LAREDO, Texas — U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar is setting his sights on expanding and upgrading Camp Huisache in Laredo, pledging to explore new funding opportunities to enhance the 30-acre outdoor youth facility on Lake Casa Blanca for South Texas scouts.
Speaking with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Cuellar emphasized that providing a dedicated, modern space for youth development along the border remains a top priority.
"It's something that I want to look at in the near future to see if we can fix up even more," Cuellar said. "When you don't really have this type of camp for our scouts, it is vitally important. It is one that, in my opinion, I'm looking at maybe expanding in the future... where they have a place to go, they have a place to call home."
During the interview, Cuellar singled out longtime Laredo educator and community leader Blas Castañeda for his foundational role in organizing the regional coalition that brought Camp Huisache from concept to reality.
"Back some time ago when we were looking at building that, I was working with different community leaders, including Blas Castañeda," Cuellar recalled. "We needed a place for our young folks, and so we worked on that... I certainly want to thank [Blas Castañeda] and other folks that were involved."
Cuellar praised Castañeda’s grassroots mobilization, noting that his leadership was instrumental in rallying public officials, local businesses, and residents behind the project.
"He was a leader in organizing the community to come and support this camp," Cuellar added.
Situated along State Representative Henry Cuellar Roadway near Lake Casa Blanca, Camp Huisache has served thousands of South Texas youth since opening its doors in May 1997.
The facility features six campsites, program shelters, outdoor areas for archery, hiking, and fishing, and a 10,000-square-foot administration and conference center housing the Aztec Service Center. Managed by a program coordinator and caretaker with a Laredo-based professional staff, the camp supports both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts alongside other youth-serving civic organizations across the region.
The camp’s road designation stems directly from Cuellar’s early legislative efforts in Austin. While serving on the House Appropriations Committee in the Texas Legislature, Cuellar secured significant state funding to improve infrastructure at Lake Casa Blanca State Park, including pier and picnic area renovations. In recognition of those contributions and his support for Camp Huisache, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) named the access roadway leading to the camp in his honor.
As previously reported by the Rio Grande Guardian, the creation of Camp Huisache filled a major void in Webb County youth infrastructure. Prior to its construction, local troops operated without a permanent headquarters, holding meetings in open fields en el monte and storing supplies in car trunks.
In the late 1980s, Castañeda teamed up with the late Jorge Verduzco, then-executive vice president of International Bank of Commerce (IBC), to co-chair a regional fundraising and development committee. The initiative brought together a wide network of regional leaders:
Beyond physical infrastructure, leaders emphasize that Camp Huisache’s mission centers on academic retention and leadership development for border youth. A bronze scout statue near the entrance—modeled after Castañeda’s son Carlos, sculpted by local artist Mr. Hinojosa, and funded by French Ellison Trucking—stands as a lasting symbol of the community's investment.
With plans underway to secure additional funding for site improvements and program expansion, Cuellar aims to ensure Camp Huisache remains a premier hub for South Texas scouts for generations to come.
This video provides firsthand context from community leader Blas Castañeda detailing the grassroots efforts and public-private partnerships that established Camp Huisache in Laredo:
