Change of Venue Sunday from Bikes and Brats to Ropes and Rocks

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

The spring thunder snowstorm blanketing the Twin Cities prompts this newsletter right on the heels of the last one to announce a change of plans for the CV gathering this Sunday afternoon. Snow cancels the bike ride and picnic at Lake Calhoun, so we will move indoors for rock climbing.

Date: Sunday April 14
Time: 2-4 pm
Place: Vertical Endeavors
2540 Nicollet Ave.
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: (612)436-1470
website with waiver
Minnesota campers, alumni and friends are invited to join us this Sunday afternoon, April 14th, at Vertical Endeavors in Minneapolis, 2-4 pm. Bring the rock climbing signed waiver to climb on Sunday. CV staff will be on hand to share maps and tell you about the coming camp season. Trip director Larry Zelenz will roll in fresh from a Montana fishing trip to share plans for exploring the Boundary Waters and beyond this summer. Bring your friends and families for an afternoon of fun and harness up and climb at Vertical Endeavors.

Hop on LZ's Walleye Opener Hunt

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

There's still time for you to join Larry Zelenz for walleye opener May 10-16, the best week to stalk the elusive walleye. Beat the crowd and take the weather Ma Nature dishes out to slay walleyes in some favorite haunts. With some luck, you'll get your fill of fish. We can't guarantee a stringer like in the picture above, but you'll get the best chance of the year at 'em. Contact Deb to learn more.

Veteran Staff for 2013

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Returning counselors include Savannah College of Art and Design student Drake Roth, who will keep the craft shop humming. New Hampshirite Ned Yonkers will take a summer break from Lake Forest College to entertain Voyageurs on our stage and share his love of our wilderness. John Sitzmann of St. John's College in Annapolis will philosophize on the camp setting again. Back yard hockey great Charlie Steiner will join us for another season on the water. Hoopster Rauson Clower will fly in from Singapore to join us for another summer, improv phenom Adam Mitchell will return after his first year at George Mason University, Indianan Chris Roslander will represent DePauw University and CIT Mike Neal will share his latest Dylan interpretations. Purdue student and CV girls trip veteran Anna Keller will lead our two girls trips into the Boundary Waters. Nurse Paula Hill will again oversee our health care center, while bakers extraordinaire Nina Haaversen and Jan Rue will again serve up comfort food favorites.

Voyageur Foundation Board Holds Organizational Meeting

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Last Sunday at the home of Vicki and Bill Burgman in Zionsville, Indiana, the founding board of the Voyageur Foundation elected Phil Wickizer president, David Willkie vice president and Marcus Freihofer treasurer. Other board members include Walt Kuhn, Bill Hebert, Mike Smith, Dick Kraege and Kevin O'Kane. Alumni Steve Pratt and Katie Miller spearheaded formation of the Indiana charitable foundation to distribute camper scholarships to deserving kids. Scholarships will be awarded based on merit or financial need. The board welcomes your suggestions of worthy scholarship candidates.

Summer is Just Around the Corner

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

The calendar tells us summer is around the bend. There's still time if you want to join us at camp. Sign up now and save your bunk.
Guided Family Canoe Trips
June 22-26
July 20-24
August 3-7
Guided family canoe trips will hit the trail the day after each boys' session. Invite your boy to share what he learned about the Boundary Waters while at camp. No experience is necessary and this is the ideal way to enjoy the woods with family members young and old. Leave all the trip planning, food, gear and guiding to us, if you wish.
Work camp
May 13-17
Volunteers join us as we open up camp for the season. This can be the best working vacation of the season, as we clean cabins and chip away at maintenance projects to ready CV for the summer. Join us for great food, meet new friends and we'll fire up the sauna. Earlybirds welcome, because we'll welcome our first group to camp May 15-20.

Boys' Sessions
June 9-June 22
June 23-July 20
July 21-August 3

Girls' Sessions
June 23-July 2
July 5-July 14

Canoe Outfitting
June 1-September 1
Reserve your canoe outfitting gear through us. We can reserve permits, help you with route planning and complete or partially outfit you for your next canoe vacation. Plan early to get the best permits and reserve your gear. We're here to help.

Happy Birthday to Camp Voyageur's founder, Charlie Erdmann

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Camp founder Charlie Erdmann would have turned 105 years old on April 1st...no foolin'. He grew up in Cincinnati and was introduced to camping through his Sunday-school teacher, Ewart "Sink" Simpkinson. Charlie attended and worked at Camp Boothbay in Bath, Maine for 11 years. The picture to the right is his staff photo from the Camp Boothbay 1932 Yearbook, a handsome 24 year old counselor. That experience shaped his life so profoundly that he and his wife Mim purchased Voyageur Camp, as it was known in 1950. Answering a magazine ad, he drove from Greencastle, IN to Ely, MN and was struck by camp's sheltered harbor on the edge of the canoeing wilderness. He returned home and told Mim that he'd found the perfect place "to grow boys". She encouraged and supported him to pursue his dream. Together they built a solid program, using noncompetitive sports coupled with wilderness trips...activities campers could enjoy for a lifetime. They watched hundreds of boys grow up while making lifetime friends in the north woods.
For many years taxable donation have provided limited camper scholarships. To honor Charlie and Mim's work, we are pleased to announce that, with the help of CV alumni Steve Pratt, we have formed the Voyageur Foundation (an Indiana 501c3 charitable organization). This year the foundation board could begin distributing scholarships to candidates based on merit or financial need. Please contact us at camp for more information about the foundation, how you can become involved and to recommend camp scholarship candidates.

Biking and Brats in the Twin Cities

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

We're headed to Minneapolis in a few weeks to meet with campers, alumni and folks interested in learning more about the upcoming season. Join us for the afternoon of biking and brats on the south side of Lake Calhoun and picnic at Thomas Beach. Bring your bike or walking shoes.

Date: Sunday April 14
Time: 2-4 pm
Place: Thomas Beach
Lake Calhoun
Minneapolis, MN

RSVP by April 10 (800-950-7291)

Camp is for Everyone.

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

There are lots of ways for people of all ages to join us at camp.

Walleye Opener
May 10-16

Join Larry Zelenz for walleye opener 2013 in mid-May. Larry will guide anglers for the best fishing opportunities of the season. Come prepared for any kind of weather, but rest assured you'll get your fill of fish!

Guided Family Canoe Trips

June 22-26
July 20-24
August 3-7
Guided family canoe trips will hit the trail the day after each boys' session. Invite your boy to share what he learned about the Boundary Waters while at camp. No experience is necessary and this is the ideal way to enjoy the woods with family members young and old. Leave all the trip planning, food, gear and guiding to us.

CV Calendar

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PDT

Work camp
May 13-17
Volunteers join us as we open up camp for the season. This can be the best working vacation of the season, as we clean cabins and chip away at maintenance projects to ready CV for the summer. Join us for great food, meet new friends and we'll fire up the sauna. Earlybirds welcome, because we'll welcome our first group to camp May 15-20.

Boys' Sessions
June 9-June 22
June 23-July 20
July 21-August 3

Girls' Sessions
June 23-July 2
July 5-July 14

Canoe Outfitting
June 1-September 1
Reserve your canoe outfitting gear through us. We can reserve permits, help you with route planning and complete or partially outfit you for your next canoe vacation. Plan early to get the best permits and reserve your gear. We're here to help.

Cold Weather Zaps Peninsula

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 PST

A deep freeze and howling winds are reminders that we've not experienced a real Minnesota winter in years. Northern lights hang bright and stars sparkle like gems in a dark, dry 35 F below night sky. Thankfully, the sun packs a little more punch each day, and 3 more minutes of daylight.
Hosting the 20th annual Voyageur Winter Festival, Ely is a beehive of winter activities this week. Tourists and locals celebrate with giant snow sculptures, spaghetti feeds, dog sled rides, snowshoe and cross country ski races, craft shows, concerts, the Polar Bear Dance, ice fishing contests and local artists and craftsmen display their work throughout town in co-operating stores front windows in the Ely Artwalk.
Each day also brings us a little closer to the summer camp season. Trip director Larry Zelenz already reserved Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) permits for June and July. If you have not, send in your registration in soon so he can plug you into the trip chart. To reserve each wilderness permit we ideally need the names of three or four registered campers. Contact Deb for registration materials.

Midwest Promotional Tour

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 PST

This weekend John Erdmann, Bill and Vicki Burgman will travel to Indianapolis and Chicago, and on to Minneapolis come April. Join them to see camp friends, hear about trips for 2013, pick up the latest Paddle Post and watch last summer's movie. This is the best way to introduce Camp Voyageur to friends and family.

Indianapolis, Indiana
Saturday, February 9, 2013
2-4 pm
Cool Creek Park and Nature Center
2000 E 151st St.
Carmel, IN 46032

Chicago, Illinois
Sunday, February 10, 2013
10 am-2 pm
Daniel Wright Junior High School
1370 North Riverwoods Road
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
Saturday, April 13, 2013
11 am-6 pm
All for Kids Expo
The Rec Center
37000 Monterey Drive
St. Louis Park, MN 55426

Sunday, April 14, 2013
2 pm-4 pm
Camp Voyageur Sponsored Event
Bike Ride and Picnic
Lake Calhoun
Save the date...details to follow

Guided Canoe Trips

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 PST

Ever dream about a BWCAW canoe trip with family and friends? Camp Voyageur outfitting service can make that dream come true. Plan your own trip or we can provide experienced guides for your canoe vacation. Contact Deb to get the ball rolling, because wilderness permits are precious and are reserved on a first come first served basis.

Fishing Opener May 10-16
Larry Zelenz will guide anglers for the best fishing opportunities of the season. Come prepared for any kind of weather, but rest assured you'll get your fill of fish!

Guided Family Canoe Trips
No experience is necessary and this is the ideal way to enjoy the woods with family members young and old. Leave all the trip planning, food, gear and guiding to us. These trips are at the conclusion of each boy's session so families can travel in the woods with their children after camp.

June 22-26
July 20-24
August 3-7

Work Camp 2013

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 PST

Volunteers join us as we open up camp for the season. During this early season working vacation we clean cabins and work on maintenance chores to ready CV for the summer. It's really more alot more fun than it sounds.

Camp Calendar

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 PST

Boys Sessions:
June 9-June 22
June 23-July 20
July 21-August 3

Girls Sessions:
June 23-July 2
July 5-July 14

Canoe Outfitting
June 1-September 1

Camp Catch-Up

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 PST

Congratulations to Jack Davidson, engaged to Laura Perkins, a Duke Graduate and a Social Worker who shares Jacks love of canoeing and the out-of-doors.

Camp Voyageur - Summer Camp for Boys

Change of Venue Sunday from Bikes and Brats to Ropes and Rocks

Hop on LZ's Walleye Opener Hunt

Veteran Staff for 2013

Voyageur Foundation Board Holds Organizational Meeting

Summer is Just Around the Corner

Happy Birthday to Camp Voyageur's founder, Charlie Erdmann

Biking and Brats in the Twin Cities

Camp is for Everyone.

CV Calendar

Cold Weather Zaps Peninsula

Midwest Promotional Tour

Guided Canoe Trips

Work Camp 2013

Camp Calendar

Camp Catch-Up