I was incredibly blessed to be able to join the Center for ASD on a Mom's retreat at the Ranch in March of 2022. As a mom, and especially a Mom with a son who has Autism, I don't generally get a lot of time on my own.
The retreat here gave me a space to completely disconnect from everything else and reconnect with myself. It was so peaceful and calming. I loved sitting in the rocking chair outsized of my room and staring out into the trees and listening to the sounds of nature. The accommodations were so lovely.
This retreat not only allowed me to personally decompress, but I connected with other moms like me and got to spend some sweet, quality time with the Lord. The overall vibe of the entire facility was one of peace and honor and value and love. Love just pours out from this place, you can tell it is God ordained and directed. I cherished my weekend. Thank you.
Special Needs Mom
Center for ASD
Burleson, Texas
The retreat center was amazing. We literally had everything we could have asked for during our time away. We enjoyed grooming horses, riding tricycles, walking and riding in golf carts! We had a bingo night, enjoyed a yoga and mediation time, journaled and even enjoyed smores one evening.
I was able to relax, breathe deep and get away from the stress of typical life with two special needs teenagers.
This was truly a time of respite and self care, allowing me to return to my family refreshed and with renewed strength to keep running the race the Lord has called me to.
Special needs Mom
Center for ASD
Burleson, Texas
Center for ASD
Our group has now been able to host three veteran spouse volunteer trainings and two veteran couple retreats at The 1687 Foundation Retreat Program ranch, and we already have another on the books for next year!
If that doesn’t tell you how much we love it there, I don’t know what will. The amazing staff at the 1687 Foundation make coordinating these retreat weekends nearly effortless and the generosity of this organization is unmatched. Due to the associated costs of hosting events like these, we would have never been able to offer our veteran spouses and couples such an incredible experience without that generosity.
The staff at the ranch are so warm and welcoming, going above and beyond to ensure the most enjoyable and relaxing experience for not only our participants, but for us as staff! When we were unable to host in-person events due to the pandemic, I did not realize how much I missed the ranch until we came back this year. It was like coming home, and that is due to the amazing staff who make these retreats possible. We can’t wait to come back!
Hannah O'Brien
Program Manager
Veteran Spouse Network - The University of Texas at Austin
