The New Case for a Tech-Free Summer Camp Experience

By Peter Grunawalt
December 23, 2017 (comments)

Given the historic precedence of computers and the internet and how integrated technology has become in our children’s modern education, spending a month or two away from screens is a much bigger commitment than it used to be. In fact, if I had to describe the largest cultural shift in the last decade, it would have to be that what we consider “normal” amounts of exposure to screens and computers has perhaps tripled in length. But taking this even further, I’d argue that for our kids, the internet is much more than just a tool. It is increasingly becoming a...

Youth Woodsmen Mid-Season Update

By Alex Kvanli
July 12, 2017 (comments)

The Youth Woodsmen Competition kicked off a few weeks ago and it’s time for a mid-season update! The Woodsmen measures campers’ fitness levels when they arrive at camp and at the end of camp. Fitness tests included curl-ups, shuttle run, v-sit reach, half-mile run, pull-ups, and push-ups. The results of the first session are remarkable! Over a span of only 24 days, campers improved significantly in nearly every statistical category. Campers’ half-mile run times improved, on average, by over 20 seconds. One camper even improved his half-mile run time by 1 min 35 seconds! By the end of the session,...

Buttermilk Pancakes

By John Erdmann
June 24, 2017 (comments)

Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon sugar 2 cups buttermilk 2 eggs Directions: Combine all ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated, but not too thin. Ladle batter onto greased griddle on medium high heat. Flip when air bubbles appear on top. Serve when both sides are light brown. Add chocolate chips or blueberries to the batter to mix it up a bit! Be sure to top with your favorite maple syrup, butter, fruit, or all of the above! Serves 4

A Freedom Almost Forgotten

By Peter Grunawalt
October 08, 2016 (comments)

There are leaders, and there are those who lead. Leaders hold a position of power or authority, but those who lead inspire us. We follow those who lead not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who lead not for them, but for ourselves. And it’s because we want to that we let them influence us and those around us. Though I never met the founder of Camp Voyageur in person, I've seen glimpses of his life and leadership in this place we seem to seasonally gravitate towards. It radiates from the leadership that continues...

POSTURE! An Old School Habit We're Bringing Back

By Peter Grunawalt
September 22, 2016 (comments)

Were you ever yelled at as a child to have good posture at the dinner table? Or at your desk in school? While it hasn’t fallen off everyone’s radar, posture is certainly not an emphasized issue. Gone are the days of being chastised for not sitting up straight. But is posture really that important? Yes, it turns out. Poor posture in children is the greatest predictor of postural issues later in adulthood, manifesting as pain in the head, neck, back, hips and knees (Widhe, 2001). Poor posture is also compounding, meaning that if one link in the chain is out...

A Band of Brothers: "Commando Day"

By Peter Grunawalt
July 23, 2016 (comments)

Campers returned to camp on the 19th of July, with most of our groups paddling right up to the docks. That of course creates a rowdy atmosphere, as kids really open up on their first round of trips. In fact, that’s the first thing we notice when they come back; they’re MUCH louder. Getting no more than a day to catch up from their wilderness adventures, several big events took place, which I will go on to explain in some detail. The first event occurred on what will probably be one of the hottest days of this summer, and thankfully,...

A Photo Worth 1,000 Words

By Peter Grunawalt
July 13, 2016 (comments)

Behind each and every photo you see at camp, there's a story, though they're not always so apparent. In fact, some of the most meaningful photos to our campers may simply look like, for example, two teenagers building a fire to boil water in a rusty coffee grounds can. Little do you know how powerful this image is to those who partook in the Voyageur Olympic games several days before this photo was taken. I'll explain. Every summer, once per session, we host what is called the Voyageur Olympics. I talk more at length about what exactly goes into the...

Aloha! Session 1 Ends, Session 2 Begins

By Peter Grunawalt
July 10, 2016 (comments)

Just as campers from Session 1 started making their way home on Saturday, new campers from around the world started journeys both long and short to the peninsula. It's quite the experience to say farewell to a group of boys and young men that you've come to know so well, and then welcome another 30+ campers the next day. But of course, after a GREAT night of rest (and sleeping in a little, maybe), we're ready to turn our full attention to Session 2 and some of the amazing things we have planned for our campers. By the end of...

Summer Camp: An American Tradition

By John Burgman
April 16, 2016 (comments)

Author, traveler, and veteran counselor John Burgman writes from South Korea… Over the weekend, a low-pressure system that had lingered for days and dropped nonstop rain on my town finally dissolved. When it did, the landscape emerged in a seemingly new state: grasses appeared with deeper greens than before; flower buds spiraled open to reveal the beginnings of their colorful blooms. Even the soil somehow looked healthier—it was no longer that dull, moon-like gunk of winter. As I stepped onto my deck and took in the scene, I took a deep breath of fresh air and something clicked inside of...

Dear friends and families of Camp Voyageur:

By Peter Grunawalt
April 10, 2016 (comments)

Imagine. The camp peninsula, with nearly 10 cabins full of boys each session. The Mess Hall so full of life at meals that there are tables set up on the stage. From a big game on Pine Stadium to the sailboats in the bay, from the swim docks to the archery range, practically every sport and activity is happening simultaneously. Campers on their way to lunch cheer as another Voyageur crew returns from a week in the Boundary Waters. Trips come and go constantly. That was camp about 30+ years ago. Camp to me was an incredible place to do...