Guest post by:
Mary Bates
Marketing Manager
Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center
From start to finish, 2016 was a fantastic year for Lake Junaluska. Journey with us back in time as we highlight the lake’s most significant moments.
- Business of the Year
In June 2016, Lake Junaluska received the Business of the Year award from the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. The award was meaningful to the staff and employees at the lake, as they strive every year to live their mission of being a place of Christian hospitality where lives are transformed through the renewal of soul, mind and body.
- Giving Back to the Community
In 2016, Lake Junaluska donated $65,000 worth of space for events such as the Haywood Waterways Polar Plunge, the Haywood Heart to Heart 5K and organizations such as the Haywood Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Development Authority and the Junaluskans.
- Former First Lady Laura Bush Visits Lake Junaluska
In mid-October, Lake Junaluska hosted former first lady Laura Bush and a group of her childhood friends. Bush and her friends visit national parks together every year. When they decided to go hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, they chose to stay at The Terrace at Lake Junaluska. They also enjoyed the Lake Junaluska Walking Trail during their visit.
- SEJ Jurisdictional Conference
Five new bishops were consecrated at this year’s Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church. The conference, which takes place every four years at Lake Junaluska, represents nine states and 15 Annual Conferences. More United Methodist bishops have been consecrated at Lake Junaluska than any other place in the country.
5. Special Occasions in Dining
Every summer, the dining services staff jumps up from 48 to nearly 100 workers as the visitors descend on Lake Junaluska. The dining staff make up the largest department at Lake Junaluska, and they collectively served more than 100,000 meals this year. Holidays and special occasions are particularly busy times for the food service staff.
The July 4 barbecue picnic had more than 900 visitors, while the Thanksgiving buffet hit a record number of 583 people served. This Christmas season, 1,680 people enjoyed meals.
- Summer Activities Program
Bill and Irene Gattis, Lake Junaluska homeowners and seasonal visitors, wanted families and individuals to connect at Lake Junaluska. This inspired them and other Lake Junaluska supporters to make charitable gifts to help launch the Summer Activities Program.
The new program lasted for eight weeks over the summer and hosted 64 events during that time. Activities were intentionally crafted to be age-inclusive, so events like Pickin’ on the Porch, weekly bonfires, story time at the Lake Junaluska Library, morning devotionals and yoga were enjoyed by all. More than 700 people participated in these activities in 2016.
- The Terrace on TripAdvisor
In 2016, The Terrace at Lake Junaluska ranked in the top 10 on TripAdvisor out of 300 hotels in the North Carolina mountains. Other hotels in the top 10 include The Omni Grove Park Inn and The Inn on Biltmore Estate.
The Terrace underwent a $3.2 million renovation in 2015, and is a popular hotel because of its central location and breathtaking views of the lake and mountains. It is open to the public year-round.
- Balsam Range Art of Music Festival
Lake Junaluska and Balsam Range have had a special relationship for years, but in 2016 the band hosted its first music festival here, the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival. The festival included Marty Stuart, Lonesome River Band, John Driskell Hopkins, Jeff Collins and the Atlanta Pops Mini-Orchestra.
Workshops on regional dance, playing instruments and guitar-building took place on Saturday afternoon and each night of performances saw Stuart Auditorium filled near to capacity. Keep an eye out for more details as the festival returns Dec. 1-2, 2017.
- Nurse Review
From August through December of 2016, the lake hosted a group of more than 100 international nurses. They came to Lake Junaluska to study for their Registered Nurses exams. They lived in the apartments for five months and studied in the Kern Center. This was the first time this type of group has been hosted at Lake Junaluska.
10. Belk Photoshoots
In late September, the department store Belk used Lake Junaluska as a location for two photoshoots. The shoots required a crew of professionals and models who made the clothes come to life. They used Lake Junaluska’s canoes and kayaks as props for the photos. The winter catalog was released the week after Thanksgiving. Lake Junaluska was also used for commercials for Ingles and Ford in 2016.
2016 By the Numbers
- More than 50,000 guests spent the night
- 143,000 meals were served
- 2,574 people attended the Summer Worship Series
- 565 groups were hosted
- 40 couples said “I Do”
- More than 10 different denominations visited
Follow along on your favorite platform, you’ll find Lake Junaluska on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube