About Us
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Mission Statement
Our mission at Glendale Outdoor Leadership School (GOLS) is to enhance quality
of life and personal growth through outdoor recreation and education. By
providing active living opportunities, we promote wellness and lifestyle changes
for participants of all ages.
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The Road to GOLS
A program of the Palmetto Conservation
Foundation, the Glendale Outdoor Leadership School (GOLS) owes its founding to
the town of Glendale's commitment to preserving and revitalizing itself in the
face of significant economic challenges. Like many mill towns in South Carolina,
Glendale has suffered economically since the closure of its textile operations.
To this end, the community embarked on an "Imagine Glendale" visioning
process in 2004, made possible with funding from Spartanburg's Mary Black
Foundation. A priority for the town's residents was to preserve Glendale's
historic structures, most importantly the Glendale United Methodist Church and
accompanying buildings.
The town tapped Palmetto Conservation to proceed with a plan to open an outdoor
recreational leadership school that would restore and preserve Glendale's
historic structures. This school advances the complementary missions of PCF to
promote outdoor recreation and of the Mary Black Foundation to encourage healthy
lifestyles.
Adaptive Reuse and Revitalization
Just east of the thriving
city of Spartanburg, Glendale is a perfect setting for an outdoor leadership
school. The town sits on a ridge above the dramatic shoals of Lawson's Fork of
the Pacolet River, making for an ideal place to learn how to kayak and fish. The
nearby Croft State Park offers the school a convenient location for teaching
mountain biking, adventure climbing, hiking and more.
The existing buildings have limitless possibilities...from a place to learn how to use ropes
courses and gain other skills helpful when participating in outdoor recreation,
to a site for overnight leadership retreats, to a place to gather for
educational seminars and environmental education. The educational component is
key to teaching the importance of being wise stewards of our state's vast
natural resources.
The Benefits of GOLS
Fundamental to GOLS' mission is that it
reaches out to all ages. Adults can adopt, or resume, healthier lifestyles, and
children can learn these habits at a young age. Reaching our state's future
leaders will result in immeasurable benefits for these individuals themselves
and for the community at large. Redirecting children outside and away from
modern technology will set the stage for a healthier generation who understands
the value of preserving natural and historic resources.
Glendale Outdoor Leadership School - 270 Wheeling Circle, Glendale, SC 29346
Copyright
2007-2008, Glendale Outdoor Leadership School, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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