By Martha Rowe Vaughn, F353413
October 2013
Have you ever had an owl fly so close to you that your hair moved in the wind? Have you seen flower sculptures made of copper and paint that looked so real that you couldn’t tell the sculpture from the actual flower? If you haven’t experienced these, then you should go to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Thirteen Blue Bird chapter member families and friends nested April 3 through 7, 2013, at Pine Mountain RV Resort for an Azalea Blossom Rally that featured wonderful experiences in the area, plus fabulous food.
Gardner and Judy Wright and Charlie and Peggy McKeehan were the hosts of the rally. We were fortunate to see hundreds of gorgeous azaleas and blooming flowers during our first day at Callaway Gardens. The butterfly house was a step into the tropics, as gorgeous butterflies from around the world flitted about, landing on neon-bright flowers. Callaway Gardens offers so many interesting things to do. One easily could spend a whole week golfing, hiking, bicycling, swimming, walking, and zip-lining. A favorite event was the Raptor Show with owls, buzzards, and hawks flying overhead.
Early Thursday morning we carpooled to Fort Benning, located just outside Columbus, Georgia, where we attended a graduation ceremony for the latest class of U.S. Army infantrymen at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. The proud soldiers looked so young in their dress uniforms. It was touching to see them greet their families after the ceremony.
A docent led us through the museum, which is a tribute to the soldiers of the U.S. Army who have fought for our freedom. “The Last Hundred Yards” exhibit depicts the changing methods of war and equipment, and the bravery required to finish a battle. Other exhibits had actual accounts from soldiers of their experiences in the different wars along with their pictures, equipment, and guns. One area re-created the feeling of being in a trench during World War I.
Several of us tried our skills at the Rifle Range combat simulator. Shooting M-16 rifles, we aimed at shadowy figures at different distances. Some of the figures moved and others were stationary. The highest score was 14 out of 20 shots; the lowest was 3 out of 20. We all had a good time and came away with a deeper appreciation of the skill needed to be an effective soldier.
The next day brought us a different view of war. At the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, we learned about the battles by the Union and Confederate navies. During the Civil War, Port Columbus was a thriving industrial city and port located on the Chattahoochee River, 200 miles inland. It supplied uniforms, shoes, firearms, steam engines, cannons, swords, and iron for the ironclad ships. Two resurrected hulls, the CSS Jackson, built for coastal defense, and the CSS Chattahoochee, a gunboat built to protect Port Columbus, are on display. The largest collection of Civil War naval flags is at Port Columbus. These include the Confederacy’s first national flag and the enormous CSS Atlanta flag.
The Springer Opera House in Columbus was our next stop, providing an artistic view of a bygone era. Built in 1871, it was a stopover between New York and New Orleans for entertainers. We toured the theater and enjoyed seeing the areas behind the stage. The theater is magnificent, and it’s easy to see why it has been designated a National Historic Landmark and the State Theatre of Georgia.
The next day’s visit was to Warm Springs, Georgia, and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House. Exhibits at the museum display many artifacts from the years Roosevelt spent at Warm Springs where he hoped the warm, mineral-rich waters would cure his polio. An area also shows the advancement of preventive medicine. The chair in which Roosevelt died while sitting for a portrait is on display as well. The Little White House is so small and humble, the kind of home that anyone might have.
Members of the Blue Bird chapter love to eat, and we had many great meals during our rally. They included a scrumptious catered barbecue dinner at the clubhouse, and lunches at the Fife and Drum Restaurant at the National Infantry Museum and at the Bulloch House in Warm Springs. Our farewell dinner on Saturday night was held at the Carriage and Horses Restaurant near the campground. What a wonderful ending to a fun and fact-filled rally.
Thank you to our hosts for an interesting and entertaining event. It was fabulous!