The Balladeer Children’s Program had some great events in March — including a visit to Tiebreakers, plus bouldering — as well as the opportunity to attend a play and an All-Star Monster Truck Tour event. And the spring schedule is filled with more fun activities!
The Balladeer program, a free benefit for Ballad Health employees, is intended to strengthen family bonds and relationships among our Ballad Health family. Activities include visits to area attractions, picnics in local parks, holiday celebrations and activities, sports activities, discount tickets for attractions or events, treats, take-home projects and much more.
Here’s what the Balladeers have been up to lately and what they’ve got coming up.
March events
March 15: Appalachian Bouldering Center + We Rock the Spectrum
- We partnered with these two small businesses in Bristol to bring our families a wide variety of fun. We had around 100 people participate between these two locations.
- Appalachian Bouldering Center closed its doors to the public so we could host a private, Balladeer-only event. Free admission for all families. There was a quick orientation on safety and climbing techniques; we had climbers of all ages trying out the rock wall.
- We also hosted families at We Rock the Spectrum, located just across the parking lot from Appalachian Bouldering Center. This location provides indoor play tailored to younger children, with zip lines, trampolines, imagination stations, craft stations and more!
- Owner Caitlin Soule loved the opportunity to stay open after hours just so our families could come and have some fun. She even said since the event, several of our families have returned on their own time to play again!
- Parked in between these two events was Husky Mountain Eatery, a local food truck serving delicious hamburgers and ice cream.
March 29: Tiebreakers
- Our families have requested an event at Tiebreakers for a long time now, and we finally were able to make it happen!
- Children were provided play cards for the arcade so they could enjoy some games. Many of our Balladeer children left with arms full of prizes from the arcade
- All families were given the opportunity to play laser tag and hyper bowling during our event. We also had a private event space set up where families could get pizza, salad, drinks, and desserts
- More than 150 people attended this event.
March Giveaways: ‘Charlotte’s Web‘ and All-Star Monster Truck Tour
- On top of the fun events we hosted, we also gave tickets to families to catch “Charlotte’s Web”at The Cameo Theatre in Bristol and for the All-Star Monster Truck Tour hosted at Appalachian Fairgrounds in Gray.
- For “Charlotte’s Web,” families had three different show opportunities, all on weekends in March.
- For the All-Star Monster Truck Tour, families received tickets for the Sunday event. It was a perfect and sunny day for this!
- Between these two giveaways, 150 people were able to enjoy these limited-time opportunities.
Event photos
Appalachian Bouldering Center and We Rock the Spectrum
“Charlotte’s Web” and Monster Trucks
Tiebreakers
Upcoming events
- April 25 – Balladeers at Bristol Caverns
- This event is full. If you’d like to be put on the waitlist, please click the following link: https://form.jotform.com/260923735100146
- May 9 – Mother’s Day Tea Parties (Kingsport and Greeneville)
- Two sessions in Kingsport and two sessions in Greeneville. Space will be limited; registration will be sent by email soon!
- May 16 – Balladeer Service Project Day (West Market Street, Johnson City)
- Join us for a beautification service project at one of our Early Learning Centers! Three work sessions available. More information and details will be sent soon.
- May 23 – Balladeer Service Project Day (Signal Drive, Johnson City)
- Join us for a beautification service project at one of our Early Learning Centers! Three work sessions available. More information and details will be sent soon.
- June 20 – Father’s Day Pool Parties (Kingsport and Jonesborough)
- Pool parties are open to all Balladeer families. More information and details will be sent 3-4 weeks prior to the event.
- June (dates TBD) – Family Baseball Tickets
- Families will have the opportunity to win tickets to see an Appalachian League baseball game of their choosing! More information and details will be sent closer to this event.
*Get ready for the BEST summer ever with Balladeer! We’ve got four weeks of summer camps and fun weekly opportunities planned as well. Stay tuned via email; you won’t want to miss this!
Reminders
- The Balladeer Children’s Program is now featured on the Ballad Health Teams App! Check the app to find enrollment information, pictures, Balladeer-exclusive discounts and more.
- Balladeer Dollywood Day, which is typically held in May, will be on Sept. 19 this year. Mark your calendars now!
- NOTE: We know this is the same weekend as the Rod Run in Pigeon Forge. The event manager told us that Dollywood is typically less crowded on that weekend. While heavy traffic is expected in the area, we think it’ll be a great day at Dollywood! More details to come.
- Unless explicitly stated, Balladeer events are limited to the team member and those who live in their immediate household with them.
- Please honor your commitments to attend events and notify us if you can’t attend. When you register and don’t notify us that you won’t be attending, your spots remain empty when they could have been used by other children and families. This also takes away from our budget, resulting in less events being offered throughout the year.
About the Balladeer Children’s Program
While enrolling in the Balladeer Children’s Program is free, there is a cost associated with some of the activities.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Balladeer Children’s Program is for Ballad Health direct hires who have children between the ages 3-18 years old living in their household. They MUST live with you to qualify for the program.
- Here’s an FAQ about eligibility for the Balladeer Children’s Program, posted to the Balladeer site on the Ballad Health intranet.
- Click here to access the program enrollment form.
- Check out the updated Balladeer Children’s Program site on the Ballad Health intranet.
Once you’re enrolled, please remember that you must register for any Balladeer event you wish to attend. Registration and information are sent via email at least two weeks prior to an event. If you aren’t receiving Balladeer emails, please reach out to Shawna DeHart at shawna.gragg@balladhealth.org.
