Altria Retreat: A Surprising Taste of Camp

The Retreat side of CBS recently had the pleasure of hosting the Altria Distribution Group's Company Retreat, which, although it may not sound like it, was some of the most fun we've seen since summer camp!

During the first day of their stay, Altria guests had many meetings, speakers, and workshops, but at night, things started to look a lot like Rodeo Round-up! Nighttime activities featured a "Cowboy Dance," complete with a mechanical bull, armadillo races, a longhorn photo-op, line dancing (with guest instructors), and a bonfire at our pond with the traditional s'mores and funnel cakes.

The next day, our guests headed into another round of meetings and workshops, but free time in the afternoon came in the form of enjoying our traditional CBS activities--the zip-line, archery, rock-climbing, the Screamer, hiking, fishing, canoeing, paddle-boating, frisbee-golf, basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, and football. That night, a fun, yet more low-key, evening ensued, featuring another firepit and s'mores, a movie under the stars, and the "human" version of games like Jenga, foosball, checkers (coming this summer for camp).

We had a great time with Altria, and we can't wait to have an even greater time all summer! Be sure to visit Camp Balcones Springs today and secure your spot!

PS: We're thinking about adding armadillos to the Rodeo Round-up line-up--any thoughts?

Father/Daughter Retreat 2015

A few weeks ago, the Retreat at Balcones Springs held one of its favorite events of the season -- our annual Father/Daughter Retreat!

Each fall and spring, the Retreat holds Mother/Son and Father/Daughter retreats to give families a chance to bond in the beautiful Texas Hill Country while also getting a taste of what CBS has to offer. With camp just around the corner, it was so fun for us to offer a taste of camp to these guests while we anxiously await summer's arrival!

Visiting dads and daughters arrived Friday night and immediately began the fun with a fishing contest. After dinner, we all enjoyed a traditional camp bonfire (with s'mores of course!) and a viewing of one of the greatest camp movies of all time -- The Parent Trap!

The next morning, daughters enjoyed cartoons and cereal while our visiting dads had their comparable "newspapers and coffee" (though perhaps some of those cartoons as well). After breakfast, the day looked a lot like a typical day at CBS. Dads and daughters climbed the rock wall, took a ride on the Screamer, and played classic camp games like 3Ball and Nuke 'Em (no team affiliations involved, sadly; who do you think would have won? Texas Rangers/Lone Stars or Rough Riders/ Silver Spurs?) before building their own pizza rolls for lunch.

After lunch, Charlotte's Web, the zipline, and the archery ranges were all open for our guests to enjoy. We also had craft-making and cupcake-decorating, horseback riding in the arena, and face-painting.

After dinner was the weekend's highlight--the Glow with the Flow dance! If you were at camp last summer, you should remember this tremendously fun night! Dads and daughters danced the night away at one of the most famous camp dances, complete with light-lasers, disco balls, and of course, lots of glow sticks.

Finally, to close the weekend, after breakfast the next morning, dads and daughters harvested organic vegetables in the camp garden to put into take-home lasagna kits for mom.

If these activities sound like fun to you, or maybe have you thinking about how much fun you had last summer at CBS, make sure you head over to Camp Balcones Springs and sign up for Summer 2015!

Home

Sometimes I wake up in the mornings to the sound of Sweet Pea, the camp donkey, braying and he-hawing so loudly, it resonates through the steel walls of Hunter's and my Barn Apartment. Some folks might find the thought of having a donkey, a pair of llamas, a duo of mini-horses, and 14 horses as neighbors somewhat unnerving or even bothersome--but this is my home!

I talk to people a lot about camp, thats just kind of how it goes with this place. Honestly, how many of your stories start with "this one time at camp..." But some of the most common things I hear from campers, counselors, and everyone really who has ever been a part of camp are "I feel like I can be myself here," "I feel safe here," "I'm totally different at camp than I am at school," "Camp is like a home for me!" If someone asks me about about camp, I tell them these things. I think it speaks volumes more than any amount of stories I could tell.

For the last 8 summers, Camp Balcones Springs has been so much more than a summer camp to me, it has been a second home. Even before I came to camp, I got a taste of the family CBS promises. Martin Ramirez and Dean Martinez oftentimes showed up at my tennis tournaments in Dallas along with other camp folks just to cheer me on and to hang out with me afterwards. They weren't trying to sell me anything or convince me I needed to come to camp--no, they just wanted to be my friend.

When I actually decided to go to Camp 4th term in 2004, I remember getting on the bus from Dallas and driving away from Northpark mall and heading towards camp sitting next to Ellie Hansen who had convinced me to come. I wasn't necessarily nervous, but is there anyone on earth who doesn't wonder if they are going to fit in to a new community!? However, almost as soon as the bus started down I-35, Arden Johnston, the most friendly 9 year-old on the bus, came up and told me that when I got to camp I was going to be a Rough Rider, and then proceeded to teach me all of the Silver Spur cheers even if she couldn't remember exactly how they went. Three hours later, I remember getting off the bus to the sight of an exuberant Marietta smiling at us, greeting us all with open arms, announcing our entry to all of camp, and then sending each of us off into Camp's traditional "tunnel of love." When it came my turn to run down the tunnel, I hopped off the bus only to be outright tackled to the ground by who was soon to be one of the greatest influences in my life, my Senior Camper counselor, Casey Millsap!

The experience of Camp never fades for me. The friends I made, the relationships I built, and the growth I had in Christ continued to compound on one another every year I came back, and I give thanks everyday for how camp has made me into who I am today. Even now, after 8 summers, chills still run up my back and my heart races when I drive down 1431 towards Camp on opening day, not anymore because I'm nervous, but because I'm excited to be coming HOME!

Keep some tissues nearby, you might want them after watching this video!



How has camp become your second home? Tell us in the comments below or through Facebook/Twitter!

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