6:00 am. The alarm sounds, and I reach over to silence it. Before I even open my eyes, my mind begins to churn with all the tasks for the day ahead of me. I think through each meal and its many components: “Did I get the bread out of the freezer?” “Has the meat been thawed?” “Oh yes, I need to communicate with that trip leader and ask if he needs a frozen dinner for the first night of their trip.” I enter the kitchen and almost methodically open the various windows and doors and turn on the...
12 days ago • 3 min read
Camp Chippewa is special for more reasons than one can describe in a few paragraphs. In the shortest form, camp’s mission is focused around adventure, tradition, and character. They sum up camp beautifully. But I often feel a vital aspect is missing from that phrase. Adventure is found in every paddle stroke, every campfire, every morning dip, every arrow that finds its mark. Tradition flows from morning table grace songs to coveted tams earned, to Taps played each evening before lights out....
19 days ago • 2 min read
Sometimes I go online and look at camp websites. Wow, some are flashy. Waterslides. Horseback riding. Zip-lines. When I look at camps in Upstate New York and Maine, I wade through glitzy websites showing kids having lots of fun in extravagant ways. The recipe initially makes some sense; better toys should equal more fun. But, as we all know, the value of camp is far simpler than wake surfing behind a million-dollar boat. The other night, I was reminded about what’s most important at camp (and...
26 days ago • 2 min read
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...
about 1 month 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,...
about 1 month 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 2 months 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...
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...
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...
3 months ago • 2 min read