Grounded: A Leadership Retreat at Laity Lodge
Hosted by the H. E. Butt Foundation and the Laity Lodge team
Supported by Becoming Development
Come to be inspired.
Come to be renewed and reconnected.
Come to discover new ways to lead, live, and serve well.
Grounded is a three-day leadership retreat designed to reawaken depth, presence, and purpose in the practice of leadership.
Held at Laity Lodge, a place of extraordinary hospitality and thoughtful curation led by Director Steven Purcell and his team, the retreat invites participants to slow down, listen deeply, and rediscover what it means to lead with wholeness and purpose in a complex world.
Developed in collaboration with Johnny Sertin, facilitator of PSW's Wayfarer program, the experience brings together leaders from diverse sectors for a rhythm of conversation, reflective workshops, and restorative rest. Leadership here is approached as formation rather than performance—an inner posture as much as an outer practice.
The Experience
Between structured sessions, there is ample unstructured time built into the schedule for swimming, trail walks, fireside talks, exploring the arts center, or simple stillness beneath the canyon walls. With minimal technology and an emphasis on staying present, the space itself becomes part of the learning—serving as a reminder that clarity often comes in quiet.
Each gathering at Laity Lodge invites reflection, connection, and renewal. Set along the River Frio, Grounded is where learning and rest meet—and where renewal and resilience take root.
Retreat Details
Dates: May 4–6, 2026
Location: Laity Lodge, Leakey, Texas (approximately 2 hours from San Antonio)
Transportation: PSW will provide group transport to and from San Antonio International Airport.
Audience: Philanthropic professionals seeking renewal and reflection to deepen their leadership practice and strengthen their capacity to lead with clarity and purpose.
Accommodations: Nestled along the Frio River, Laity Lodge is a retreat center known for its extraordinary hospitality and serene setting. Lodging combines sophisticated design with monastic simplicity—creating a true retreat within a retreat. View more about the retreat lodging here.
Why Attend
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Step away from daily demands to restore perspective and purpose
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Engage in meaningful dialogue with peers and facilitators
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Reconnect with the deeper motivations behind your leadership
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Experience the beauty, hospitality, and stillness of Laity Lodge
Registration Process and Fee
This retreat is initially open to participants in the Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program or a Collaborative (CCE, NIT, or EIA). Should there be additional rooms available, a registration process will be open to anyone in the PSW network to join. Graciously hosted by the H. E. Butt Foundation, participants benefit from a discounted rate of $899 per person, which includes lodging, meals, and group transportation to and from San Antonio International Airport and Laity Lodge. Registration opens early 2026.
For questions or early interest, please contact Amanda Esaena at amanda@philanthropysouthwest.org.
The H. E. Butt Foundation, established in 1933, is a faith-based private-operating foundation dedicated to cultivating wholeness in people and communities through programs that inspire spiritual, personal, and social renewal. Its initiatives include youth and family camps, outdoor education, and Laity Lodge—a renowned retreat center along the Frio River that offers a setting of extraordinary hospitality and quiet reflection. Through its work in the Canyon and beyond, the Foundation seeks to foster connection, formation, and transformation rooted in Christian faith and service.
