2025 OTR Event Tent Schedule
(Check back often for updates)
THURSDAY | |
| 9 PM | Virgin Reception Please join us for a special Welcome Reception for OTR Virgins and their Sponsors Thursday evening around 9-ish The celebration will start rolling right after the Bonfire Ceremony (don’t forget to pick up your Virgin Guide there). We promise no Virgin sacrifices! We simply want to WELCOME first time attendees to the Annual Old Timers Reunion. Come meet and greet some of OTR’s core staff and resources and get some signatures for that Virgin Guide you just picked up. You’ll meet other Virgins, maybe plan some cave trips, and have some light refreshments. Many people report meeting the very best of people at OTR for lifelong friendships. |
FRIDAY | |
| 9 AM – 12 NOON | Speleoprintmaking Workshop Kara Bond In the style of traditional printmaking, you will learn to carve and print your own interpretations of cave life. We’ll provide all the printmaking supplies and pictures of various underground wonders, but if you have a favorite photo of a bat, cave salamander, or formation to use as inspiration, please bring it! This is a family-friendly activity for all ages and stages. The ink is permanent, so wear old clothes! ***Donations of any amount are welcome to offset the cost of materials. |
| 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Poured Paint Bat Workshop Lynne Smith Lynne will walk us through a Poured Paint Project featuring a Bat in relief. You’ll also end up with an additional Poured Bat art piece. We recommend that you wear old clothing. The $20 supply fee should be paid directly to Lynne Smith. Send your payment via Venmo to @lynne-Smith_44 (last 4 of phone # 1141) to secure your spot. ***$20 fee required |
| 3 PM – 4 PM | 1950 Society Reception Prospective and current 1950 Society members are invited to share a pleasant afternoon and learn about our mission and passion. Light refreshments will be served. |
SATURDAY | |
| 8 AM – 9 AM | Yoga for Cavers Emilee Goodman This gentle Hatha yoga flow helps revitalize the body and mind to promote overall strength and wellbeing. “Yoga is a great way to prevent injuries and decrease recovery time physically, while meditation and breathwork help with focus and emotional resilience. These skills are helpful in the cave, and beyond,” she says. These classes unite your breath and body – offering a variety of poses accessible to all ages and experience levels. We will focus on poses that encourage strength, flexibility, balance, and relaxation. Bring a mat and treat yourself right by exploring the world of yoga this weekend! Please bring a yoga mat or towel as well as some water. |
| 1 PM – 3 PM | “When Guano Happens” hosted by Earl Suitor Co-sponsored by ER-NCRC (Eastern Region- National Cave Rescue Commission) and CACRT (Central Appalachian Cave Rescue Team). |
| 3 PM – 4 PM | Knot Tying with Dan While you may have found yourself following the old adage “If you can’t tie a knot, tie a LOT!” at least once in your life, have you ever wanted to be able to tie a knot, *and* tie a lot, simultaneously? Please consider yourself invited to stop by and learn, and join us as we learn a few of the greats from the fascinating and useful art of knot-tying! Planned are methods for tying turkshead knots, several turkshead knot interweaves, and gaucho knots without using any jigs/pins, as well as other such purposeful entanglements. For this event, Dan suggests 4-6 feet 550 paracord is the best for learning. We’ll try to have some available but please feel free to bring your own. Please consider a small donation to offset cordage purchase. |
| 5 PM – 6 PM | “Thomas Jefferson’s Old Bones” – Haynes Cave, WV E. Ray Garton |
| 6:30 PM | West Virginia Speleological Survey (WVASS) Business Meeting Agenda includes reports of the various survey and cave-inventory work completed in West Virginia over the past year. Anyone with an interest in such work is invited to attend. |
| 8:30 PM | “1934 Map of Sharp’s Cave” Bob Hoke |
| 9:00 – 10 PM | “Schoolhouse Cave“ E. Ray Garton Presentation featuring the newly discovered and digitized movie, Underground Adventure, which was first shown at the 1957 NSS Convention. |
SUNDAY | |
| 8 AM – 9 AM | Yoga for Cavers Emilee Goodman This gentle Hatha yoga flow helps revitalize the body and mind to promote overall strength and wellbeing. “Yoga is a great way to prevent injuries and decrease recovery time physically, while meditation and breathwork help with focus and emotional resilience. These skills are helpful in the cave, and beyond,” she says. These classes unite your breath and body – offering a variety of poses accessible to all ages and experience levels. We will focus on poses that encourage strength, flexibility, balance, and relaxation. Bring a mat and treat yourself right by exploring the world of yoga this weekend! Please bring a yoga mat or towel as well as some water. |
| 9:30 AM – 12 NOON | The Robertson Association (TRA) Business Meeting All TRA members are welcome to attend. Bring a chair. |
| 12 NOON – PM | OTR Fermenters’ Forum hosted by Bob & Carly Oehler Do you ferment fantastic wines or mead? Do you brew beer with bravado? Come one, come all to the newly formed OTR Fermenters’ Forum. Over the years, OTR has had wine-making contests and beer-making events, but never together under one roof. Join us for a two-hour tasting and discussion on everything and anything that comes to mind. Please bring two bottles of wine or beer for the tasting. As we taste, we will talk about that specific beverage. If we have time, we will sample other wines or beers that can be shared. Bring extras for trading. Bring lawn chairs for sitting. If you would like to pitch in crackers or snacks, just bring them the day of the event. We will provide sample cups. |