Lovely Liz Klinefelter recently returned from a wonderful trip to Austria with her daughter, Sara Sharp of Hixson, and her granddaughter, Trenna Sharp. Next, she exhibited in the Mountain Arts Guild (MAGI) show this past fall. Truly a gal on the go, Liz is enjoying some great experiences.

On the Austria trip, the three generations had a ball touring Vienna, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and its surroundings. Trenna, after having fun in Austria, took off for Ireland, first visiting Dublin then heading up to Belfast.

Back at home, Liz got ready for the MAGI exhibit, held in the Exum Gallery at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Works of 16 local artists were exhibited. Liz’s watercolors of flowers plus works of other Signal Mountain artists including Sandy Boone, Leslie Dulin, Sandra Talbott, Moggie Henry, and Barbara Voss, were on display. 

We’re so happy that Liz had such fun “girl time” with her daughter and granddaughter in Vienna, and we loved seeing her beautiful watercolors at the St. Paul’s show.

By Tish Gailmard

Many years ago, a college age North Carolina native accepted a counselor position at Camp Alpine in Mentone, Ala. Years later, Mark McKnight is celebrating his first year as Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center’s president, a year with a list of very noticeable accomplishments.

Mark’s camp counselor gig amplified his love of the outdoors, and he grew to appreciate our area’s geology, scenic beauty and ecological diversity. After graduating from Hampton-Sydney College with degrees in English and religion, a conversation with Dawson Wheeler, co-founder of Rock Creek Outfitters, brought Mark to Chattanooga, where he built Rock Creek’s brand into a force to reckon with in the outdoor world.

Within the retail platform, Mark was able to continue to connect people with the outdoors through many forms of recreation on public lands, including the wildly popular trail race series that still exists today. These trail races, with engaging names like Brow Beater, Savage Gulf and Stump Jump, showcase the many striking opportunities for enjoying the outdoor world in our community.

Mark then ventured into the start-up realm as co-founder of Roots Rated, once again connecting people with the great outdoors. His next gig was in the consulting business, after another call from Dawson piqued his interest - Reflection Riding was looking for a president to shake things up and carry this well known (but in need of a revamp) environmental education facility into the future. Reflection Riding hit the jackpot when Mark accepted the position.

During Mark’s first year, he took a deep look into both what Reflection Riding is doing and needs to do in this community. Mark assessed the management of this nonprofit from an ecological standpoint, recognizing that promoting biodiversity through better ecosystem management is imperative. He introduced successional fire as a natural method to maintain habitat and removed approximately 18 acres of the non-native invasive privet plant, replacing it with native plants. (Caterpillars don’t like privet, which means no songbirds, which means no predators, which results in an unhealthy ecosystem.) Removing privet and replanting with natives also eliminates homogenous woods and replaces them with Tennessee native forests.
Mark and his staff have increased and diversified programming for all ages. With updated marketing strategies, these exciting programs are well attended and reviewed. Want to learn to mountain bike? How about a guided nighttime canoe trip or a raptor training workshop? Want to feed the red wolves? Attend a few campfire concerts or the Earth Day Festival? You get the idea ... this place is hopping with fun for all ages.

In the spirit of the Lookout Mountain Conservancy, Mark’s quest is to make outdoor activities available to everyone, even changing Reflection Riding’s admission from fee-based to donation-based. “What we do has to reach everyone. Access, equity and inclusion,” stated this innovative leader. The organization is finding its visitors are happy to make a donation upon entering this nirvana and often many of them contribute again as they leave or purchase a membership. It’s the organization’s hope these excited visitors will become long-term supporters.

Mark hopes the community will become more devoted to the future of Chattanooga’s Nature Center and Arboretum by taking a leap of faith and investing in the future of this highly unusual 317-acre property that sits just six miles from Chattanooga’s center. “For those who believe in what we’re doing, we need them to invest in us. It’s time for smart growth while honoring the legacy of our founders - the Chambliss and Humphrey families and the Chattanooga Junior League,” Mark said.

Mark harnessed today’s technology to get this non-profit running lean, meaning more of your donation dollars go directly to the mission of connecting people with nature. The use of several software packages makes the business side of this non-profit run very efficiently, and utilizing inter-organizational apps means the staff gets out from behind the desk faster, leaving more time to be in the field, teaching and engaging visitors.

Reflection Riding is a truly fantastic place to unplug, but this savvy organization knows that technology can be leveraged as a great teaching tool and encourages visitors and staff to use the app iNaturalist to record what they see on the property and in their own circles of the world.
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School field trips, the native plant sale, and summer camps have been Chattanooga favorites for years. With Mark’s magic, these events (and many new ones), coupled with a new attitude, have lit a spark. Exciting things are going on here, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to be involved! Find out more at reflectionriding.org.

At the time Shakespeare composed the play lavish entertainments called masques were in fashion at the court of King James I. It is thought that these entertainments inspired Shakespeare as he wrote, and as director Claire Slavovsky notes, “we really have an obligation to live up to the fact that Prospero is able to do amazing things with his magic and to present a feast for the eyes and ears.” This production will contain original music by John Reeder (‘17), performed by Reeder, violist Xaris Emmett (‘18), as well as several vocalists.

The fantastical play revolves around questions of power as well as revenge, justice, and mercy. The magician Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, are left stranded on an island when he is deposed. Prospero conjures a tempest which shipwrecks those who plotted against him. With his enemies stranded on the same island, Prospero seeks a reckoning, aided by his servant, the sprite Ariel.
Meanwhile, Miranda falls in love with the son of one of Prospero’s enemies, and his resentful servant Caliban teams up with two drunken clowns to kill Prospero and rule the island. Slavovsky remarks, “Prospero has the temptation of using his power to follow a dark, vengeful path against his enemies and must choose between that or mercy and forgiveness.”

Peter Upton (‘13) plays Prospero, alongside freshmen Elaine George as Miranda, Emily Cothran as Ariel, and Alex Wilson as Caliban. The Tempest will run November 1, 2, 3 and 9 at 8:00 pm and November 10 at 2:30 pm in Sanderson Hall Auditorium at Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
There will be a Q&A with some of the cast and crew after the Friday, November 2 performance, and a faculty discussion panel after the matinee on Saturday, November 10.Tickets are $10 for adults, and $7 for seniors, military, students, and Covenant staff.
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To inquire about group rates or to reserve tickets, please contact the box office at boxoffice@covenant.edu or 706-419-1051. Tickets may also be purchased online at covenant.edu/theatre or at the door as long as seats remain available.