Alumni Do Work Despite Restrictions
Our annual work camp accomplished a great deal this spring in spite of the social distancing, travel, and other restrictions set forth by Minnesota’s Stay Safe Plan and Camp Voyageur’s COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.
Posts tagged with pre-camp
Safe Travels and Safe Returns: A Wilderness First Aid Experience
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a beautiful, pristine and remote area which becomes home to more than 250,000 visitors with every summer. Although sublime, Minnesota’s pride and joy, the BWCA, is a dangerous place for the exact reason we as campers, counselors and visitors appreciate it; it’s remote, untapped and uninhabited by everything outside the wonders and glories of the great outdoors and those who adventure around it. After all, our beloved north woods are considered a pristine wilderness. This information is not made to scare you, but in fact, is there to reassure you of the staff’s...
Staff Training Begins!
The paths are raked, the cabins swept and the stage is set for 2019 staff training. As the second week of work camp comes to an end, we say goodbye to generous CV friends and alumni who volunteer valuable hard work and time to prepare facilities for incoming staff. Thanks to Phil Dodge, Tom (N’orleans), the Clarks, Jim and Jim, Kerry Claros and Will Carls. Mikey Meves, along with his crew from Menomonie, and Alex Kvanli cleared brush, downed trees, then cut and moved the logs from the depths of the forest to the sauna. Although hauling wood is back-breaking...
Voyageur Staff Prepare Camp for the Season
As the long awaited first day of camp approaches, our staff are wrapping up their training and preparation. While the staff this year have a breadth of experience at the helm, it’s still important to have a thorough refresher, brushing up on everything from safety protocols to the “art” of making sure all campers feel included in the program. But still, two weeks to do that?! Well, there’s more to it… What is “pre-camp”? Preparation has always consisted of a wide array of topics that include everything we could possibly encounter up here. Of course, that includes a healthy number...
The Staff Trip: Camping Like It's Your Job
Once per summer, some of the most qualified wilderness leaders of the century gather in one location to test and hone their skills. That place happens to be Camp Voyageur. And these wilderness leaders I speak of? Why, they’re our camp counselors of course! Over the past two weeks, our counselors have been put through the ringer. They’ve been trained and tested in risk management, wilderness first aid, life-guarding, CPR, aquatics and water safety, behavior management, counseling techniques, transportation safety, healthcare, and a number of specialized activities we do here at camp. That’s not including the other certifications they need...
"Make Camp Great Again"
Camp is what you put into it. This has been true since its founding in 1951. In fact, most of the structures and facilities around camp have been built up not only under the direction of the Erdmann family, but with the combined foresight and initiative from our counselors. Without them, few of our favorite in-camp facilities would be around, and even fewer traditions that generations of campers have enjoyed would exist. In recent years however, we’ve had to focus more on maintenance than lofty projects. Many an alumni can testify after a quick tour of the facilities that camp...
A Tale of Two Staff Trips
Perhaps the most anticipated pre-camp activity for staff is the canoe trip, where counselors, new and old alike, are “broken-in” on the trail. What does this mean exactly? Well, despite most counselors at CV being part-time Olympic athletes, it takes a good Boundary Waters trip to get back into the rhythm of camping, warm up the shoulders, and work on some… logistics. Every year, at least two staff trips go out. A group leader is assigned to each trip (typically the veteran counselors). The trip is planned and prepared for as any trip with campers would be. Between each planning...
Day 5 Pre-camp: Camp is for the Campers
After introductions have been made, the docks have been set in place for the season, and all the boats have been accounted for, pre-camp gets right down to business: staff training and... tree planting. Counselors are given subjects to present, covering a wide variety of topics. Several pots of coffee will be brewed throughout the day, with enthusiastic discussions about everything from risk management in camp and on the trail to the behavior management and social development of campers. These presentations typically take a day or two to get through and make extensive use of scenarios and the past experiences...