Greetings from the Northwoods, The great Philip Sanders once said that what makes Camp Chippewa special is not the two beautiful lakes, the forest, or the variety of the activities, but the people. By the time this reaches you, we will be five days into staff orientation and well past the quiet of opening week. Alongside clearing cobwebs and putting docks in the lake, our staff are busy with a different kind of work. This week, we are not only reviewing logistics and safety protocols, or how...
12 days ago • 1 min read
Camp is waking up from its winter slumber. Staff have begun to arrive, and you can smell breakfast being made with care. The couple of weeks leading up to the arrival of campers are filled with putting in docks, cleaning cobwebs out of cabins, rigging sailboats, and much more. My favorite part of this pre-camp time is staff training. Staff arrive in waves based on their certifications. This summer, we have staff being certified (or recertified) in wilderness first aid, whitewater canoeing,...
19 days ago • 1 min read
I frequently offer to write letters of recommendation. Just this year, I have written letters endorsing admission to private middle schools, universities, graduate schools, and a variety of jobs. When a deadline approaches, I groan, admonishing my past self for volunteering for what feels like extra work. Begrudgingly (all about honesty here in True North), I sit down, open a new window in Google Docs, and start to write. Then, suddenly, I’m fine. The annoyance evaporates. The words flow. The...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
The other day, something very important happened. I was invited to go ice fishing with my father-in-law and grandfather-in-law. To understand why this is such a big deal, you need to know two things. First, Erv (grandfather-in-law) guards his fishing spots like national security secrets. Months ago, while admiring a 56-pound (yes, 56-pound) muskie mounted in his home, I asked Erv where he caught the monster. “Secret Lake,” he replied, with that constant twinkle of humor in his eye. I should...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hi NAME, Welcome to May! We are officially on the home stretch before we kick off the Year of the Woodsman and our 91st summer. We are so excited to welcome your son to the Northwoods and the shores of Cass Lake. With summer around the corner, we thought it would be perfect timing to share a little bit about the travel ninja, Will Norris. He is the mastermind behind camper and staff travel coordination and all things program scheduling at camp. Without further delay, here is Will’s 5 Favorite...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hello Reader, Welcome back to our series on the Top 5 things we love about camp. If you missed our previous Top 5 lists, you can view Sam's and mine (Ryan). Up next is the incredible Jacob Endres. You may have heard from Jacob recently in one of his gentle reminders about completing your camp forms by April 30th. You are not alone- I just finished mine last week. 🙂 He is also the mastermind behind our tripping program and ensures all of our boys have an incredible time on the trail. We hope...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
This summer, our campers are coming from 27 different states (and four different countries!). They’ve spent anywhere from zero to nine summers at Camp Chippewa. Their favorite hobbies range from hockey to video games to reading to theater to rock climbing. Their biggest fears about this summer include eating new foods, thunderstorms, being away from their parents, missing their girlfriends, touching weeds in the lake, or not watching Mexico play in the World Cup. On one hand, all our campers...
2 months ago • 3 min read
In the summer, I go canoeing with teenagers. During trips that last from ten days to three weeks, I see no one other than teenagers. We paddle. Get rained on. Make fires. Laugh until we cry. Sleep in tents. Paddle some more. Eat. Paddle. Fish. Paddle. Breathe in the clean air of the outdoors. I leave the trips tan, bug-bitten, and completely refreshed. And, whether I like it or not, I get fully up-to-date on teenage slang, which often takes me weeks to shake, much to the chagrin of my wife....
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hello Reader, Welcome back to part two of our favorite things about Camp. If you missed part 1, check it out here. There are so many incredible things that happen at camp throughout the summer. These are the things that stick out the most. Without delay, let’s jump in… My (Ryan) Top 5 Things: Staff Training This may be an unexpected choice, but hear me out. Staff training is about 10 days long and is jam-packed with skill-building opportunities staff need to ensure a successful summer....
3 months ago • 2 min read