Our Directors
Camp Alleghany is a family-owned and operated business and has been for 3 generations. Currently, the directors include the husband-wife team of Sam and Bonnie Dawson, along with their daughter Elizabeth Dawson Shreckhise. Together with their stellar administrative staff and counselors, the three of them effectively operate, maintain, and organize all of the functions of Camp Alleghany.
Sam Dawson, Director
Sam has been involved with summer camping since he was a small child! He spent eight summers as a camper at Camp Greenbrier, and then worked at Alleghany on the Green Team in the 1960s. In 1984 he returned to Alleghany as the Associate Director, working under his father S. Cooper Dawson, Jr. During the 80s and 90s Sam became involved in all management aspects of camp, including recruiting and hiring, and assisted in working towards building Alleghany in to a strong operation. In 2000 he took over as the Director, and he works year-round for Camp Alleghany, living in Fredericksburg, VA during the non-summer months. A Certified Camp Director, Sam enjoys every aspect of the camping business and holds Alleghany to the highest of standards, continuing to earn the American Camp Association’s accreditation status each year. He looks forward to each summer with excitement and anticipation and hopes to see all of you at Alleghany this year! Contact: Sam@campalleghany.com
Elizabeth Dawson Shreckhise, Assistant Director
Elizabeth began her camping experience as a camper at Alleghany when she was 7 years old. After spending ten summers as a camper, she went through the JC program, became a full-fledged counselor, and continued to take on leadership roles such as Head of Dance and Unit Head. In the summers of 2002 and 2003 she was the Head of Junior Camp. She took a few summers off to earn her Masters Degree in Education and Human Development, but returned to Alleghany in 2006 to serve as the Head of Senior Camp. Currently, Elizabeth lives in Staunton, VA during the year with her husband Matt and son Mason. Formerly a School Counselor, she now is proudly working full time for Camp Alleghany as the Assistant Director. Her duties include overseeing all camp activities ranging from the managing the campers' daily activities to supervising and evaluating the counselors. During the off-season she assists Sam in recruiting campers and hiring and interviewing staff, helps keep the camp website current, writes and updates camp literature, and organizes and supervises much of the staff training and program planning for the summers. Most recently she launched Alleghany’s new online registration system, and is working on more projects to bring Alleghany in to the 21st century while still preserving the history and tradition that ’Ghany is so deeply rooted in. Contact: Elizabeth@campalleghany.com
Bonnie Dawson, Head of Special Events
Bonnie was introduced to Alleghany when she married Sam in 1970. After spending several summers at Family Camp, Bonnie took on a few leadership roles when Sam became Associate Director in 1984. She has been Head of Drama and Wild World, Head Hopper, the Store manager, as well as a tent counselor in Senior Camp. Currently as the Head of Special Events, her duties include organizing and facilitating Alleghany's special ceremonies such as Babies' Boats, Candlelight Campfire, Banquet, and the Mini Camp Show of Shows. In addition to these events, Bonnie also conducts a small non-denominational service on Sunday mornings, and helps out wherever she is needed! When she is not at camp, Bonnie resides in Fredericksburg, VA with Sam and is a retired science teacher—a career she had for 40 years! Every year, she looks forward to the serene, peaceful setting of the West Virginia Mountains, and her favorite part of Alleghany is seeing the happy, smiling campers every day. Contact: Bonnie@campalleghany.com
Cate Wilcox, Administrative Assistant
Cate joined us in 2011 as our year-round Administrative Assistant. Cate began her camping days at Alleghany as a camper in 2000. She became a Junior Counselor in 2004, and then continued to work in such leadership positions as Unit Head, Head of Dance, and Head Counselor. She graduated from North Park University in 2009 with a degree in Media Communications and Photography, and she still resides in Chicago during the off-season. In her free time she enjoys singing and is currently taking voice lessons. At Alleghany she has been known to lull the campers to sleep with her beautiful campfire songs. Her photography is also being featured in Chicago brochures and on a CD album cover. She loves to cook (although she easily gives that up come summer, as she loves Hazel’s cooking as well!), and currently is a part-time nanny for a sweet baby boy named James in addition to her work for us. Cate brings to us a wealth of experience, insight, organization, and perspective and we are thrilled to have her join our team at Alleghany! Contact: Cate@campalleghany.com
Garrett O'Dell, Facilities Director
Unlike all the other administrators at Camp Alleghany, my history with the camp only consists of soon-to-be 3 summers. The first weeks of my employment with Alleghany were some of the most challenging yet rewarding weeks I had faced in some time. All of the Alleghany staff welcomed me with a genuine acceptance and made me part of their team. The summer of 2010 ushered in change for me in so many ways. From the burning of my business, O’Dell’s Greenhouse, that I had started 14 years prior to my Camp Alleghany employment, to my grandmother passing, to my 4-year-old son being diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes, life changed me. The Camp Alleghany staff was there and helped me cope with all these changes. Now as the Facilities Director, I love working for Camp Alleghany and with all the staff. I take great pride in what I do; whether fixing a leaky faucet, building a new porch, or just helping out where I’m needed, my enjoyment and passion for the success of Camp Alleghany wells within me as if I had been there for two decades. Contact: Garrett@campalleghany.com
Beth Anne Clark-Thomas, Mini Camp Director
Beth Anne began spending summers at Alleghany in the mid 60s . Across nearly 40 years she has been a camper, counselor, Unit Head, head of numerous departments, and Upstart Mom. While living in Chicago, she was the Director of YMCA Camp Duncan during the summers she was away from Alleghany in the 1980s. In 2003 B.A. introduced Mini Camp to the Camp Alleghany experience for first time campers and currently serves as its Director. Beth Anne has both a Masters and Ph.D. in Education, teaches methods courses at a university in Northeast Ohio, and hopes to settle permanently one day along the banks of the beloved Greenbrier River. Contact: BA@campalleghany.com
