The Benefits of a Small Summer Camp

By John Burgman
November 01, 2025 (comments)

Years ago, at the onset of a camp session, a weighty proposition was made: A candy bar would be awarded to the first person who could memorize and recite the names of every kid at camp. To my surprise, in just a few hours, several campers and counselors had done just that, learning everyone’s first and last name, along with their cabin numbers. Instead of splitting the candy bar into several pieces, the stakes were raised: Two candy bars would be awarded to the first person who could memorize and recite everyone’s hometown, in addition to the names. Sure enough,...

Few Places Like Camp Voyageur Are Left

By Alex Kvanli
December 01, 2024 (comments)

How many places are left where kids can disconnect from modern distractions for a month, immerse themselves in nature, create lifelong friendships, AND build character? Camp Voyageur offers an increasingly rare and valuable experience at a time when day camps are replacing overnight summer camps, year-round sports are displacing exploratory summers, and glamping is often mistaken for real camping. While learning wilderness camping skills can take people to extraordinary places, the true outcome of a summer camp program lies in fostering the growth of the whole person. Each night in camp, two different-colored floodlights and (sometimes) one soft-white lightbulb bring...

The Voyageur Spirit

By John Erdmann
May 02, 2024 (comments)

As the French Canadian Voyageurs of old toiled to open the northwoods, so too are you encouraged to travel new waters at Camp Voyageur. The Voyageur Spirit is an unselfish one. Certainly your stay will be enjoyable. Yet part of the enjoyment is its cooperative nature. This means thinking of other people rather than just yourself. By giving a helping hand, however small, you grow too. By lightening the burden of another all benefit. The camaraderie of friends is obvious. Yet that spirit goes deeper here. The Voyageur Spirit includes an appreciation for camp. The neat grounds, stacked sauna wood,...

Beyond the Tower

By John Erdmann
February 19, 2021 (comments)

Believe it or not, a few years ago there were no cell phones. Hard wired phones (remember telephone poles) have been around for over a century. At first callers asked an operator to literally patch them through to another telephone. At a central office, she would plug two lines together. When rural houses shared a “party line,” if you picked up the phone to hear people talking, you’d hang up and try when the line was not in use. No biggie, but people preferred a private telephone line, eventually adding multiple telephone sets, some children even got personal land lines....

Take A Break From Organized Youth Sports This Summer

By Alex Kvanli
February 11, 2020 (comments)

I love to play sports. I’ve participated in, coached, watched, and learned about sports my whole life. I even have a degree in physical education. I’m not denying the beneficial role of sports in our lives. Many of us believe that sports play an integral role in developing fundamental values in our children such as teamwork, commitment, and effort. They build character and keep kids out of trouble. Certainly, participating in sports has its merits. It’s easy to glorify sports and professional athletes. They dominate the media. Athletes are constantly in the limelight and one who has made it to...

3 Musts in the BWCA

By Hal Holmes
January 21, 2020 (comments)

Oftentimes the best advice is the shortest. Keep these 3 useful sayings in mind during your next canoe-camping adventure and you will be surprised how much better they will make your life!

5 Things We're Thankful For

By Alex Kvanli
November 26, 2019 (comments)

Too often, we focus on what we don’t have versus what we do have. It’s important to take the time and show gratitude for some of the things we take for granted. Here you’ll find 5 things to be thankful for, Camp Voyageur Northwoods Edition.

Staying Inside Could Harm The Environment

By Alex Kvanli
April 07, 2019 (comments)

A study in 2008 suggested that per capita participation in nature recreation is declining at a rate of approximately -1.0% to -1.3% per year (Pergams & Zaradic, 2008). It does not seem like much, but what if the trend continues for a century? The rise of technology and shift in popular culture may be behind this shift. The effects of spending less time in nature could affect our personal and environmental health (Mark & Janssen, 2008; Matthews & Riley, 1995).

City-Dwellers: Your Creativity May Be At Risk

By Alex Kvanli
March 27, 2019 (comments)

Could living in a city affect your creativity? Over half of the world’s population is now living in urban areas (UN News Centre, 2014). One result of increased urbanization is that people are spending less time in nature. Furthermore, technology and the ease of access to information may be decreasing our time for contemplative and creative thinking. Research suggests that these implications may have detrimental effects on our health and wellbeing. Unnatural environments’ effect on animals On the surface, some factors that may contribute to the negative health effects of living in a city could be the air pollution, crime...

A True Well-Rounded Education

By Alex Kvanli
February 28, 2019 (comments)

Don’t trust the gradebooks.