Following the wonderful CCBS pit-roasted turkey at Thanksgiving, the boys spent the day picking,  cutting and decorating  the Cherokee Creek Christmas tree. This was originally a 25-foot pine growing on the property (it didn’t look that big outside) and the boys gamely felled it with a saw and dragged it to the lodge . It sure makes things feel like the holidays seeing their handiwork.

Next up will be the menorah to celebrate Hanukkah. Ari’s suggestion of one “as big as a disco ball, hanging from the rafters” is under consideration …

Here’s hoping we see you soon and you can admire the boys’ decorating expertise soon here at the “Small School with a Big Heart!”

Therapist Artie Smith, Academic Dean Denise Savidge, and Weekend Manager Andrew Stevenson show a staff divided .... but only when it comes to college football.

Sitting on the very western edge of South Carolina and only a stone’s throw across a river from Georgia makes Cherokee Creek Boys School a very interesting place to be during college football season. Not only are the South Carolina staff divided among University of South Carolina and Clemson loyalties, but there are also inter-conference rivals University of Georgia and Georgia Tech fans well represented among the men and women of CCBS. Now throw in the 20 or so states represented by the boys in their various t-shirts and sweatshirts and football season is, well, competitive.

This past weekend went to South Carolina as Clemson whooped up on Georgia Tech 47-31 in the ACC while University of South Carolina beat up on SEC rival University of Georgia, 35-7. Sorry Artie!

Members of CCBS staff gathered Saturday to celebrate the wedding of Flex Counselor Nick Droll as he married his longtime girlfriend Anna. They were joined by recent graduate Sam who got a little “carried away” by some of his favorite staffers at the festivities. Pictured from left to right are Flex Counselors Andrew Leviner, Johnnie Sinclair, Andrew McGarvey, the groom, and Ryan McGarvey. Best wishes to Nick and Anna!

CCBS Counselors and recent graduate Sam

Surrounded by family and friends, Jackson and Dain are enjoying Thanksgiving lunch together. Yum!

Luke and his family pause from filling their bellies to smile for the camera! We are so thankful to have families visiting Cherokee Creek Boys School on Thankgiving day.

At Midnight last night the boys awoke to build a fire for our traditional pre-Thanksgiving turkey pit. This fire kept them warm until the early hours of the morning. They then made a pit out of the coals of the fire with Operations Director Phil Fairbrother where they stuffed the turkeys underground. This has been a yearly tradition for CCBS the night before Thanksgiving.

Watching the turkeys cook late into the night...

These are the students who braved the late night to cook our tasty turkey’s: (from left to right) Michael, Barron, Jimmy, Cole, Sam, and Dain.

Teacher Nick Linscott, together with the boys who stayed up all night, pulled out the turkeys the next morning after our traditional late night cookout. They then wheelbarrowed their way up to the kitchen where several students whipped on the aprons and started prepping the turkeys.

We had so much fun on Valentine’s Day! Jane Barker, Manager of Clinical Services, organized a “Bears Bash” complete with Basketball, Football, Dodgeball, Card Games, Tug of War and, of course, Valentine’s goodies for everyone (including the two new students who enrolled this week). We finished off the day with Chic-Fil-A and cupcakes. Check out the photos below.

[cincopa A0PAqeadsasm]