Welcome to the Retreat

On a day fit for ducks – Rob Petry Owner of Liberty Hill Sporting Club and Liberty Hill Christmas Tree Farm invited us out for a morning of shooting. My son Zach and I met and Stuart Countess and his son Jac at the Club’s log cabin. Stuart is an executive at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia located here in Troup County. Zach and Jac both attend high school at LaGrange Academy.

Once on site Rob gave us a little history. The club property was an original land grant to his great-great grandfather W. W. Strickland in 1830. Duly impressed we went over to his beautiful five stand overlooking a 15 acre stocked lake.  This is a state of the art set up and surely one of the most picturesque settings around. After warming up there our group competed on the 12 stand sporting clays course. Zach won bragging rights for the day as we finished the final stand back on the waterfront.

We said goodbye Rob just before lunch time so he could get set up for quail hunting with the afternoon’s group.  The club is just a mile up the road from Retreat on West Point Lake. Wow, what a terrific way to spend the day with our sons!

by Ken Breland, Director of Sales & Marketing for Retreat on West Point Lake
Broker, West Point Lake Realty

     Joey says he is experiencing the best winter season on he’s had on West Point Lake in 15 years. Friday and Saturday he was out with guests, Craig and Mick, from Michigan. They fished from daylight to noon catching 46 and as you can see they really got into the big fish. 
     31 of the fish were stripers – with many weighing in at upwards of 17 lbs. Joey says “the fish are biting exceptionally well. Winter time fishing is excellent now. The key is to pick the day looking for stable conditions the weather – with a peak in fishing especially the day before a change is forecast”.
     Craig Lauerman and Joey are long time friends. Craig has been leading Marble Arms in Gladstone, Michigan since 1994. They are the leading manufacturer of an a very impressive lineup of traditional and modern sights for every sporting arm and today continue to supply factory equipment sights for most American gun makers.
      Joey’s friends enjoyed the lake lifestyle as guests at his home at Retreat on West Point Lake.

by Ken Breland, Director of Sales & Marketing for Retreat on West Point Lake
Broker, West Point Lake Realty

December fishing is excellent for Joey Mines’ guests. He recently guided his good friends from his South Carolina hometown, and they did very well fishing on West Point Lake – not too far from Retreat. His guests, Kirk Spires from Hartsville, SC owner of Spiro’s Wingz & Ale and his buddy J.R. caught at over 20 stripers and spotted bass weighing from 8 to 16 pounds each.  And while that isn’t quite the lake record of over 34 pounds lbs for stripers you can be sure that the fishing remains good on the lake. The record for Hybrid on West Point Lake is nearly 15 pounds (14 lbs. 13 oz) and for largemouth bass just over 14 pounds.  Contact Joey at Outdoors with Joey Mines to arrange your fishing trip – and if you get by Harstville stop in to see Kirk. WMBF News reports that his “chicken wangz lovin’ customers”consider his place just like Cheers .

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake

 December is the perfect time to experience the Hills & Dales Estate, the historic home of the Fuller E. Callaway Family in LaGrange, Georgia. It’s the holiday season time of the year to see the circa 1940’s tinsel-laden Christmas tree, brilliant Poinsettias and other seasonal decorations.  The Fuller E. Callaway family home and the visitor center will be decorated for the holidays from Friday, December 2, through Friday, December 23. Enjoy touring the Neel Reid designed home, stroll through the historic Ferrell Gardens, and experience the serenity of this 35-acre estate. Hills and Dales video on PBS

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake

     We’re all rooting for our neighbors Marcus and Amani Pollard in THE AMAZING RACE’s final episode airing December 11^th on CBS at 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT. Marcus and Amani, who own Maize N’ Grace – the country chic boutique located just a few doors down from Retreat’s office on the Square, are one of the shows 3 finalist teams.  

After racing through 4 continents, 20 cities and nearly 40,000 miles Marcus Pollard, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound former NFL player, describes the competition in the last episode “It was like David and Goliath”. “They (Andy & Tommy) were like giants, and we were the Davids.” They seem poised to win, and, as Andy puts it, they’ve gotten to “experience God’s awesome creation.” Everyone on LaGrange’s Main street will be cheering for Marcus and Amani to win when all three “David” teams race against one another for the million dollar prize. In final episode titled “Go Out and Get It Done” the final three teams will race to Atlanta, Ga. You Tube Video

by Ken Breland, Director of Sales & Marketing for Retreat on West Point Lake
Broker, West Point Lake Realty

The 35th annual Christmas parade was a big hit to the thousands who watched along LaGrange’s downtown streets.  Of Course, Santa Claus was on hand with Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer before the parade. Mayor Jeff Lukken and chamber board Chairwoman Renae Willis flipped the switch to illuminate the downtown tree at pre-parade ceremonies on the square.

 This year’s parade theme was “A Perfectly Painted Christmas”. “What a great way for the community to celebrate our rich cultural arts during the holidays” said Parade chairman Kimberly Skiff. This year the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce also partnered with Toys for Tots to distribute the toys to children throughout Troup County as a part of the activities.

The parade procession led by Parade grand marshals Annie and Oliver Greene turned up Main Street to march right in front of Retreat’s office on Lafayette Square.

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake

As a part of Retreat’s community outreach and support effort we are happy to have Melissa the Bride from LaGrange Academy here in our office on the Square. Melissa is visiting local shops in town promoting the LaGrange Academy’s 2012 Annual Auction. According to Melissa “the theme of this year’s auction on February 4, 2012, is ‘My Big Fat Academy Wedding’. Yes, she says we are throwing a wedding without a bride and groom. This is your chance to experience your ‘dream wedding’ without the price tag, without the stress, and there are no strings attached! You have the opportunity to go home with ‘wedding gifts’, honeymoon trips, etc. We are even offering the renewal of vows early in the evening. You do not want to miss this”

Held at the River Mill Centre in Columbus, the auction is LaGrange Academy’s major annual fundraiser. Hardman Knox and Ken Breland from Retreat attended last year’s auction and had a ball. Call 706-882-8097 to get your tickets.

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake

The fishing was fantastic on a chilly Georgia day that started out at 39 and reached a high of 46 degrees. Realtor Ben Yates, his son Richard, and Coach Charles Parker of LaGrange Academy accompanied  me and Retreat resident and Fox Sports South outdoor celebrity Joey Mines. But don’t worry, successful fishing, ample fresh coffee and Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuits kept us all warm and happy.

We filled our time with great stories (which we’ll keep to ourselves) and our fishing well with a bunch of Spotted Bass keepers in just a few hours. We tossed back the few small ones and along with a lone crappie and some largemouth bass. What a great morning on the lake! Wish you were here!         

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake
Broker West Point Lake Realty

 “Make a Joyful Noise,” an original work by First Presbyterian Church of LaGrange organist David Kocsis, will open the concert season of the Choral Society of West Georgia, featuring the LaGrange Civic Chorale. The Annual Concert of Thanksgiving and Praise will be Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 20, and at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of The First Presbyterian Church in downtown LaGrange. This service has become a West Georgia Tradition. The Church is located in downtown LaGrange at 120 Broad Street.

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake

Enjoy the Most Spectacular Holiday Light and Sound Show in the South from November 18 through December 30, 2011. Nestled amidst wooded landscape of Callaway Gardens, Fantasy In Lights is the Southeast’s most spectacular holiday light and sound show with more than eight million twinkling lights celebrating the holiday season.  This spectacular show has attracted almost two million visitors since it opened in 1992.  Now in its 20th year, Fantasy In Lights has become an essential holiday tradition for many families, as much as a part of the season as caroling or attending “The Nutcracker.”  Ticket info.  

By Ken Breland, Director of Sales and Marketing Retreat on West Point Lake