Team members from Millwood’s Dundee and Apple Creek, OH locations celebrated Father’s Day weekend with their annual Man Up men’s retreat. This year’s trip was held in the Cranberry Wilderness, which spans 47,815 acres across Pocahontas and Webster Counties in the Monogahela National Forest of West Virginia.
An excellent spot for fishing, the area includes the entire drainage of the middle fork of the Williams River and north fork of the Cranberry River, with elevation ranging from 2,400 to over 4,600 feet.
Millwood connected with Cranberry Adventures, an outfitting services provider owned by Rick “Mule Man” Green, the brother of Millwood team member Jeff Green from Apple Creek.
“Cranberry Adventures is very unique. They set up camp, haul in the gear of the campers by mule and sometimes, if you're lucky (as we were), cook up an amazing supper,” Regional Chaplain Coordinator Pastor Jody Jones said. “Our guides, Rick and Josh, treated us great and added so much to our experience with their stories, humor and knowledge of the wilderness.”
The group spent the weekend fishing, hiking, mountain biking, relaxing and connecting with God. Pastor Jody shared the word of God with the team on Friday and Saturday night. One team member shared his testimony of how God changed his life and turned him into a totally different man.
The team also held a fishing contest, with Mark Smith from Dundee winning $50 and bragging rights for catching the largest fish on the trip.
"The best part, in my opinion, was sitting around the camp connecting with all the guys and hearing their stories," said Pastor Jody Jones. “All who were a part of this retreat said they can't wait to go back!”