Parents & Campers Talk About Their Experiences
Following are unsolicited e-mails received from Wellspring Texas families.
Full references are available upon request.
We cannot express how much your program has affected our lives.
Morgan has continued on with what she learned at camp this past summer as well as gotten us started to a different way of eating as the family needed to be doing to support her.
She has lost an additional 12 lbs. since she has been home. And will not eat at a fast food chain again after seeing the films at camp. She has been doing a lot of exercise and jogging as well; she even had us get her a tread mill so she can walk and watch TV along with it.
She probably has been walking a average of 30,000 steps a day. This has made such an impact on a lot of her friends and also our lives here at home. Michelle (Mother) has been talking with several people in the school system here about the program and the way you operated the camp. They realize how much change there is in Morgan’s attitude and appearance since she has came home.
I cannot THANK YOUR SYSTEM and staff enough for what you have done this past summer at San Marcos.
TC Evans, Jr., Wharton, TX
I had to think for several weeks about what I wanted to say in my letter because this is such an emotional subject for me. When I had initially contacted the camp I saw some glimmer of hope for my daughter who in a short two-year span gained 66 pounds on her small 5’1 stature. My daughter gained this weight attempting to deal with the stress of my divorce. When I initially spoke to Isabel about this, she became very angry and was even verbally hostile towards the wonderful staff at the camp who attempted to contact her and discuss the camp with her. I saw any hope of her being able to address the weight issue and her emotional issues slowly dwindle away.
Taking the advice of “The Smartest Woman in The World” my own mom, I used any and every means available to get her to go. What worked? The thought of being able to have a completely new wardrobe was enough to get her to listen to me. I promised Isabel $1000 to buy any new clothing items she wanted as long as it was a smaller size. We counted the days before camp, we counted the days before she would start High School, and we counted the days until she was to begin a new life. I promised my daughter we would never again cry while we were doing something as fun as shopping for school clothes.
When she left I had this weight lifted off of my shoulders. I knew I had done the right thing for her, but it was a hard eight-weeks.
The last day of camp, I saw my beautiful daughter ran up to me and told me how sorry she was for not wanting to go and how happy she was. It meant the world to me. To see my daughter’s self-esteem reappear after disappearing several years earlier and to hear her complain that she could not keep her pants up because they kept falling off was music to my ears. The days of having to shop via the internet are gone; the days of having her cry because her size 16 pants are too tight are gone.
When we returned home, the stress level for all of us was unbelievable. We followed the camp’s guidelines for a fat free kitchen and printed up the shopping list. Isabel returned home weighing 159 pounds. She lost 20 more pounds. She has continued to work out and is on the softball team at school. She has so many more friends and has a new confidence. Her anger has disappeared and she just seems to be a different and much happier Isabel.
When Isabel had her story published in the Houston Chronicle, many people felt the need to say mean things to her. I was terrified this would be damaging to her self esteem and reverse any positive steps we had made. It did exactly the opposite. She answered the responses in a positive manner and has even been helping some other over-weight teens as well. She has become someone completely new. I loved the old Isabel but the new Isabel is just as wonderful and much happier.
Thank You for changing my daughter’s life, giving us the tools, and teaching us the skills to make those changes.
Angella Mudd, Katy, TX
I decided to send my grandson to Wellspring when I acknowledged his obesity,fatigue and sense of sadness formost of the time. It was difficult for him to even walk around the block, much less play soccer with his sister or play football for his school. His sadness was due to his low self-esteem. He wasat Wellspring for only 30 daysbut there was a fabulous transformation happening to him. When we went to the family workshop, we discovered not only a slimmer young man greeting us, buthe hada zip in his step and his head was held high. He was talking to many students as he walked toward us, smiling constantly. He had lost 34 pounds in those 30 days and found his self-worth. The weight loss was amazing and so appreciated, but his smile and purpose was what we noticed the most! Hecontinues towork on staying active, eating healthier and logging in at night to continue his program. There was an added benefit- his Grandfather and I lost weight too! After our grandson came home, I lost 15 pounds insix weeksand Grampa lost 40!To help him continue the program, we had decided to eat what was healthier andread labels tohelp him continue his new way of life. Thisis a continuing change in the way we live. It's not meant to be a diet. And it is easy, sound nutrition and tastes good. I didn't even know you could buy buffalo meat at the grocers! The upbeat staff at Wellspring kept the kids moving, understood when it was hard, and cheered them on when they did well for themselves! My grandson did things he never dreamed he could do like kayaking, rock wall climbing, hiking three milesin a morning and being proud of every motion along the way. He made long term friendships from all over the States and changed his life. He continues to lose and is still smiling! Thanks Wellspring! This program is so worth it!
Barbara Harris, Bullverbe, TX
Leeann's experience at Wellspring Texas was absolutely one of the best. She was born with Hoshimoto's (thyroid disease) and Diabetes Insipidus and has always had a weight problem since the day she was born. Wellspring re-taught her how to eat sensibly by eating the right foods and exercising on a daily basis. All of the camp counselors were wonderful and informative and Leeann had the best time. She participated in lots and lots of activities and had great support. I would greatly encourage anyone who has an overweight child to consider this camp.
It gives your child control over his or her body so that that at the end of camp they realize that "they can do it." It is a life changing camp.
Joanie Burkett, Lexington, TX
I want to thank you and all of your staff for helping Sarah so much this summer. She has expressed to me the high regard she has of your counselors and behavioral coaches. Having been to a number of other camps (one weight loss camp, various girl scout camps, Outward Bound course, etc.), she has quite a few counselors to compare your staff with, and she places yours at the top of her list. One comment she made is, "they really do care about the campers, it's not just a job to them."
Thank you,
Linda Hyman - Tyler, TX
I was a camper this summer and have to say that it was the best summer of my life. I went for eight weeks and it was hard from being home away for so long but in the end it was all worth it. I can't express how much this experience has created such a new, different, and better me! Wellspring was so much fun because of the activities, the thrill of learning how to surf and accomplishing it! Rock climbing a real rock and reaching the top and thinking you had enough strength and energy to accomplish this! The best thing was being able to actually help with the food; it made me realize what was going into the food and when I got home I remembered most of the recipes. Wellspring was the best thing that has ever happened to me and to this day I still wish I was there. At the end of two months I had lost 27 pounds and went from 217-190! Since I’ve been home I have lost another 8 pounds and feel great! The aftercare program is amazing. It helps me so much. I'm on it every day! Wellspring helped me change to have a healthy lifestyle. I can’t thank you enough for helping me change my life!
- K.D., age 13
Going to Wellspring was GREAT! From kayaking to water aerobics and everything in between, Wellspring Texas will help you get closer to who you want to be. It all starts from the beginning of the ladder, and the walks, and then you climb higher and higher until you’re doing things you’ve never known ever existed!
Daniel S., 14
