From Flying Presidents to Teaching Students - Meet BRT's newest recruit Senior Master Sergeant Glenn Sparkman

What is it like to fly the President of the United States?  How big is Air Force One?  Where is the farthest you have flown?  Have you ever been shot down?  

These are just some of the questions that Senior Master Sergeant Glenn Sparkman gets asked by students (and adults) on a weekly basis. When SMSgt Sparkman was young, he never would have imagined that he would be able to answer any of these questions - he only knew that his dream was to fly! 

 

And fly, he did!  Not only for multiple mission in the US Air Force, but for Presidents of the United States and Hollywood stars. Now, SMSgt Sparkman has joined Blue Ridge Tours as our new Tour Educational Specialist to share his vast knowledge and many experiences with our school and students.

SMSgt Sparkman was born on August 3, 1962 in West Palm Beach, Florida.  As most boys do, he loved playing with cars and planes, and he dreamed of one day becoming a pilot.  Despite struggling in school and being diagnosed with a learning disability, he graduated from Tennessee High School in 1981. He then enlisted in the US Air Force in September 1982 to pursue his dream.

After basic training, SMSgt Sparkman was assigned to the Minuteman II missile and then to the 351st Strategic Missile Wing.  After completing C-141 aircraft flight engineer training in 1986, SMSgt Sparkman was assigned to the 76th Military Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, SC. During this time, SMSgt Sparkman was selected to represent the Wing as a member of the “Airlift Rodeo” airdrop competition team flying the C-141 aircraft. He also supported the Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) treaty verification by flying missions to the Soviet Union. SMSgt Sparkman participated in Operations Golden Pheasant, Just Cause, Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

In 1992, SMSgt Sparkman was assigned to the 55th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, McClellan AFB, CA to fly on the WC-135 aircraft. He flew on Polar (North Pole) missions collecting data vital to National Command Authorities and Operations American Express and Pony Express. He was selected for the initial cadre for the OC-135 aircraft which flew the “Open Skies” nuclear treaty verification mission. For the next year, he flew in the WC-135, the TC-135, the KC-135, and the OC-135 aircraft.

In 1995, SMSgt Sparkman was selected for special duty assignment with the 1st Military Airlift Squadron, Andrews AFB, MD. He quickly upgraded in the VC-137 and the VC-135 aircraft. He held positions in the squadron as the Superintendent of Training and Standards Evaluation. In 1997, he moved to the 89th Operations Group Standards Evaluation. During this assignment, he authored a flight crew information electronic distribution and tracking process and developed a basic flight engineer conversion course for the Wing’s flight mechanics. He was also selected as an augmenter to the Presidential aircrew flying Air Force One, the President’s aircraft.

In 2001, the Presidential Airlift Group was established, and SMSgt Sparkman became a full time crew member aboard Air Force One. At the Presidential Group, he held the position of Superintendent of the flight engineers and the Operational Risk Management Program for the unit.

During his career, SMSgt Sparkman accumulated over 7000 flying hours in eight different aircraft. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

 Because of family and teachers who believed in him and continue to push him toward his dream, education has always remained important to SMSgt Sparkman.  He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from National-Lewis University in 2003. His professional military education includes resident diplomas from the Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Prep School, the Military Airlift Command NCO Academy, and the Air Force Senior NCO Academy.

 

After retiring from the Air Force in 2005 after 23 years of service, SMSgt Sparkman began his new career as an Aerospace Science Instructor at James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, SC.  Teaching, sharing his love of learning, and connecting with students became his passion. In 2007, he was awarded the Air Force Junior ROTC Outstanding Instructor Award, which is only given to approximately 20 JROTC instructors in the country.

SMSgt Spearman is not only a great educator, but he is a true storyteller.  Hearing him weave a story of flying four Presidents together aboard Air Force One with another tale of flying a diplomatic envoy leaves you on the edge of your seat as you wonder what is next.  How exciting for Blue Ridge Tours to be able to offer this great storyteller and guide to our schools. 

New Office, New Look, New Attitude

It alway seems that it is hard to make changes.  We tend to get comfortable doing the same things year after year. Even though the same things may still work for us, it is always good to make changes to continue to improve, to be successful, and to keep up with the times. 

Blue Ridge Tours has been an extremely successful group tour company for 27 years. When we started back in 1988, we were the only group tour company in Upstate South Carolina. Back then, the focus was primarily on adult tours. Over the years and based on the demand, we changed our primary focus to student tours.  Student tours are still our primary focus today, but we still schedule many adult tours primarily for church groups and family reunions. This year marks our expansion to international travel as consultants with Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel.

The way people do business is constantly changing year after year. Not that many years ago, Blue Ridge Tours' office was in downtown Greenville, and we would meet with teachers and clients there to set up their tours.  We would communicate with our vendors primarily by phone and stamped mail, and sometimes we would have to wait weeks to get confirmations from hotels or venues.

Adrienne at old desk

Donna in office before makeover

Not anymore! Today, while we still go out to visit schools and meet with teachers, most of our trips are set up over the phone or email. We are able to communicate with our vendors quickly, and we can usually have a trip confirmed within a few days. Our office is located in Travelers Rest, and while it is equipped with all the latest computer and electronic equipment that we need to manage our trips, it still had the dull and dark look from years ago. We have now given our office a complete contemporary makeover that has changed it from drab and dreary to light and energizing.

While many things have changed over the years at Blue Ridge Tours, we are still focused on providing the best group tours in the area. We work to continue to add new activities, venues, and destinations on our tours. We work to continue to hire and train new tour directors, and we exceed our offerings with new educational consultants and travel certifications that other companies can not offer. The best measure of success is our schools who come back year-after-year. While we may not be the only group tour company in the Upstate anymore, we will always strive to be known as the best tour company in South Carolina!

We love our new office!

Meet the Voice Who Keeps the Office Running Smoothly - Adrienne Carci

Whenever you call Blue Ridge Tours, one of the most pleasant voices always answers the phone. That voice is a welcome relief to a long and busy day of teaching long-division or sentence structure. That voice will immediately put you at ease, and you will know that you will be taken care of immediately by the owner of that voice – 

Adrienne Carci, Blue Ridge Tours Executive Assistant.

Adrienne is relatively new to Blue Ridge Tours – having just completed her first school tour season, but she is not new to working hard for children and making sure that they are able to experience all the opportunities available to them.

After graduating from Mauldin High in 2003, Adrienne got her Associates Degree in Human Services from Greenville Tech and then got a BS in Social Work from Limestone College in 2010. After working as a HR Generalist, Adrienne joined the SC Department of Social Services in the foster care child support division.  The day-to-day obstacles that she faced while working with children and families who had reached one of the lowest points in their lives took a toll on Adrienne, and she decided that she wanted to work with children and help them embrace opportunities before they reached this low point.  When Steve and Donna offered her this opportunity in May 2014, she knew that she had found a way to achieve her calling.

When Adrienne thinks about her first school trip to Washington, DC back when she was at Beck Middle School, she remembers it not only for all the sights she saw that she had only read about in history books but she also remembers it for the friendships that she was able to make through bonding while on the bus and staying at the hotel.  These were friendships that she may not have made in the hallways of school. She learned that traveling is not only fun and allows you to experience new places, but also it teaches you more about yourself and others.

Since that first trip to Washington, DC, Adrienne continues to embrace traveling.  She enjoys taking cruises – particularly to Jamaica, but she also enjoys exploring the local hideaways of cities such as Chicago and Charleston.  When she is not traveling, Adrienne stays busy with her three rescue pit bulls as well as many others that she fosters.
Adrienne’s continued concern for families and children who are struggling continues on at Blue Ridge Tours where she organized our first Food Drive and worked with our schools to help stock the shelves of a local food bank.

Now that she has a complete school tour year under her belt, Adrienne hopes to continue to work with Blue Ridge Tours on expanding the tour activities and offering more opportunities for all of our schools and students.

Now that you know a little more about Adrienne, give her a call at (864) 834-5604 and be soothed by her voice as she books your next trip…

Our Popular Showcase Tours: Rebooked Year-after-Year

Every tour that Blue Ridge Tours puts together is customized specifically for a school or group based on a number of different factors such as the time of year they are traveling, the number of days they are able to travel, the different places they want to visit, the number of people who are going, and the budget that they need.  

After 27 years in business, we have developed a number of tour itineraries that work well for many schools who rebook the same tour year after year. We call these tours our Showcase Tours.  Of course even with these specific tours, we have the ability to tweak and customize them for any school or group. 

Throughout the coming months, we will be highlighting four of our most popular overnight tour destinations with our Showcase Tours to each. These destinations are:

• New York City
• Washington, DC
• Walt Disney World
• Charleston, SC  

As you plan your upcoming trips, make sure and follow our blog to see some of Blue Ridge Tours’ popular Showcase Tours and see which one will work well to book for your group.

Donna Sulligan: Blue Ridge Tours' Biggest Heart

We have all heard the saying, "Behind every successful man is a great woman." Well, at Blue Ridge Tours, that sentiment is proven time and time again with our owners, Steve and Donna Sulligan. While Steve's vision and leadership is behind the success of  Blue Ridge Tours, Donna continually adds to that success with her big heart and never ending dedication to the students year after year. 

Ocean Drive Elementary in Charleston, SC

"Remember, it's all about the kids," is a phrase that you hear all the time from Donna - it is her mantra. Everything she does at Blue Ridge Tours is focused on the students. From working long hours in the office making sure that each trip goes smoothly to leading groups to places like New York City or Washington, DC, Donna's heart shines through. Donna has endeared herself to so many children and teachers over the years with her kind heart, fun games, and silly songs. She knows the best ways to have fun, but she also always knows when a kid just needs a big hug and a bit of encouragement.

The first time you meet Donna, you can not help but smile and know that you have met a lifelong friend.  Her smile is as bright as the midday sun, and it envelops you with its warmth. Looking into her sparkling eyes, you just know that she is going to tell you a good story or let you in on a little secret about the place you are about to visit.

Donna always sees the good in people, and she always wants to make sure that everyone succeeds and gets the very best that the world has to offer.

As co-owner and vice-president of Blue Ridge Tours since 2006, Donna oversees the day-to-day operations in the office. From planning the itineraries for each destination to auditing every expense, she guarantees that each group receives the most educational and economical trip.  Her attention to detail and her desire to making sure the job is done right is evident in every trip from Blue Ridge Tours. Donna will literally work around the clock to make sure that every student, teacher and adult experiences a trip that they will remember forever. Donna has also created a scholarship program so that no student has to be left behind for lack of ability to pay. Additionally, Donna and Blue Ridge Tours award teacher grants every year to help offset the cost of classroom or trip expenses such as t-shirts or video dvds.

Donna with her kids

Before Donna came to Blue Ridge Tours, she owned and operated a successful home cleaning business in the Upstate for over 15 years. Donna has two grown children who have her same smile and happily share her big heart with all of Blue Ridge Tours' kids.

Even though Steve and Donna met and married later in life, you would think that they have been together forever. They live each and every day to the fullest with love, happiness and service. They both love to travel, and Blue Ridge Tours is one way they share their love with others.

Our Owner, Steve Sulligan: A Life of Service

Meet Steve Sulligan, the founder and owner of Blue Ridge Tours.

When he was a young boy growing up in New Jersey, Steve always wanted to be 3 things: a fireman, a policeman, and a bus driver.  He accomplished all of them and more!

Steve became a volunteer EMT with his local fire department while he was still in high school.  He worked along side the fire and rescue crew providing on-site emergency and medical care.  He enjoyed his work and service immensely, but after graduating high school, he decided to continue his education in college and move on to his next goal of becoming a police officer.

After two years of college in New Jersey, Steve moved to Columbia, South Carolina to finish his degree at University of South Carolina.  He graduated from USC in 1980 having already reached his goal of serving as police officer, and he became a South Carolina State Trooper shortly afterwards.

Steve spent 25 years in law enforcement servicing and protecting the citizens of South Carolina.  He also served on the protective detail of many national and state dignitaries, and he was selected as part of the FEMA law enforcement response unit to New York City in the days after September 11, 2001.

Steve is still active in law enforcement, and he makes it a point to meet with police officers wherever he travels.

While serving as a state trooper, Steve decided to fulfill his final dream, and he became a trained and licensed commercial bus driver. But he didn't stop there. Because of his love for New York City and traveling, many of his friends started asking him to help them plan trips to experience and learn about new places. Steve so enjoyed planning the trips, working to find new places to explore, and educating the groups about the history of the different destinations; he opened Blue Ridge Tours in 1988.

27 years later, Blue Ridge Tours has grown into one of the largest locally-owned educational tour company in South Carolina.  Steve still drives buses for Blue Ridge Tours' trips and for numerous sports teams in the area (he has been the driver for the NC State baseball team for over 6 years).  But, Steve still continues to plan itineraries of fun and educational trips, and he guides many groups to New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

Steve in front of another company's bus

Steve's dreams have led him to a lifetime of service, and he is still serving students and adults through Blue Ridge Tours today.

Traveling with Blue Ridge Tours starts in Travelers Rest, SC

Welcome to Blue Ridge Tours' blog.

Known as the "Heart of the Foothills," the quiet and friendly town of Travelers Rest, SC sits at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the early 1800's, settlers coming over the mountains needed a place to rest before continuing on their journey. The beauty and location made the area a perfect resting place. The Town of Travelers Rest was formed as a hospitable stopover place. Today, Travelers Rest is a quaint city of about 5,000 residents and it is the home of Blue Ridge Tours.

It is easy to see why this natural area full of trails, streams and mountain passes is the inspiration behind Blue Ridge Tours. The beauty and joy of experiencing new places whether it is just in your backyard or halfway around the world is one of the key reasons we travel.  To share these experiences, particularly with students, is the "Heart of Blue Ridge Tours."