Mistletoe State Park plans event inspired by 'Survivor'

The new motto of the Georgia State Parks System's GO Georgia initiative is "Get out, get dirty and get fit," and a Survivor -like event at Mistletoe State Park in Appling this month is designed to help families do just that.

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Survivor Families: Mistletoe is scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday and April 12 and is geared for schoolchildren. Families will compete for prizes as they test their skills at games and survival techniques, according to Marilyn Grau, the senior corps project director at The Senior Citizens Council, which helps provide volunteers for the parks system and other agencies.

Families will receive points for participation and timed events, with the winning team determined by the one who accumulates the most points.

Among the events in which participants will compete are fishing, shuffleboard, beanbag toss, kite-making, shelter-erecting shelter, campfire-building, canoeing, hiking and survival cooking.

On Tuesday, the theme is Game Day; on Thursday, the theme is Making Things; and for April 12 it is Survival Day.

Bill Tinley, the park manager at Mistletoe, said that this is the inaugural year of Survivor Families and that participation will probably be limited to 25 families.

"The purpose of the event is to get people, especially children, out from in front of a screen and into nature," Tinley said.

"The Georgia State Parks System has developed this initiative because of the alarming number of people who don't know about nature and are staying at home more and more because they are afraid of what's 'out there,' " he added.

The only charge for participating in Survivor Families: Mistletoe is the park pass, which is $3 a car.

About a dozen park staffers and volunteers will work the event.

For more information, or to request a registration form, call the park at (706) 541-0321.