First participants of Eagar Valley Writing Retreat

Launches retreat center to inspire aspiring authors

“I love Drury—it has been so good to me,” says Tenoha Eagar ’02, Drury alumna and owner of Eagar Valley Retreat. “I feel like the people there are family.”

After her husband passed away in spring of 2002, Tenoha was left with nearly 600 acres of farmland in Ozark County and no idea of what to do with it. She was close to finishing her bachelor’s degree through Drury’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies and was not sure where life would lead her afterward. When a friend and professor of hers, Professor Kevin Henderson, mentioned the possibility of building a retreat on her property, the thought stuck, and she began to research the matter.

Tenoha’s friends had always complimented her on the peaceful character of her land, so she wanted to expand upon that atmosphere. “I knew I wanted a place where people could get away from the grind of everyday life,” she says. So with the help of her brother and sister, she built four rustic cabins on the land, none of which are equipped with telephones or TVs.

Tenoha also knew that she wanted to incorporate the world of arts into her haven. That’s when the idea of a writer’s retreat was born. Having majored in English, the idea of hosting a writer’s workshop seemed natural to her. With the support of fellow Drury alumna and good friend, Sonja Nichols ’03, she was able to arrange for world-renowned children’s author and Drury’s Poet Laureate, David Harrison, to present at a three-day seminar at Eagar Valley.

David Harrison himself graduated from Drury in 1959 with a degree in biology. Though he pursued a number of careers after graduation, he is generally recognized for being one of Missouri’s most successful and famous children’s authors. His books have sold millions of copies, with popular titles including The Boy with a Drum, The Mouse Was Out at Recess, and The Alligator in the Closet.

After arranging for Harrison to lead the writing seminar, Tenoha worked with Drury to set up a program where students could receive course credit for the workshop. Further extending the welcome to her academic family she then chose to offer a discount rate for Drury students and faculty.

The First Annual Writer’s Workshop took place in early September. Out in the countryside, participants were schooled for three days in the art of writing short stories, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. “It was fantastic,” says Tenoha. “Everybody was enthusiastic and the weather was perfect.”

Participants received one-on-one conferencing with David Harrison, and each person was instructed on how to get his or her work published. In addition to all this, everyone was provided with meals, lodging, a commemorative t-shirt, and a certificate of attendance.

“We were in the beautiful heart of the Ozarks with cabins that were accommodating, clever, and clean,” recalls Harrison. “You could rock on your front porch, or read, or write.”

Casey Smith, a Drury sophomore who participated in the retreat, says that she would recommend the experience to anyone interested in writing. “The cabins were absolutely beautiful and the view was breath-taking,” she says. “Oh! I can’t forget the food. I’d never eaten so much in my life!”

Tenoha is currently working out the details of hosting another workshop next summer. She wants it to be even better than the first. She just recently added weekend horseback rides to her list of retreat activities, and she hopes to soon build a conference room to house larger gatherings of people. In the meantime she is busy with seasonal activities—she plans to have a Thanksgiving celebration at Eagar Valley, and she has arranged for Santa Claus to visit, as well.

“It has been a little bumpy at times getting everything done,” she says, “but I am finally there. I hope to continue growing.”