This fall, veterans, service members, and their loved ones will gather again on Yew Mountain Center’s 500-acre nature preserve to learn functional crafts in community. The Forge and Frame retreat will feature the old world arts of timber framing and blacksmithing taught by local craftsmen, Clay Condon and Bennet Life. This first retreat runs Oct. 28 through Sunday, Nov. 1. It opens an expanded series of CAMO Veterans Retreats offered with teaching artisans from the Pocahontas County Artisan Co-op.
The series continues in April 2027 with two more retreats with teaching artisans from the Pocahontas County Artisan Co-op. Alison Safrit and Stan Cook will offer ceramics and wood turning and Brenda Harmon and Melondy Phillips will teach Appalachian hand-tied brooms and leatherwork. This hands-on instruction in functional crafts will send participants home with new skills and something useful they made themselves. “Making something with my hands to use was very calming and filled myself with confidence,” one 2025 retreat participant said.
The small-group instruction and nature-based community activities are designed to develop skills and confidence and to foster a sense of connection to community. Between workshop sessions, participants and their loved ones can hike, canoe, fish, and join other wellness activities across the preserve. As another 2025 participant put it, “It is a great experience to get away in nature, learn something new, and share a positive experience with other veterans.”
With funding from the Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant and donated scholarships, Yew Mountain Center aims to make each retreat a fully supported experience for the military-connected community. Lodging, meals, supplies, and instruction are included, and accepted participants pay only a small deposit to reserve their spot. Donations to sponsor a participant are welcome. Participants may apply for themselves or be nominated by a friend, family member, or employer.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and space is limited. Learn more and find the application at yewmountain.org/camo.html.
About Creative Forces
The Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA). This grant program aims to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military service members and veterans exposed to trauma as well as their families and caregivers through experiences of art or art making.
About Yew Mountain Center
Yew Mountain Center is a nonprofit on a 500-acre preserve in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, dedicated to land stewardship, forest farming, nature education, and cultural programming.
About the Pocahontas County Artisan Co-op
The Co-op works year-round to celebrate Pocahontas County’s rich arts and crafts heritage through public demonstrations, workshops, exhibitions, and community education. Visit the Co-op in Marlinton or Cass to learn more.
