jeanne Gurnee—tell her that I’ll be there.” And I thought, “What in heaven’s
name?” You can imagine—all these cavers. I said, “Where did you get that song from?” He says, “I don’t know. I just like that name.” I said, “Do you know 29 her?” He said, “No, I don’t know her.” (laughs) “I just like that name, so I made this song up.” And of course we have the Terminal Syphons, the musical group. So music always plays a part. I’m a church organist and [I have been] a choir director for many years. I love church music, but I love every kind of music. Of course, in the New York area, we went to every conceivable kind of musical … [performance]. Actually, my husband had a marvelous baritone voice. One of the reasons I was just so entranced with him [was] when I heard him sing. So music is very important.” If you would like to read or better yet listen to the entire interview that took place on July 23, 2007 at the NSS Convention in Marengo, Indiana, I encourage you to use this link http://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0021944/00001. We should all be so thankful for the hard work, dedication and good stewards Jeanne & Russ both had for the caving community and the show cave industry. More importantly, we give thanks for their friendship and leaving us with many fond memories!
Jeanne and Russ at the 1991 NCA Convention in Puerto Rico
Douglas S. Kaufman President of Crystal Cave, PA
Douglas Saylor Kaufman, 91, passed away on July 2, 2018 in his residence.
According to his daughter Kathy, Doug had been treated for pneumonia in May and finally went for a CAT scan that revealed a spot somewhere. He entered the hospital June 1 and on June 8 was told he had lung cancer and 3 months to live. His pain was so excruciating that he was put on morphine. He came home June 26 and lasted a few more days. “Someone who was as strong as he had been went down-hill so quickly” she said, “I’m glad he isn't suffering anymore.”
He was the husband of 67 years to Kathryn (Schlegel) Kaufman whom he married in 1951. Born in Reading, PA he was the son of J. Douglas and Lucy (Saylor) Kaufman. Doug received a band scholarship to Valley Forge Military Academy, graduating in 1945. He was also a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. He was drafted into the Army during WWII serving as a Cryptographer and attaining the rank of Sergeant. Later during college he took ROTC and was commissioned to serve with the infantry. He was called to active duty during the Korean War as a rifle platoon leader and received Purple Heart decorations as well as the Bronze Star with Valor, and Oak Leaf Cluster. He was also awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and numerous other campaign ribbons and medals. He later was a Real Estate Broker for 20 years earning the Member of Appraisal Institute designation in Real Estate Appraisal. In 1972, Doug succeeded his father as President of Crystal Cave Company, a family business since 1923. Under Doug’s management, food buildings, a miniature golf course, a theater, museum and other enhancements have been added to this attraction. Doug also since 1954 has played drums in marching and concert bands including the Wyomissing Band Rehrersburg Band, Lukens Band and the Philharmonic Band of Reading. He had served on the Board of Directors for Sovereign Bank, Wyomissing Club, Washington Library Association, Pennsylvania Caves Association, Berks County ASSESSMENT Board, Greater Reading Board of Realtors, Reading MLS, Wyomissing Band and the Wyomissing Public Library. In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters, Carolyn Kaufman and Kathryn Campbell, widow of Alan Campbell; three grandchildren, K. Marnie, wife of Scott Oshry, Kristen, wife of Ryan Hurst and James Everline; two great grandchildren and a sister, Margaret K. Schumo. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by a brother, Robert S. Kaufman. Services and burial were private. Contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 37 South 5th St., Reading, PA 19602 or the American Cancer Society. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife Kathryn, daughter Kathy and the entire family on the passing
husband, father and grandfather.
Bridal Cave Celebrates 70th Anniversary,
Featured on Starbucks Mug & HGTV Series
We recently celebrated our 70th year in business at our Missouri Show Cave this past April. To celebrate, we threw a great big employee reunion to thank all the wonderful employees that have helped shaped our Lake of the Ozarks attraction into the success it is today. We had a great night celebrating this accomplishment. In fact, we had so much fun celebrating it got us to thinking, why stop the celebration when we could continue celebrating all Summer long? To continue our celebration we thought it would only be fair to also thank our guests who have supported our family owned business over the past 70 years. So in honor of celebrating 70 years in business, Bridal Cave is going to give away 70 FREE Family Passes to Bridal Cave throughout the summer!
Bridal Cave has been featured on the Starbucks "Been There" Collector series coffee mug. They are available at Starbucks worldwide.
On Sunday, June 17th Bridal Cave was featured on HGTV's "Lakefront Bargain Hunt." Local realtor Annie Faulstich, owner-broker at Lakefront Living Realty at the Lake, was seen in the episode! As part of the episode, the filming crew wanted to give viewers a taste of life on the Lake so the whole family spent the day at Bridal Cave! Steve Thompson Bridal Cave
Hana Lava Tube Sets Record Chuck Thorne says “We did our first ever day of 300 guests
during the first week of July!!! Still with only one person on duty!! Just completed a new parking lot to accommodate those surges we often get.”
California Fires Near Redding, Lake Shasta Caverns Matt Doyle at
Lake Shasta Caverns has been keeping everyone posted on Facebook on the Carr Fire. Where he lives there had been a mandatory evacuation so her sent his kids and pets out of harm’s way. Matt stayed behind to keep vigil on his home and his neighborhood property as there were reports of looters. As of the printing, things were looking better as the evacuation was lifted and the Doyle kids are back home. Stay safe California friends!
Convention 2018
Visiting Bair Ranch
During the convention week on Tuesday, we’ll be headed to Bair Ranch for an authentic Western Colorado experience. We’ll be taking buses to the ranch, which is located 12 miles east of Glenwood Springs in the heart of Glenwood Canyon. Activities offered include jeeping, ATVs and horseback riding, and everyone can go their separate ways during the afternoon. At the property’s main cabin, you’ll enjoy a folk and bluegrass band playing on the deck while you sit back, relax and take in the beautiful Colorado mountain views. Dinner will be served up Western BBQ style with steak, chicken and all the fixins. Be sure to bring your Western wear and be ready to take in some real Rocky Mountain fun!!
Heather Austin Marketing & Sales Manager Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Convention Registration – Still Time To Sign Up
The 53rd Annual National Caves Association Convention will be held Sept 24 – 28 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, home to Glenwood Caverns and the Historic Fairy Caves. During the convention, we’ll gather for a welcome reception at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, attend a series of discussions and a vendor showcase at the historic Hotel Colorado, and have an opportunity to participate in both planned and free-time activities. Conference breakout sessions will include topics such as cave lighting, social media savvy, ride safety and how to create a successful destination business. Please follow the monthly issues of Cave Talk for more exciting information leading up to Convention. Check out our Welcome Video found on the Glenwood Caverns Convention page. Below you will find the links for the Registration form, Provisional Agenda and the Bios of our speakers. Please print the Registration form and send it to Bob Holt with your payment.
Convention Registration Provisional Agenda Notice of Annual Meeting of Members
Speaker Bios Directions to Glenwood Springs - Drive - Bus - Rail - Fly
The Hotel Colorado
Site of the 2018 NCA Convention
The Hotel Colorado Celebrates 125 Years
Established by silver magnate and banker Walter Devereux, construction began in 1891 at a cost of $850,000. Edward Lippincott Tilton designed the building as a replica of the Villa de Medici. Local materials used include cream-colored Roman brick and Peach Blow Sandstone;
imported items included 12,000 yards of carpet and 2,000 rose bushes. The Hotel Colorado opened on June 10, 1893 to a program including a fireworks display, an orchestra in the ballroom, and dining at midnight for the 300 couples in attendance.
The hotel quickly became a popular summer retreat, earning the nickname of "the little White House of the West" after e xtended visits by Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. The teddy bear is alleged to have been invented during President Roosevelt's 1905 visit when the
hotel's maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material.
On September 16, 1925, live music and speech was broadcast by way of telephone from the hotel's ballroom to Denver radio station KOA.
In 1942, the hotel was leased to the United States Navy for use as a hospital. The U.S. Naval Convalescent Hospital was commissioned on July 5, 1943 and served over 6,500 patients by the end of 1945. The hospital was decommissioned in 1946.
In 2003, a time capsule was buried in the courtyard. It is scheduled to be opened in 2043.
The National Trust's Historic Hotels of America added the Hotel Colorado to its list in April 2007.
Famous Visitors
Actor Tom Mix, his wife and several production crew members stayed at the Hotel Colorado during the filming of The Great K & A Train Robbery in summer 1926.
In addition to the visits by Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, former President Herbert Hoover addressed a luncheon at the hotel on August 2, 1939.
Ghosts
Several ghosts are believed to reside there, notably a young girl in Victorian clothing seen playing with a ball, a female that peers over sleeping male guests, and a male presence on the fifth floor. The two suites in the bell towers are frequently reported to be haunted. The elevator moving on its own without passengers, strange smells and sounds have also been reported by guests and staff. In September 2006, CCPI Paranormal Investigations visited the hotel and recorded two areas of higher electromagnetic energy, one in the corridor in front of room 325 and the other outside room 551.
The screams of a woman are often heard throughout the hotel, believed to be of a chamber maid who was involved in a love triangle, and was murdered by one of her lovers. The room in which the woman was believed to have been murdered was a guestroom, it has now been turned into a storage room, due to the history of paranormal happenings occurring there.
Register Soon and Join Your NCA Friends in Italy!
I hope you will join us at this year’s International Show Cave Associations Congress. I of course would like all of you in the NCA to also be members of ISCA, but membership is not necessary to attend the Congress. You will have the opportunity to network, learn and experience the unique caves, beauty, tastes, history, culture and hospitality of our host’s region in a different part of the world and do so with a large delegation of your fellow Americans! Congresses occur every four years. This October 2018, ISCA’s 8th Congress is being hosted by the spectacular Frasassi Cave in the villages of Genga and Fabriano which are in the beautiful Marche Region of Italy.
Home to Frasassi Cave, Genga Italy holds the honor of being the birth place of ISCA. Here in this charming village, the association was conceived and the 1st congress was held in 1990. Since that time the ISCA headquarters have been hosted by Frasassi Cave in the historic Genga Castle.
During the Congress we will have the opportunity to visit the world famous Frasassi Cave and experience other wonderful sites and activities in the region. I also hope you will take advantage of the Pre-Tour in the Tuscany region beginning in Pisa and the Post-Tour in and around Rome. ISCA is an association of people, scientists, organizations and government agencies, from around the world who have an interest in the development, management and conservation of show caves. ISCA promotes proper management,
conservation, safety and increasing public awareness about these special natural resources we have the honor and responsibility of stewarding. For more information on the Congress and to see the provisional program please go to: http://comitelpartners.it/en/conventions/congresso-isca/. The Congress registration form is set up in ala-cart fashion to give you more options and to allow people to save money if some attendees do not plan to attend the meetings or some of the excursions. A few pointers: You can pay via credit card to avoid bank wire transfer fees. If you select a full day excursion you will miss that days Congress meetings, presentations and ½ day excursion. The Congress’s daily agenda will consist of breakfast at your hotel, morning meetings & presentations followed by lunch, an afternoon excursion and dinner. The food and wine will be of the region and excellent! And prepare yourself because the Italians start drinking wine at lunch!
If you plan to attend, have any questions or need help planning please contact me, [email protected] or call 210-651-6101. We are expecting a large delegation from the USA and I will connect everyone, so we can coordinate travel plans for those interested. I am very excited for cave lovers from all over the world to gather this October to network, learn and experience the beauty, tastes, history, culture and hospitality of Italy at Frasassi – Genga, the place we call ISCA’s home! Brad Wuest President International Show Caves Association
Insurance Column: Myths and Facts About
Workplace Violence
Workplace violence has taken on new meaning in the past several years with news headlines of mass shootings in schools and other work locations. And while those acts of mass violence have been heavily publicized and are extreme, they don’t fully represent the scope of violence in the workplace, according to EMC Corporate Security and Safety Manager Jerry Loghry. “There is a lot of misinformation about major threats and how best to prepare for possible violence,” he says. Jerry, who has researched active threats in the workplace for the past 25 years, would like to clear up some misconceptions and offer advice based on his research.
History of Workplace Violence
Myth 1: Workplace violence is a recent phenomenon. Fact: Rather, as early as 1865 a disgruntled parent attempted to bomb a school after chaining all the doors shut. There have been many other violent acts since that time. What has changed is the amount of media attention given to workplace violence.
Myth 2: The current eruption of violence is the worst in recent history. Fact: There were more violent incidents in the 1970s and 1980s than today.
Myth 3: Acts of violence are most often random mass shootings of large numbers of employees or students using a semi-automatic rifle (often referred to as an “assault rifle”). Fact: Jerry pokes holes in several parts of this statement. First, these are not typically random acts of violence because the perpetrator generally plans far in advance. And most acts of violence are directed at one or several individuals. “By far the largest threat is a disgruntled spouse or significant other,” he says. Additionally, the weapon of choice is not typically an assault rifle. Instead, it can be a knife, a baseball bat, chair, acid or a pistol (not an assault-style gun).
Preparation, Training and Actions
Myth 1: It’s possible to teach people in advance how to behave when an occurrence of violence takes place at their workplace. Fact: Jerry feels very strongly about this myth. He says, “Unless you’ve been shot at or attacked in some way previously, no one knows how they will actually respond to a violent incident. No matter how much they prepare, most people either freeze and can’t take action, or have an immediate flight reaction,” he says.
Myth 2: Fighting back is the best way to thwart a perpetrator. Fact: Most people are not capable of acting quickly enough to shoot or otherwise disable a perpetrator, Jerry says. Instead, research shows that the safest action is to barricade, lock down or hide from the violence. Fleeing is a safe option only if it’s very clear that the disturbance is far from your location. It’s often not easy to tell where the sounds of shooting or other violence are coming from. When fleeing, employees may run right into danger if they aren’t totally sure where the perpetrator is.
Myth 3: Violence drills, including local law enforcement personnel, are a good way to prepare for similar real situations. Fact: While Jerry says that such exercises are needed, they are more helpful for law enforcement personnel, and they truly don’t do much to help employees prepare. People are going to react to stress in different ways and that is hard to change with a few drills. There are safety issues when employees are running down stairways or stacking furniture. Additionally, these drills can be traumatic for employees when simulated gunfire and smoke bombs are used. “There is the possibility of injuries as well as the disturbance caused by these ‘almost real’ events,” he says. “We don’t set fires during a fire drill. Why simulate violence?”
After the Violence: Planning Ahead
If a violent incident does occur in your workplace, you need a post-incident response plan. You need to be prepared for:
Your workplace being cordoned off as a crime scene. Depending on the level and type of violence, crime scene investigators may take over a portion — or all — of your building. It may be days or weeks before you are allowed back in. Do you have offsite backup and an offsite work location for employees? If not, you may be shut down during the time it takes for officials to investigate and clear the building for re-occupancy.
Cleaning up after the event. Once you can get back to your workplace, someone will have to repair and clean any damage and contaminants before you and your employees can move back into the area where the incident occurred.
Communicating with the public and your employees. You’ll need prepared statements for the press, your clients and employees. You’ll also need a plan on how to communicate with employees about coming back to work, the status of the building and more. If you are unable to get back into your building, your offsite emergency location should have contact info for all employees.
A long recovery period for many employees. Even if the wounds are not physical, anyone who experiences trauma will need an extended period of assistance. Work with your employee assistance program or other professionals to develop a plan for working with traumatized employees.
War Eagle Cavern Hosts Missouri Caves Association
We apologize for the tardiness of inclusion in earlier editions of Cave Talk of this gathering hosted by the Boyers’ at War Eagle Cavern on Beaver Lake. Dennis says “We hosted a meeting of Missouri and Arkansas Region 4 caves, meeting the two new members (Stark Caverns and Onyx Cave) of both Associations, and experiencing first-hand the mysteries of our new Moonshiners’ Mystery Shack. Lunch was enjoyed by all in the employee lounge at the cavern, the warmest place on a cold, cold day in April.”
Standing on the only level spot on the mountain, Jody Gertson (left) looks awfully petite compared to Chris Gertson! When they traded places, Jody grew 6 inches! What!?! Other members of MCA (right) enjoy the oddity of the Mystery Shack!
National Hot Dog Day at Ruby Falls
How did you celebrate on July 18? Happy #NationalHotDogDay Relish in the fun by enjoying a Nathan's Famous hot dog and icy-cold drink on the Back Porch at the Village Plaza or inside the castle at the Cavern Café! Ketchup on all the fun Ruby Falls has to offer! (We can't resist a great pun or two ) #SummerAtRubyFalls
WNS Report Not much to report for white nose syndrome his month. - States doing bat counts are having a harder time finding bats. TVA's yearly bat count at Nickajack Cave yielded a count of 72,000, which was 2,000 more than last year but down from the maximum of 100,000. Patty Perlaky WNS Chair
Calendar of Events
NSS Convention 2018, Helena, Montana, July 29 – August 4, 2018 NCA Convention 2018, Host: Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, September 24 – 28, 2018 ISCA 8
th Congress 2018, Genga, Italy, October 9 - 21, 2018
International Gift Exposition in the Smokies 2018, Sevierville, TN, November 3-6, Pigeon Forge, TN, November 4-7, 2018
IAAPA 2018, Orlando, Florida, November 13 - 16, 2018
National Cave and Karst Day, June 6, 2019
NCA Convention 2019, Host: Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, Tennessee, (Dates TBD) International Gift Exposition in the Smokies 2018, Sevierville, TN, (Dates TBD), Pigeon Forge, TN, (Dates TBD) IAAPA 2019, Orlando, Florida, November 11 - 15, 2019
National Cave and Karst Day, June 6, 2020
NCA Convention 2020, Host: Lake Shasta Caverns, Lakehead, California, (Dates TBD) International Gift Exposition in the Smokies 2018, Sevierville, TN, (Dates TBD), Pigeon Forge, TN, (Dates TBD) IAAPA 2020, Orlando, Florida, (Dates TBD) National Cave and Karst Day, June 6, 2021
Got News? Please make sure you let Bob Holt know when you have news to share with the membership regarding you and your cave. It is the goal of the NCA office to continue producing monthly issues of Cave Talk and this can only happen when you help with the sharing of your news. Please send your articles, photographs to [email protected].
September 2018 Cave Talk Deadline
Please have all articles to Bob Holt no later than August 15. Thank you!