Full Circle at Camp Grady Spruce: A Family's Legacy Comes Home

For Mike “Marv” Bateman, Camp Grady Spruce isn’t just a place on a map—it’s a part of his DNA.

From childhood weekends under canvas tents to leading the water ski program as a young adult, Mike’s connection to Grady Spruce spans decades and generations. “Pretty much, you know, I was always there,” he says with a smile.

He camped there with his parents and siblings, watched his own daughter and stepdaughter experience camp in the same cabins, and spent countless summers helping build the spirit of camp—first as a camper, then as staff, later as a board member, and always as a believer in its mission.

(Main Cabin Tents, 1978)

A Surprise That Speaks Volumes

A month ago, Mike, the Managing Director of Sales at Higginbotham, was hosting his final Higginbotham Leadership Conference after 23 years. Midway through the event, Higginbotham’s Chairman/CEO, Rusty Reid, surprised him on stage. As Mike’s wife and daughter joined him, Rusty unveiled a picture of a newly built Ray Bean cabin.

Rusty Reid, President and CEO of Higginbotham (left) and Mike Bateman (right)

Rusty, a longtime friend and former donor to camp, quietly organized a surprise gift with help from Higginbotham Partners, Board of Directors and the Higginbotham Community Fund—coming together to fund a new cabin at Camp Grady Spruce in honor of Mike’s decades of dedication to camp.

“It was a full-circle moment,” Mike recalls. “We grew up together, we were in YMCA Indian Guides—now known as Adventure Guides—and have worked together professionally for many years. Now he’s honoring my family this way.”

The Batemans later requested that the name be updated to reflect their whole family (The Bateman Family Cabin)—a nod to how deeply Camp Grady Spruce is rooted in their lives.

A Place for Legacy and Leadership

Mike’s connection to the camp has never been about buildings—it’s about belonging. Still, he’s the first to say how critical the capital campaign is to ensure future campers experience the same magic.

“This kind of place teaches love and leadership,” he says. “Camp has always had the heart. Now, with these improvements, it has the home it deserves—for generations to come.”

Mike and his wife have contributed to the new Welcome Center—an addition he sees as long overdue. “We’ve talked about these upgrades for some time now. To finally see it happening—it’s exciting and necessary.”

He’s also witnessed the progress firsthand. With property nearby, Mike often checks in on the construction and sees how much possibility is being built into every corner—from the Ray Bean dining hall to the future equestrian center.

Coming Home Again

Mike speaks often of legacy, but not in abstract terms. For him, it means family reunions, passing on stories, and the joy of seeing old photos become new memories. “Now that the cabins are rebuilt, we’re planning to go back for a family reunion. We’ve got pictures from when every child and grandchild was there. It’s time to make more.”

And while his story might feel extraordinary, he knows it’s one that many can share—with the help of this campaign.

“Whether it’s your child, a military family, or someone who’s never experienced the outdoors—this place changes lives.”

Camp Grady Spruce changed his. And thanks to the gifts made in his honor, and by his own hand, it will keep changing lives for generations to come.