Montana’s Duck Lake Lodge has become a home away from home for the sound of the wind through the trees, the smell of the food being prepared by the Duck staff in the kitchen, and the amazing smile of Terri who welcomes us. Veteran come to enjoy a time away from it all and relaxation is the focus as trust building and cohesion games make the tension disappear. Veterans learn of each other and, in doing so, learn that they are not alone in their journey
Swanson Lodge Clinicians Retreat
The counselors and therapists who have given so much for our veteran communities need their own time to decompress and reset. As a thank you to these hard-working individuals, VCR hosted a retreat specifically for clinicians. Swanson Lodge was the setting for this relaxing time where individuals enjoyed the sweat lodge while surrounded by the healing and energizing solitude of the woods.
As meals were prepared by off-duty firefighters, retreat participants enjoyed the serene pond and deer filled fields. Activities included art projects, naps, yoga, and hikes on a beautiful trail that wound through cedar trees that seemed to speak their own stories. A dry creek bed, full of the memories of travelers past, contributed to the blissful atmosphere as hikers strolled toward the waterfalls while goats watched from the steep slopes above.
