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Mission Statement
Our mission at 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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ABOUT GOLS
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.
Melissa is a Spartanburg native and Converse College Alumni who brings over twelve years of non-profit experience to GOLS. An avid outdoor and adventure enthusiast, Melissa will be instructing in addition to fundraising, development, marketing and furthering the GOLS mission.
George wears many hats at PCF. In addition to managing Palmetto Conservation's Military Heritage Program, he is the director of PCF's Upstate office. He is a retired minister, college president, and general in the US Army.
Mike has a long history with Palmetto Conservation, having helped design and build many of PCF's trails. He has expertise in carpentry and other skills that are useful to his responsibilities as the onsite grounds manager. He is a graduate of Wofford College with a degree in economics.
