FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT® FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
2016 Year in Review
Board Members
Nate Blumenshine
Will Brunnquell
Tom Burket
Lucy Cosgrove
Maude Dornfeld
Beth Dutcher
Carolyn Ellstra
Marjorie Fedyszyn
Jacqui Forbes
Marilyn Franzen
Cindy Gardner
Mark Garrison
Jenny Hagberg
Anne Hartnett
Meike Hengelfelt
Megan Holleran
Mark Holloway
Anne Hoyt Taff
Chris Johnson
David Kilpatrick
Kevin Lagos
David Lauth
Anne Lindquist
Peter Loewenson
Bonnie Lohman
Bob McKlveen
Dave Mink
Leigh Onkka
Ned Patterson
Jeff Rick
Sandra Samuelson
John Saxhaug
Lee Schafer
Mary Stoick
Paul Sugden
Erin Walsh
Lance Whitacre
Letter from the Board Chair 2016
BY NED PATTERSON, BOARD CHAIR
The past year at Widjiwagan was a strong and stable one with the mission continuing very well for summer campers experiencing the classic wilderness canoe and backpack trips and for fall/winter/spring school groups experiencing the in-camp Outdoor Learning Program. Widji is in an excellent position to ensure that the program is sustainable for many years to come. The board, staff, and volunteers are finishing up a three-year strategic plan working on identifying innovative ways to strengthen and celebrate our traditions and direct future activities.
With the now completed recent capital campaign, there are a number of new and refinished buildings and other updated areas around camp that have ensured camp is in great shape for the coming decades. One of the most recent, is the still to be named—rock seat and tree lined “amphitheater” —next to the athletic field with a great view of Burntside as an outdoor campfire location and gathering space.
As the board chair, I witness the power of connecting campers and alums of all generations throughout the year, and it is a true pleasure to observe the Widji experience in so many different ways. There are two current board task force committees I would like to highlight: one a history task force to continue to honor important Widji history and traditions; a second to carefully look at social responsibility and ways Widji can work on bridging the opportunity gap in order to facilitate the wonderful Widji experience to a wider range of campers. Also, a new tradition was started by the Alumni and Community Relations committee of the “Winter Warmup” the first Monday in February with the inaugural occasion including an excellent talk by former Widji Director Rolf Thompson about the wilderness and his work at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota.
Thinking about the past and traditions, and also then going forth into the future, the picture is of me about 19 years ago, with my daughter, Sela, when she was about 1 or 2 years old, canoeing on the St. Croix River in my parent’s Seliga canoe. She is now a third-year staff member and it has been really fun to also experience camp through her eyes as a camper and now a counselor!
In the coming year, the board looks forward to continuing to connecting with as many people of the community as possible, and with the staff embarking on the next round of strategic planning to keep working on ensuring the Widji experience in a socially responsible way for generations to come! t
Ned and daughter Sela, who currently, some 19 years later, is on the Widji summer staff.
YEAR-ROUND STAFF 2016
PROGRAM STAFF
Liz Flinn – Executive Director
Kathleen Floberg – Wilderness Program Director
Amy Hadow – Summer Program Director
Erik Johnson – Kitchen Manager
Lauren Ott – Marketing Coordinator
Karen Pick – Outdoor Learning Program Director
Linda Ramacier – Financial Development Director
Jim Schwartz – Canoe Master
Joe Smith – Property Manager
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Jen Fogel – Administrative Coordinator
Valerie Mauney – Administrative Coordinator
Jennifer Weinzirl - Administrative Coordinator
Thank you, Liz Flinn!
BY KATHLEEN FLOBERG, WILDERNESS PROGRAM DIRECTOR
was a dynamic year for Widjiwagan and was capped by Liz Flinn’s transition as the Executive Director of Camp Widjiwagan to a new role within the Y of the Greater Twin Cities, the Executive Director of Camp Ihduhapi. Liz was the first woman to serve in this role at Widji and many, including myself, looked to her as a pioneer and role model in the community. Katja Lange, a current trail staff member, shared with me that “Liz was the first woman in my life I ever recognized as holding a leadership position that directly impacted me. That was hugely empowering and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.” Liz’s leadership and service to Widji’s Mission over 11 years will have a positive and lasting impact. I hope to capture some of these contributions in the following paragraphs but know it will only shed a small light on a very impressive legacy.
“camper days.” Every day a summer camper is at Widji counts as one camper day. So, a camper on a 12-day Intro Canoe trip counts as 12 camper days. A group of 4 campers on a 12-day Intro Canoe trip counts as 48 camper days. During her 11-year tenure as the Executive Director, Liz oversaw 150,000 summer camper days.
During those 11 summers, Widji vans drove over 500,000 miles (that’s 20 times around the earth) to get campers to and from trail, and the Trail Building packed out over 15,000 pounds of raisins.
Liz loved leading the Closing Campfire at the end of each Widji session, and she was good at it. If I could choose one moment that captures the role of a Widji Executive Director, it is in how Liz began every Closing Campfire. At the beginning of each, she honored Widji’s long tradition and its history, celebrated the campers sitting in front of her and acknowledged their accomplishments, and looked towards the future and the next generation of Widji campers. I was lucky to be at dozens of those Closing Campfires. Like many, Liz was the only Executive Director I knew as a trail staff member. When I came back in my current role as a Program Director, I could not have asked for a better mentor. I am better at my job because I was able to observe Liz Flinn in action at close range (literally, our desks shared a wall). I have never met anyone who was more able to stay the course and keep that big picture of past, present, and future in mind regardless of the situation at hand.
Liz once told me I had tenacity and this remains one of the best compliments I’ve ever received considering it came from the most tenacious person I’ve ever known. Liz never wavered in her commitment to Widji’s Mission and her steadfast leadership brought Widji to new heights. Being the Executive Director is a demanding job and requires an immense amount of dedication and heart. In my time at Widji I saw Liz do everything from leading a 3.5 million dollar Capital and Endowment Campaign to sitting in her office late in the evening comforting a homesick camper. From meeting with donors to helping serve meals in Kirby, she did it all. Liz was always in the thick of things making sure Widji operated at a high standard and supported every single camper and student who had a Widji experience.
How do you measure 11 years? We measure summer camper enrollment at Widji by
In 11 years, over 18,000 students came to Widji in the Outdoor Learning Program to explore the Northwoods in the fall, winter, and spring months. During these 11 years new buildings were erected and old ones were remodeled to better serve our program. The work on these buildings was done with a high level of intention and purpose. Erin Walsh, a former Board Chair, says that buildings reflect a set of relationships and conversations. These new buildings didn’t appear just because Widji raised money. They appeared because Liz, along with many other dedicated community members, fostered meaningful connections with people and channeled their love for a place and its memories into tangible contributions that support our Mission.
I feel incredibly privileged to have known and worked for Liz Flinn. Her stewardship of The Widji Way has left Camp in an amazing place and ready to launch into the next 11 years. We only hope we can live up to the example she set for us. t
ENROLLMENT HISTORY
Liz Flinn
Widjiwagan magic
BY AMY HADOW, SUMMER PROGRAM DIRECTOR
The timing of the 2016 year in review aligns almost exactly with the end of my first year as Summer Program Director. As a result, I viewed my article as an opportunity to reflect on Widji from a new perspective. I was not quite sure what to expect when I accepted this position last December even though I had already served Widji as a Trail Guide, a Naturalist in the Outdoor Learning Program and participated as a camper. Taking on the role of Program Director confirmed what I already knew—Widjiwagan is a supportive place to grow up at any age.
The Widji Community is really, truly wonderful. As a Program Director, I work with the youngest members of our community and the oldest. I am always impressed by the common themes that run through our stories and connect us through generations. Widji folks ubiquitously have stories about rainy days or hard portages that they overcame through teamwork and we walk a little taller when we tell these stories of determination. Widji folks laugh at inside jokes when we reunite with our trail mates regardless of whether our last trip was last year or fifty years ago. Trail relationships often translate into life-long friendships that bring out the twinkle in our eyes at Widji Board Events or chance meetings around the country. When we tell our stories, we connect with each other like we did when we were campers. Our proclivity to revert to the openness and joy of being teen at camp makes sense; Widji is a great place to be a young person or to honor your inner child.
At Widji, we have created a community values the voices of young people. We set the tone by treating young people with respect and encouraging young people to treat each other and themselves respectfully. This is a powerful message in a world that often tells young adults that they are untrustworthy, incapable and unpredictable. I see evidence of this positive youth community in the faces of folks returning from trail, the laughter that rings out around camp all year long and the stories of our Board Members. I see evidence of this community within Widji Leaders, Widji’s academic year leadership and community building program. At our first Widji Leaders meeting in October, the group was hesitant to interact and quiet. Since then, we have served a community meal, made ice luminaries, cleared ski trails and practiced silly human tricks like balancing a water bottle among many other events. We share our ideas and laugh, a lot. I have watched quieter people come out of their shell, extroverts make the conscious choice to share leadership space and countless kind gestures of support. I can only speak from observation but it seems like many of us leave our meetings with a smile on our face and a little more confidence in our step.
Serving as a Program Director has impressed on me the qualities of the Widji community that drew me to camp as a 12-year-old. I already knew that Widji built relationships, developed confidence and encouraged growth. As a Program Director, I get to watch this magic from both a Macro and a Micro level and I see it across generations. I feel pretty lucky. t
Widji Weekend for local scouts
BY KAREN PICK, OUTDOOR LEARNING PROGRAM DIRECTOR
We received this thank you note following our 8th year of working with the Ely area Girl Scout troops. A weekend at Widji is the fall kick-off event for the local girl scout troops and often we have as many as 60 girls from the Ely and Babbitt area here doing teambuilding activities, canoeing, wilderness survival, orienteering and other outdoor programming. It is a great way to start the fall season! t
GROUPS PARTICIPATING IN WIDJI’S OUTDOOR LEARNING PROGRAM-2016
Anishinabe Academy
Blake School
Brightwater Montessori
Carondelet Catholic School
Community School of Excellence
Dag Hammerskjold School
Expo Elementary
Fall Women’s Weekend
Friends and Family of Anne Murphy
“Thanks so much Karen for a GREAT weekend! As always, your staff was great with our girl scouts and so very knowledgeable about many things. Also, as always, the food was delicious which really makes our time there even more wonderful. You make it so easy and such a wonderful experience for the girls. Thanks again Karen!
Please let your staff know how appreciative we are of another great experience at Widji!”
Girl Scouts
Great River School
Groveland Park Elementary
Jefferson Community School
Katya Gordon Homeschool
King of Kings
Lake Country Montessori
Life House
Many Rivers Montessori
Marshall School
Montessori School of Duluth
Northrop Urban Environmental School
Northwest Passage High School
Oak Hill Montessori
Oh No 18! Lutheran Social Services
Olson Middle School
Seward Montessori
Shakopee Area Catholic School
South High School
Southern Adventist University
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul’s Lutheran School
St. Therese of Deephaven
Sunny Hollow Montessori
University of Minnesota -
Institute of Child Development
Valley View Middle School
Widjiwagan Board
Widji Fall Sampler
Widji Leaders
Wilder Foundation Youth Leadership Initiative
Winter Women’s Retreat
Yinghua Academy
YMWA BOLD GOLD Program
2016 Voyageur & Mountaineer Leaders:
Voyageurs:
Maura O’BrienThelon River
Rebecca SalterCoppermine River
Alex SamuelsonDubawnt-Kazan Rivers
Caroline LauthHanbury-Thelon Rivers
Mike HabermannCoppermine River
Scott SugdenDubawnt-Kazan Rivers
Mountaineers:
Emerson SampleArctic National Wildlife Refuge
Liza KimberlyArctic National Wildlife Refuge
Katie PierceArctic National Wildlife Refuge
Campers and staff rise to July storm challenges
BY KATHLEEN FLOBERG, WILDERNESS PROGRAM DIRECTOR
As many of you know, a large storm blew through the Ely area in July, 2016. The storm affected parts of the Boundary Waters, including Widji’s own backyard. As the photos here show, Chapel Point sustained significant damage after numerous red pines fell in that part of Camp. However, we were fortunate that the benches on Chapel Point were the greatest loss we experienced. We had many groups out in the Boundary Waters that night and our counselors and campers made exceptional decisions during a significant storm. There will always be inherent risks associated with wilderness travel but our groups prove time and time again that they are able to mitigate those risks with sound judgement and good tripping practices.
Camp and the groups on trail continued to face challenges in the wake of the storm. After the winds and lightning died down, Joe Smith was up in the early hours of the morning clearing the roads around Camp so vehicles could make it through and making sure everyone in the area was ok. The Forest Service was grateful for the work that Joe and his crew did that day to get people safely out of Fenske Campground where many of our banquet guests were camped. Camp was without power for 8 days after the storm. Everyone was told they couldn’t shower without electricity and took it in stride and we continued to welcome campers off trail and send new groups out on their adventures during this electricity-free time. Below is a photo taken near Fall Lake after the July storm. As you can see, parts of the Boundary Waters were particularly affected by high winds and falling trees. Throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall, the Forest Service cleared countless miles of portage trails. We were able to continue sending groups into the Boundary
Waters after the storm and the enormous efforts of the Forest Service made that possible.
One of my favorite stories during the after effects of the storm came from a Forest Service worker who is also a Widji alumni. As he was chain sawing his way through a portage that had sustained significant blowdown damage, he started hearing laughing and singing coming towards him from the side of the portage that had not yet been cleared. He thought to himself “I bet that’s a Widji group” and sure enough an Intro Girl’s group could be seen slowly maneuvering canoes, packs, and people through the dense mass of trees. It takes a lot to slow a Widji group down, including 12-year-old girls and motivated counselors! I am always amazed by the accomplishments of our trail groups, but it’s these moments where Widji campers and staff exhibit amazing resilience in the face of challenge that I am reminded how lucky I am to be part of such an incredible community.
If you’ve been around the Widji community long enough, you may start to notice certain patterns and themes emerge from people’s reminiscences of their time at Camp. One that I hear often is people reflecting on the hardest day they ever experienced on trail, and despite how awful they felt in that moment they’d rather be back there in the mud or mosquitos or storms than back in the front country away from the wilderness and their traveling companions. I hope in the years to come, those 12-year-old girls who made their way through mazes of trees will look back and think they’d rather be navigating a wood canvas canoe through a challenging portage with their trail mates than anywhere else in the world. That’s the magic of Widji; it provides experiences that inform who we are and allows us to test our strength and become resilient in the face of extraordinary challenge. t
YMCA Camp Widjiwagan Heritage Club 2016
THANK YOU, HERITAGE CLUB MEMBERS, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Julia and James Adams
James C. Andre
Walter and Virginia Bailey
Armand and Beverly Ball
Sandra M. Bjorndahl
Gretchen and Brian Boyer
Greg E. Bradbury
John and Jill Bradford
Geoffrey Brewster
Mary Broeker
Philip and Ellen Bruner
Carmen A. Brunner
Evelyn G. Buetow
John Burke and Kathleen Joyce
Polly M. Burnham
Michael and Marcia Bussey
Peter Butler
Arta Cheney
Gary and Jane Clements
Douglas and Kathleen Clock
Paul and Rachel Craighead
Karen and Alan Crossley
Blake and Sandra Davis
Kelly R. Davis
Steven Diede and Anne Zerby
Mairi C. Doerr
Charles Driscoll
Sharon K. Erickson
Ann and Dwight Ericsson
Betty Felix
Elizabeth P. Fesler
Nancy Fesler
Elizabeth L. Flinn
James Dorsey Flinsch, Sr.
Frederick and Dorothy Forro
James and Joan Gardner
Jamie and Cindy Gardner
Edward and Dana Garvey
Judith Gavin
Jean Geist
Laura J. Giaquinto
Jean K. Godfrey
Sue and Bob Greenberg
Ann I. Guhman
Linda Gustafson and Roxy Port
Rose M. Gustafson
Tom Hiendlmayr and Jan Ormasa
Geoffrey and Linda Hirt
Christine and Douglas Hlavacek
Lucy Hollinshead
Mary Horak Binger
Ruth and John Huss
John and Polly Jackson
Nathanial Jacobson
David and Judy Jerde
Charlotte and Ward Johnson
Frank and Meredith Johnson
Arthur and Martha Kaemmer
John and Sally Katter
Cheryl and Daniel Kelley
Esther and Martin Kellogg
Dessie P. Koch
Tom and Cheryl Kranz
Mary Levins
Judith Frost Lewis & Stephen Lewis
Georgia R. Lindeke
Darwyn and Marie Linder
Armin Luehrs
Kay Lyford
Kent and Barbara Lyford
Kristine Maritz
Gayle Rose Martinez
David and Sherla Mayer
Paul T. McArthur
Elspeth and F. William McClelland
Lynne Meyer and Mary Walser
Ranlet and Beth Miner
Jonathan and Martha Morgan
Anne and David Murphy
Janet E. Nast
Uri Neren
Robert and Sarah Newman
Nedra Nicholls
Richard and Nancy Nicholson
Joan Ostergren & James Alexander
Doug and Phyl Ostergren
Joanne Oyen
Thomas Paper and Eleanor Bigelow
John Patterson and Julie Sonier
Thomas and Sally Patterson
Steve Patzman
Nancy G. Priedeman
Mary Jo Quehl
Thomas M. Racciatti
Linda and Dominic Ramacier
Margaret A. Rarig
Katie Reed
Gary and Gale Rick
Tom and Donna Riley
Gwyneth Rochlin
Winthrop and Barbara Rockwell
Virginia Ruddy
Donna Runyon
Alan and Sally Ruvelson
Connie and Kenneth Sansome
John Saxhaug and Lynn Rabinovitch
John Shepard and Suzanne Brust
The Skold Family
Michael Smuk
Connie and Byron Starns
Mary and Mark Stoick
Ned and Jean Therrien
Rolf Thompson and CJ Jacobson
Kathryn Tiede
James and Marianne Ude
Jane E. Verby
Jennette Wasmund
Jim and Ann Wheeler
David and Suzanne White
John and Janice Wilke
Robert R. Wilke
Daniel and Ruth Willius
Emily W. Wilmer
2016 FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Ongoing changes preserve and enhance the Widjiwagan experience
BY JOE SMITH, PROPERTY MANAGER
In the last few years, a lot of work has gone into making the area between the camper cabins east and west of Kirby Lodge better able to support our needs. To provide an accurate report on these projects I would like to go back a couple of years as the projects interact with each other to support the final goal.
From West to East, (not chronological order)…
The Kirby Wash House was built with toilets and hand washing sinks to provide better hygiene for all who use the Dining Hall. A storage area for kitchen supplies was included on the back side of this building. This project included landscaping that improved pathways and increased the area available for gatherings.
A metal roof was added to the Dining Hall section last year. New lights and fans were added inside. This spring the kitchen area will also get a new metal roof. We were able to include a new, more efficient compressor for the cooler and an air conditioning unit for the kitchen (happy cooks make a happy camp!). We will also be replacing most of the doors this spring. The money for these improvements came from the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities.
The railroad tie steps providing access to Kirby and seating for “Thought For the Day” were replaced with landscape timbers along with ground work to make the steps uniform in spacing and slope. A lot of this work was done by volunteers on a work weekend. Years ago railroad ties were a common material for building steps and retaining walls but now their use is discouraged for environmental reasons.
The Old Office, named Osprey Cabin in the early ‘90s when it became the staff lounge, was disassembled and moved to the area between Wolf and Fox Cabins to become another camper cabin. Moving Osprey created space to allow construction of a new path leading from the Athletic Field to the front of Kirby. This new path is further from the lake than the original path and supported by a boulder retaining wall to minimize shore line impact and erosion. Folks on the new path are directed to the front entrance of Kirby at the
top of the “Thought For the Day” steps. The area where Osprey was is now a widened part of the path that serves as a gathering space with picnic tables and is also the place where the path from the Winds Cabins intersects the new path to Kirby. This area has a beautiful view of Burntside Lake. The new paths and steps were paid for with a grant from the YMCA of the USA.
The area where the old Sigurd Olson Center stood provides program functions though out the year. There is a nice slope for kids to ski down after they’ve had their first lesson on the Athletic Field. There is also a hillside that allowed construction of a gathering space, currently called the amphitheater, where large groups of folks can gather and hear speakers while viewing the North Arm of Burntside. The seating is made of granite slabs gathered from a rock face that was blasted to widen the Echo Trail next to Ed Shave Lake. (Ed Shave was a map maker who pioneered the use of contour lines to show lake depth on fishing maps). It is also a space where small groups of people can hang out during their free time. There is still some work to be done on the amphitheater. This spring a stage and campfire area will be added as well as lighting. The use of rock and strategic tree planting gives this area a natural appearance. The beauty and quality of this site show that artwork can be done with an excavator.
The Athletic Field is one of the most important assets for in-camp activity. Most days, will see kids playing games. To make the games safer, the Athletic Field has been graded with quality rock-free dirt to allow better turf and drainage. This was accomplished last fall as snow was falling. This spring the drainage ditch around the field will be cleaned out of sediment and vegetation and will be lined with ground cloth and cobblestones to keep the ditch from filling back in. Lights have already been added to allow safe use in the winter when it gets dark early.
Access to the Athletic Field from the Winds and Fox Cabins was improved by replacing the old railroad tie steps with landscape timbers. A lot of this work (and a lot of the other work) was done with my maintenance partner and Widji staff member, Jake Cahill.
“Widji really has been made an even better place.…An important part of the Widji geography has been dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Widji experience.”
A bottleneck in our summer schedule is the day kids return from trail. All trail groups will take a shower and a sauna on the day they return. The showering in the six showers in the Winds Wash House on some days has to accommodate up to 120 campers and staff in a short period of time. The solution to this was to build additional summer-only showers, adding eight more shower stalls. But the existing septic system would not handle that much use. Tanks and pumps and other devices were added and a new septic
system now services most of the staff housing so that the original system could accommodate the proposed summer showers. The new Shower House is a high quality structure next to the Winds Wash House. There is still some work to be done, like tiling and staining, when it gets warmer. This work has been paid for by donations and a matching grant from YMCA of the USA and funds for septic repair from YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities.
I think special recognition should go to the Board members for support and planning—Widji really has been made an even better place—and to Liz Flinn for coordinating all of the aspects of planning and fundraising to make these projects happen. An important part of the Widji geography has been dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Widji experience. t
Eve Meltzer, pictured center holding her award, with from L to R: Executive Director, Liz Flinn, Program Director, Amy Hadow, Parents, Andy Meltzer and Esti Roen, and Counselor, Rebecca Salter.
EVE MELTZER DISTINGUISHED YOUTH LEADER
Eve Meltzer received our 2016 Distinguished Youth Leader Award for her participation in Widji Leaders. Eve volunteered at all but one of our Widji Leaders service events this year!! These included serving a community meal with Loaves and Fishes and handing out cocoa with the City of Lakes Loppet. Eve showed up to help out even when many of her closest camp friends had other obligations. She impressed her peers by always persevering to finish the most challenging or monotonous tasks.
Eve’s perseverance is reflected in her description of herself as someone who “pushes herself to achieve her full potential.” Eve is motivated by her wonderful sense of humor. She uses humor to energize and motivate groups and to encourage the positive attitudes of others. Eve’s contributions have made her a notable member of the Widji community this year. We appreciate her efforts!
Eve graduated from Henry Sibley High School last spring and is currently attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Eve was a Voyageur during the summer of 2016. She paddled the Coppermine River. t
Fleet Subcommittee treats canoes with respect
BY B. STERLING CASSELTON
If you’ve been fortunate to visit camp in the last few years, and have looked in the rafters of the Barn, or the racks in the Canoe Shelter, or the racks to the west of the Shelter, or the workhorses in the Canoe Shop, or under the Canoe-Port behind the Shelter, or on the canoe rack near the Director’s cabin, you’ll know that Widji has a bunch of canoes.
In fact, just over 200 of them, including wood-canvas, wood-fiberglass, wood-strip, Kevlar, Royalex, aluminum, and laminated polyurethane with a metal tubing frame.
Of these 208 canoes, 114 of them are wood-canvas or wood-fiberglass, making Widji’s wood canoe fleet the largest in the United States, the third largest in North America.
“The goal is to strengthen the management culture of the Widji canoe fleet especially the wood canvas canoe fleet as it requires the most immediate attention.”
When I visit camp, one of my favorite places to go is to the Barn. The rafters are filled with old canoes, some needing small repairs, a few needing major rib, planking, or stem repair. Many need new skin.
In 1931, two years after Widji’s founding, the fleet consisted of a Thompson canoe, twelve Haskell canoes, and a locally made birch bark canoe. The Haskell canoes did not hold up well to the wear and tear of wilderness canoe tripping, and Widji began replacing them with Old Town canoes in 1937. By 1940 most of the Haskells were gone. There is no record of when the birch bark and the Thompson were dropped from the fleet. By 1947, the fleet had grown to over twenty canoes, including a 20 foot Old Town canoe, with a shelf built in under the bow deck and a drawer for fishing tackle. The canoe, nicknamed Madeline, proved to be too heavy on portages to be
practical for wilderness canoe tripping, and in 1949 was given to YMCA Camp St. Croix where it was better suited to river travel on the St. Croix, the Mississippi and the Namekagon rivers. Madeline was retired in the early 70s.
Over the years, Widji program needs changed, and so did the demand for canoes to meet those changing needs. The days when explorer and voyageur trips took large Chestnut and Peterborough canoes on long trips were over. New canoe designs, such as Pakboats for Voyageur trips, or the steady and sturdy Seliga canoes for advanced trips, filled Widji’s canoe needs better.
MISSION of the Fleet Subcommittee of the Widjiwagan Building and Property Committee:
“Wood canvas canoes are handcrafted and thus require care, thoughtfulness and stewardship. Widji values the lessons learned while traveling with wood canvas canoes. To fulfill our mission, the canoes need to be in a condition to inspire those who paddle them. Widji annually reviews inventory to determine maintenance and canoe needs.”
So these old, large canoes were relegated to the Barn’s rafters. Just as Madeline had once been given by Widji to Camp St. Croix, how would camp transition (our word for getting rid of) these canoes? And, how to do that respectfully and carefully?
Widji’s management, the Board of Director’s and the Building and Property Committee had long discussed what to do with those unused canoes, as well as other donated canoes that did not fit into camp’s program needs. In late 2015, the Fleet Subcommittee of the Building and Property Committee was formed to address the canoe-out-of-service storage issue, develop a broad fleet management plan and to make some decisions about the method of transitioning these canoes.
The Fleet Subcommittee identified 10 canoes to transition. The hope was to get these canoes into the hands of individuals interested in caring for, and using, a wood canoe. And that hope was quickly realized.
The plan called for conversations with the original donors or their family members about the reason for transition, the desire to see them back on the water, and to explore the potential of the canoe returning to the donors. A second step in the plan was to contact other YMCA camps to see if there was interest in any
of the canoes. The third step was to make the canoes available to former campers and staff.
Many of the canoes to be transitioned had been gifts or purchased with funds donated by families in the 1960s and 1970s. The committee made contact with family members for most of the canoes. In three cases, the canoes had been purchased with funds raised by Widji Y’s Men groups. Former members of those groups were consulted.
As a result of the conversations with donors or the families, four canoes were returned to the original donors/families. The donors and families of the other canoes expressed support and appreciation for the Fleet Subcommittee’s plan.
By the end of 2016, three Chestnut canoes had been restored and back on the water. Currently, at least three family restoration projects are underway, preparing to get more of the canoes on the water in 2017.
In 1978, John Baird, who had been a camper in 1940, as had his older brother Duncan, in the 1930s, donated his family’s 20-foot Old Town canoe to Widji. The canoe had been one the Baird family had used when John was a boy on trips on the St. Croix River. Widji used the canoe for a couple of trips, but as with
Madeline a generation earlier, the canoe’s size and weight made it not suitable for wilderness canoeing. It was placed in the rafters and waited there for nearly thirty years. The Fleet Subcommittee located a copy of the Old Town build record which indicated that when built it had had a shelf and a drawer under the bow deck. Sound familiar? Recognizing the similarity of the Baird family canoe to the Madeline canoe of the 1940s, the canoe was offered to YMCA Camp St. Croix and in the summer of 2016 “Madeline 2” went to Camp St. Croix. Eventually it will go back on the water with St. Croix campers.
The Widji Y’s Men group had raised funds used to purchase a 22-foot Chestnut Selkirk. The canoe was large enough that an entire group could fit together in one canoe. Reports are that it was great canoe on the water. That changed once the group came to a portage. The length and weight made it very difficult to carry. It hung for years under the roof of a canoe shelter. In 2016, the canoe was given to YMCA Camp Menogyn to use in their camping program, specifically
to ferry campers from the landing off of the Gunflint Trail over to camp.
Having respectfully and carefully transitioned these canoes to new homes and future days on the water, the Fleet Subcommittee now turns attention to initiating canoe repair and replacement schedules, while developing a broad fleet management plan.
The oldest Widji canoe is W1, an Old Town, purchased in 1937. The newest is W325, a Northstar Seliga Tripper, purchased in 2016. Over one-half of the canoes are wood-canvas or wood-fiberglass— nearly 40% of those were built before 1980. Of the entire wood fleet, 19% were built in the 1930s or 1940s; 13% built in 1950s; and 11% built in 1960s. One-third of the aluminum canoes were purchased in 1959, 1960 or 1961!
Widji has a bunch of canoes, old and new. The Fleet Subcommittee of the Building and Property Committee plans to keep it that way. t
In Memoriam
DAVID R. GODFREY, born May 8, 1955, passed away on October 15, 2016 from kidney disease. He was born and raised in St. Paul, MN and lived for many years in the Baltimore, MD area before returning home. David was a Widjiwagan camper in the late 1960s and early 1970s as well as all of his siblings. His entire family also enjoyed numerous summers at Camp du Nord.
David was preceded in death by his father, Judge Otis H. Godfrey, Jr., and is survived by his mother Jean Godfrey of St. Paul, sisters Carol (Tom) Warren of Portland, ME, Louise (Dick) Jones of St. Paul and Barbara (David) Kuykendall of Rosemount, MN; brothers Tracy (Ann) Godfrey of Golden Valley, MN; Paul (Mary Sue) Godfrey and Tim (Julie) Godfrey of St. Paul; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts for David were directed to Otis H. Godfrey Jr. Endowment Fund, continuing both son and father’s wish to help interested teens experience Widji for years to come.
JOHN “JOCK” ORDWAY IRVINE passed away on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the age of 74. He served on the Camp Widjiwagan Board in the 80s for six years. Jock was dedicated to the Camp Widjiwagan and du Nord Garage Sales. On opening day of the sale, for many years, you would find Jock and Jim Gardner manning the cash registers and negotiating sales with customers. He was a camper parent in the 1980s when Heather and Rodger were Widji campers. Jock volunteered for several Widji annual fund campaigns and contributed for more than five decades. He also supported many capital and endowment campaigns.
Jock’s life was marked throughout by service and philanthropy, serving on many boards. He will be remembered always as one of those rare persons who give with no thought of reward or recognition. Jock was an avid sports fan, hunter, and fisherman and was dedicated to yacht race sailing.
He was educated at St. Paul Academy and Hobart College, and was a longtime resident of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and Stuart, Florida.
Jock is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Harriette “Twinks” Irvine; their daughter, Heather Irvine Capuano, and son, Roger (Teri) Irvine; their grandchildren Will and Angie Capuano and Chloe, Carter, and Charlotte Irvine; and sister Jill Crow and brothers William Irvine and Horace “Hod” Irvine. He is preceded in death by his brother Thomas E. Irvine.
W64, an 18-foot Chestnut, pictured here on an Explorer trip in 1977, was one of the canoes transitioned in 2016.
In Memoriam
DANIEL H. JOHNSON passed away on January 29, 2016, in Chula Vista, California. He is survived by his sister Julie Johnson, one aunt and cousin and numerous friends in the U.S., Russia, Mexico, Europe, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Jordan, Tanzania and Canada.
Dan was a Widji trail counselor for three summers in 1963-65. He led trips from 6-23 days into the BWCA, Quetico, and the Canadian bush. In 1965 he and Lee Miller paddled the Nelson River from the Thicket Portage to the Village of Amery, just south of Hudson Bay and continued on up to Churchill. In 1968 he led the first group of campers from Widji in an exchange program with the Rome YMCA. The group hiked and climbed in the Italian Dolomites, stayed with families in the Eternal City and camped on the beaches of Sardina.
In his professional career, Dan was an educator and directed several theatre programs. He taught ninth grade civics and senior high speech at Hutchison High School. Dan went on to teach at the University of Minnesota Duluth and the College of St. Scholastica, retiring in 2006. During his years of teaching he received many awards for outstanding faculty and teaching excellence. He traveled throughout the world and said, “To travel and adapt to foreign cultures was like breathing pure oxygen.”
An endowment fund at Camp Widjiwagan will perpetuate Dan’s memory.
MARY LOU (WOOD) LAMAIN, a Widjiwagan alumna, passed away on September 17, 2016 at age 71. She was a camper in 1958-1962 and a Voyageur in 1963. Mary Lou went on to be a counselor 1964-1967 and led a Voyageur Trip in 1966.
Mary Lou grew up in West St. Paul and attended Sibley High School and then transferred to Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault where she graduated. She received her BA in Social Work from the University of Minnesota and her Master’s Degree in Speech Therapy from St. Cloud.
Her work life was wide and varied. She became a recruiter at Shattuck St. Mary’s and then Suomi College in Houghton, Michigan. She would later manage radio stations, own a property management company, become a marketing manager at a casino, an insurance sales person, own a Workers Rehabilitation Company and a financial manager for a law firm. She maintained an active spiritual life and was involved with every community she settled in. She served on boards at her church, at Shattuck St. Mary’s and Camp Widjiwagan. She had the uncanny ability to cultivate a family of friends everywhere she went.
Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Louella Wood, and survived by her cousins, other family members and many friends who felt privileged to share her brilliant light. She was a lifelong supporter of Widjiwagan. Through her estate, she requested that a fire ring be built in her memory.
NORMAN M. LORENTZSEN, age 99, died peacefully on Sept. 21, 2016, surrounded by his three children and loving wife, Donna Boller. Norman was a man of great wisdom, integrity and generosity. He was a man of deep faith who cherished his family and
friends. He was a mentor to many and an example to all he encountered. His passion was bringing his family together so life-long relationships could be nurtured.
Norm grew up in Horace, North Dakota, graduated from Dilworth High School in 1936 and Concordia College, Moorhead, MN in 1941. Norman enlisted in the U.S. Naval Air Corps, serving as a patrol bomber pilot in the Pacific Theatre. He met the first love of his life, Helen Broten, at Concordia College. Norm and Helen were married in 1943 and shared a blessed and full life together for 62 years, until Helen’s passing in 2005. Norman and Helen had three children, Thomas Lorentzsen (Marge), Mary Nesvig (Kirk), and Katherine Johnson (Jeff) and 12 grandchildren.
At age 89 Norm married the second love of his life, Donna Boller. They enjoyed almost 11 years together. Donna and her daughters (Janet Dutcher and Jill Nasvik) brought renewed joy and many blessings to Norm and his family.
Norman supported the YMCA of Greater Saint Paul for many decades. He believed in the mission and the impact that the programs had on children, teens and families. In the 1970s, he became a board member and later was General Board chair. There was rarely a Y event that the Lorentzsen missed. The Lorentzsen’s also supported many of Widjiwagan capital and endowment campaigns. In 1996, Norm and Helen established the “Norman and Helen Lorentzsen Endowment Fund,” ensuring that YMCA programs will be available for future generations, perpetuating the Lorentzsen’s legacy.
VIRGINIA “GINNY” LUEHRS, Widji’s beloved camp nurse in the mid 1950s-1961, passed away July 26, 2016. She is the wife of Armin “Whitey” Luehrs, Widji’s Camp Director 1951-1961. Ginny had a profound impact on campers and staff during her tenure. She will be remembered for her warm smile, wonderful sense of humor, and welcoming personality. There was rarely a Widji reunion, spring banquet, or other camp event that she missed over 60 years.
Ginny was born July 9, 1924 in Annandale. She graduated from Annandale High School in 1942 and continued her education in the Nurses Training Program at Abbott Hospital in Minneapolis where she worked as a registered nurse. She later earned her Public Health Certificate at the University of Minnesota. Over the years Ginny worked as a nurse in the industrial field, as a Public Health Nurse, as a School Nurse and a Camp Nurse.
On September 15, 1956, Ginny was united in marriage to Armin “Whitey” Luehrs and together they raised three children. She was a huge supporter to Whitey’s YMCA career. Ginny enjoyed spending time at the cabin, fishing, and shopping for bargains.
She is survived by her loving husband Whitey; children Eric (special friend Sharon Liners), Mark (Susan) and Renee (Ted) Henson; and four grandchildren: Tanner, Mackenzie, Alexa and Kaci.
Ginny’s legacy will live on at Widjiwagan through “The Armin and Virginia Luehrs Campership Endowment Fund,” ensuring that campers for generations to come will have the Widjiwagan experience.
In Memoriam
KATHERINE “KAY” MACKENZIE passed away June 23, 2016. She attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison where she obtained a BA degree and MA degree in Clinical Psychology. Kay was married for 65 years to William “Bill” Mackenzie who preceded her in death on March 24, 2015. She is survived by her children Karen Mackenzie (Brooks Donald) and Thomas (Judy) Mackenzie; four grandchildren, Bryan (Kate) Donald, Shannon (Nathan) Appy, Abigail (Tony) Basile, Will Mackenzie; and five great grandchildren.
Kay loved to travel, read, play golf and bridge and needlepoint. She enjoyed entertaining many family and friends at her dining room table. The center of Kay’s life was her husband, children and grandchildren.
Kay and Bill were introduced to Widjiwagan in the 2000s while attending their grandchildren’s banquets. They were very impressed with the program and the impact that it made on their family. Kay and Bill wanted to do something to give back and also honor their grandchildren. They supported the annual campaign, invested in two capital projects, established a named endowment fund honoring their grandchildren and became Heritage Club Members. In that way, Kay and Bill’s legacy will live on at Widji.
ROGER C. NELSON passed away peacefully on February 26, 2016. He is survived by brother Raleigh (Barbara) Nelson; his children Wendy (Mort) Yoakum, Penny (Dave) Willis, Brent (Shelli) Nelson, and Brian (Laura) Nelson; three grandchildren and former wife, Truan Schonauer.
Roger grew up near the Como Park/State Fairgrounds area in Saint Paul and graduated from Murray High School in 1945 and became an Eagle Scout that fall. He enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1946, and served on the CGD Dexter for two years. When he returned home, he earned a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Roger was passionate about the great outdoors, enjoying as much time outside as possible and many summers at the cabin on Gull Lake. He was a Patroller for the National Ski Patrol at Welch Village and Buck Hill. Roger was a dedicated parishioner, head usher, and volunteer for many years at First United Methodist Church in Stillwater. He enjoyed his many travels throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Roger also enjoyed his time spent with his family, friends and neighbors.
Roger served on the Camp Widjiwagan Board in the 1950s and was a dedicated Garage Sale volunteer taking charge of the Electronic Department for many years and participated in many du Nord work weekends. To honor his memory, memorials were directed to the Widji and du Nord Garage Sale Fund, enabling campers to enjoy the outdoors just as much as Roger.
REVEREND JENNIFER “JENNA” ROY died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family on June 13, 2016, at the age of 49, having lived with cancer for over four years. She is survived by her two children Max Roy Thompson and Madeline Roy Thompson, their father Mark Thompson, her mother Barbara Blanch Roy, her siblings Heidi (Robert) Hubbard, Beth (Oliver) Jenkyn and Christopher (Amber) Roy and a large extended family.
Jenna graduated from St. Paul Academy, Dartmouth College and Andover Newton Theological School. After an early career in business in New York City, she settled in Winchester, Massachusetts to raise her family. She was a longtime member of First Congregational Church and an active volunteer in community affairs. Most recently she worked as an interfaith chaplain at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and ministered to others walking with the Outdoor Church, counseling at the Children’s Room, teaching at Germaine Lawrence and leading worship services in many churches.
Jena was a Widjiwagan camper in the late 70s and was a 1984 Voyageur, traveling the Kazan and Kunwak Rivers from Kasba Lake to Baker Lake. Her trip was 43 days in length, traveling 675 miles by canoe. Jenna remained a dedicated supporter of Widji contributing to many annual and capital campaigns for decades. To honor and remember Jena, memorial gifts were directed to Widji’s General Endowment Fund, which provides scholarship to campers who could not afford the camp experiences that she once did.
FREDERICK “FRITZ” SCHWARTZ, a retired McCormick & Company executive who traveled the globe buying spices, died of a suspected heart attack at age 78. He dedicated his working career to international agriculture, helping people around the world in that field.
Fritz was the husband of alumni Kathy Brogan Schwarz, who was a Widjiwagan Voyageur in 1959 and led a Voyageur trip in 1964. Fritz was an Eagle Scout, so their love of the great outdoors made them a good match. Over many decades, Fritz and Kathy attended several Widji Reunions, banquets for their sons, Kurt and Axel, and their grandchildren. The Schwarz family also spent many summers at du Nord and would take time during the week to visit Widji.
Fritz earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University and a master’s from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. He later earned doctorates in economics and international business, which Fritz began at the University of Chicago and completed at St. Louis University.
In Fritz’s spare time, he enjoyed mountain climbing, storytelling, banjo playing, and time at the family cabin. He traveled to 90 countries and worked in most of them. Germany was of special interest to him because of his ancestry. He traced the family genealogy from the 16th century in Lower Saxony. Fritz also served on a variety of boards and volunteered for many non-profits throughout his life time.
In honor of Fritz’s memory, memorials were directed to Widjiwagan, perpetuating his legacy in hopes that campers would have the same experience as his family has had.
2016 Endowment Gifts
James Adams Memorial Endowment Fund in memory of James P. Adams
The Bakker-Arkema Family
Dr. Bob Bjorndahl Endowment Fund in memory of Bob Bjorndahl
Betty Felix
John Powers Bratnober Memorial Fund in memory of John Bratnober
Philip Bratnober
Warner S. Brown Memorial Fund Anonymous
Bussey Family Endowment Fund which benefits YMCA Camps du Nord, St. Croix and Widjiwagan
Michael & Marcia Bussey
Kelly Davis Advanced Trip Endowment Fund in honor of Sally & Thomas Patterson
Jane Davis Bennett
David Warner Doerr & Charles Adam Doerr Memorial Endowment
Mairi C. Doerr
AESL Garvey Endowment Fund
Edward & Dana Garvey
Otis H. Godfrey Jr. Endowment Fund in memory of David Randall Godfrey
Deborah L. Cordes
Barb & David Elton
Charles Flinn & Elizabeth Hayden
Elizabeth L. Flinn
Jean K. Godfrey
Ann & Tracy Godfrey
Laura & Dennis Harpestad
Esther & Martin Kellogg
Elisabeth B. Knoche
Jennifer & Roger Kramer
Marilyn Lundberg
Stephanie & Tom McCarthy
Steve & Katrina McCarthy
Robert & Yvonne Momsen
Annabel Randolph
Brenda Roberts
Margaret & Philip Tiffany
Marjorie & Douglas Young
in memory of Otis Godfrey
Jean K. Godfrey in honor of Edward Johnson
Jean K. Godfrey in memory of Ginny Luehrs
Jean K. Godfrey
Greenberg Family Endowment Fund
Sue & Bob Greenberg
Hirt Family Endowment Fund for Advanced Trips
Geoffrey & Linda Hirt
Hlavacek Family Endowment Fund
Christine & Douglas Hlavacek
David E. and Judy Jerde Endowment Fund
Erik & Elizabeth Jerde
Mark & Sarah Jerde
Daniel H. Johnson Life Insurance Fund
Daniel H. Johnson
Herbert O. Johnson Memorial Fund in honor of Alissa Johnson
Judith Miller
Bruce Koci Memorial Wood Canvas Canoe Fund
Robert & Ruth Baker
Armin & Virginia Luehrs Campership Endowment
Gary & Jane Clements
The Armin & Virginia Luehrs Charitable Gift Fund
in memory of Ginny Luehrs
Armand & Beverly Ball
Christine G. Buetow
Evelyn G. Buetow
Gary & Jane Clements
Elizabeth L. Flinn
Jack Hanna
Linda & Dominic Ramacier
Rodger and Katherine Lundberg Endowment Fund, which benefits YMCA Camps du Nord and Widjiwagan
Susan & Michael Johnson
Christopher T. Lyford Memorial Endowment Fund
Kay Lyford
Kent & Barbara Lyford
William & Katherine Mackenzie
Grandchildren Endowment Fund in memory of Katherine Mackenzie
Patricia M. Clemmer
Mary Jane & Thomas Donald
Dora Driscoll de Gomez & Michael Driscoll
Nancy S. Elleby
Earl & Virginia Geiger
Tom Hiendlmayr & Jan Ormasa
Margaret Kneip
Renee Lane
Michele E. & Marlene J. Mc Keown
Susan Reaney
Barbara & Gary Strandemo in memory of William Mackenzie
Patricia M. Clemmer
McNeely Endowment Fund
Greg McNeely Fund
Anne and David Murphy Family Fund
Anne & David Murphy
Frank and Laura Nelson Memorial Fund, which benefits YMCA Camps St. Croix and Widjiwagan in memory of Christina “Tina” Gray
Armand & Beverly Ball
Jennifer Bunce
Romona L. Devries
Connie Edwards
Marjorie K. Eisinger
Nealna & Donald Gylling
Ms. Joni Hill
Ms. Ivadell Hunter
Linda Jeffries
Ms. Sally Jones
Armin & Ginny Luehrs
Evie Marshall
Evelyn & William Matthies
B. Ann & James McGuire
Laurie A. Mezner
Gerald Peterson
Karen E. Peterson
Linda & Dominic Ramacier
Mrs. Lynn Smolenski
Ms. Susan Spier
Kathleen L. Stevens
Jean & Ned Therrien
Barbara Wenschlag
Paula West
Robert R. Wilke
Mavis N. Zachary
Ericka Zernechel
Tom & Dana Zimmerman
in honor of Marion Jacobsen
Barbara Wenschlag
in honor of Mary Ellen Nelsen
Barbara Wenschlag
Harold C. Nicholls Memorial Fund
Nedra Nicholls
Robert Olander Ecology Fund Olander Family Fund of Orange County Community Foundation
Ormasa-Hiendlmayr Fund for Advanced Trips
Tom Hiendlmayr & Jan Ormasa
Hal Ponthan Memorial Fund
Diane L. Nelson in memory of Beryl Ponthan
T.A. & M.A. Beaumont
Evelyn G. Buetow
Judith & James Decker
Carol Pickett
Linda & Dominic Ramacier
KC Racciatti Family Endowment Fund
The Racciatti Family Fund
in honor of Thomas Racciatti
Mark & Alecia Stenseth
Linda and Dominic Endowment Fund in honor of Lynne Meyer & Mary Walser
Linda & Dominic Ramacier
William B. Randall Endowment Fund
Charles Dana
Rick Family Endowment Fund in memory of David Godfrey in memory of Mary Lou Lamain
Jeff & Roxanne Rick in memory of Ginny Luehrs
Joanne Oyen
Rob Runyon Endowment Fund
Donald & Sharon Fleming
Willius Estate Endowment Fund
Daniel & Ruth Willius
Nora & Joe Seliga Wood Canoe Endowment Fund
Gary & Jane Clements
The Bell Bern Family
Jim & Marianne Ude Camp Widjiwagan
Advanced Trip Endowment Fund
James & Marianne Ude
YMCA Camp Widjiwagan Advanced Trip Fund
in memory of Mary Lou Lamain
Gary & Jane Clements
2016 Endowment Gifts, continued
YMCA Camps Widjiwagan and du Nord
Garage Sale Endowment
2016 Sale
Midway Book Store
YMCA Camp Widjiwagan General Endowment Fund
Hilary & Fritz Magnuson
Nanci Olesen & Steven Epp
Charles & Erika Vitek
in memory of John Huesby TeamFootWorks
in memory of Mary Lou Lamain
Armand & Beverly Ball
Christine G. Buetow
Allen & Marilyn Calvin
Laura Cordek
Stephen M. Dale
Blake & Sandra Davis
Elizabeth L. Flinn
Judith Gavin
Robert & Sue Gehrz
Naomi K. Lauen
Jill Lewis
Paul & Pauline Pagel
Steve & Michele Smentek
in memory of Jennifer Roy
The Philemon C and Barbara Blanch Roy Jr Fund
in memory of Fritz Schwarz
Ayse Aker
Janet Austin
Armand & Beverly Ball
Cyrus & Carolyn Blackmore
Elissa Blake Free & William Nooter
Edgar H. Bittle
Nanci & James Bobrow
Christine & Skip Brown
Gloria & Steve Cameron
Yona Cloonan
James E. Corliss
George Dowell
Michael A Dunn
Elkridge Hartford Hunt Club, Inc.
Hannah Gould
Nathaniel Hagee
Stephen Hall
Harold J. Handley
James Heubi
Richard & Margaret Himelfarb
Harriet S. Iglehart
Gayle Jackson
Margit Jackson
Josephine & Benjamin Kaestner
William Keenan
Robert Kinsley
Mary Lea Kruse
John & Lynn Lazzaro
Ding-You Li
Kenneth & Jennifer Lindyberg
Anna Lok
Kathleen Loomes
Armin Luehrs
John & Sylvia McAdoo
Jean Molleston
Walter & Diane Muetze
Karen Murray
Carrye & Hal Northrop
Julie B. Northrop
Betty Okenfuss
Maria Oliva-Hemker
Ellen R. Oppenheimer
Robert Perrillo
Elizabeth & David Phillips
Marlene & John Phillips
Eilene Poole
Anne Powell
Steven & Liz Ricklefs
Mary & Philip Roden
Carolyn & Richard Scarborough
Sarah Jane Schwarzenberg
Cathie Spino
Michael Stafford
Margaret A. Stumpp
Mary Torgoman
Tranquilty Manor Farms, Inc.
Suzanne & Thomas T
Juliana Whitten
Ms. Lindsay Wilson
Cynthia Woolsey
Orsia & Albert Young
A DOZEN WAYS TO BE INVOLVED WITH WID
• Attend the Spring Banquet in April
• Like Widji on Facebook
• Volunteer at the Spring or Fall Garage Sale
• Share your Widji Story on our website
• Volunteer as a greeter at the Widji bus this summer
• Send us your current email to receive our ne
• Visit thewidjiway.com to add your Voyageur or Mountaineer route to the interactive archiv
• Attend the Prairie Burn Music Festival this f
• Give a summer brochure to a neighbor or relativ
• Make a donation to help send a kid to camp this summer
• Attend the Widji Winter Warm Up speaker series ne
A Word of Thanks: The Financial Picture
Each year, as we review the financial picture of Camp Widjiwagan, we are astounded all over again by the support of our Widji community — by you. The support you show year after year keeps Widji’s financial picture strong.
As a former camper or staff member, donor, camper parent, teacher, student, ambassador, or volunteer, you have made Widji an important part of your charitable giving, estate planning, and conversations with friends and family. Your support allows the Widji Way to thrive and makes the camp experience possible for more and more kids through scholarships and financial aid.
Widji’s financial picture is unique. As an organization within an organization — the Y of the Greater Twin Cities — our finances will look different than those of other nonprofits since we do not cover the general costs of overhead (payroll, marketing, communication, etc.). Our financial relationship with the greater association helps to provide us with financial strength and resilience through the years.
Focusing on a snapshot of Widji’s revenues and expenses helps us highlight the factors which keep camp’s financial picture strong each year. The results are clear — YOU are the most important part of what keeps Widji strong. The charts [below] show that your contributions drive the highest percentage of camp’s annual revenue — a total of 21 percent of 2016 revenues from annual contributions and endowment earnings.
This level of support boosts revenues from camper fees, which together provide a amming and provide
xperience continues. Thank you. ommittee
Camper fees = 78%
Contributions = 12%
Endowment earnings =
• Volunteer for the Annual Campaign to help raise scholarship funds
Numerous and dedicated volunteers drove the garage sale to success once again last year. Sale proceeds benefit Camps Widjiwagan and du Nord Garage Sale Endowment Fund to support scholarships.
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: NON-BOARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Pat Eid
Gail Hansen
Karen Loewenson
Susan Nordin
Erin Omann
Deborah Ralston
Amery Robinson
Julie Schultz
Tom Stoa
Robert Stubenvoll
Mark Bixby
Christy Buetow
Bruce Cassleton
Dwight Ericsson
Kate Hale
Grace Henneghan
Tom Hiendlmayr
Dave Jerde
Eric Johnson
Lynne Meyer
Elizabeth Miller
Peter Murray
John Patterson
Lia Ruttan
Rebecca Salter
Kate Starns
Laura Wellington
2016 Annual Campaign
Bonnie Mairs
Sara Mairs & Daniel Steinhacker
Daniel Mammel
Melanie McCully
Timothy McGree & Patricia Curtner
Hugh & Mary Meier
David & Kathleen Miller
Judith Miller
Ranlet & Beth Miner
David & Kari Mink
Bjorn & Margot Monson
James & Betsy Moore
Morgan Stanley Charitable
Spending Account
Jonathan & Martha Morgan
James & Nancy Mulvey
Anne & David Murphy
Phil & Lynda Murray
Joseph & Kathryn Nasvik
Sallie Neall
Sue & Doug Nelson
Carl & Peggy Ohrn
Joan Ostergren & James Alexander
Roger & Marilyn Otte
Suzanne Permuth & Thomas Neufeld
Rolf & Carolyn Peterson
Susan Peterson & Robert Black
Steve & Nancy Piragis
Judy & Ronald Plante
James Pojman & Patricia Bradley
Robert Porter
Robert Power & Connie Ford
Lisa Raisner
Thomas Rauenhorst & Karen Pennington
Cynthia & Alexander Read
Laura Reed, Liz Harris & Family
Roland & Debra Renfro
Philip J. L. Rickey
Gale & W. Derek Robb
Bethanne Rochlin Kronick
Susan Roe & Joshua Glenn
Susan Roe
Katherine & Chuck Rothstein
Ronald & Carolyn Rude
Sandra & James Rutzick
Dennis & Kelly Ryan
David A. Saadat
Jennifer Sahlin
Sandra Samuelson
Charles Sawyer
Steven Schaefer & Jayne Ritter
Bill Scherado Construction LLC.
Charles Scherado
Jeffrey Schmidt
Maureen & John Schulz
Kathleen B. Schwarz MD
Richard & Jane Scott
John & Sheilah Seaberg
Stephen & Sharon Segal
John & Jen Shank
Lansing Shepard
Stanley & Lucy Shepard
Cynthia & Peter Simer
Ann & Jay Simonson
Sharon Sivertsen-Modrij & John Modrijan
Anne S. Slaughter Perrote
Thomas & Susan Smegal
Helene Smith
Sarah & C. Ryan Solberg
Kristi & Mark Specker
Kathryn Starns
Richard & Virginia Stockwell
Benjamin Storey
Carole & Rafael Suarez
Slater & Cynthia Tai
Brian & Danita Thyr
Joy R. Van
Angus A. Vaughan
Joyce & Anthony Vavoulis
Harry Walsh
Carol Warren
Frances Watson & James Britton
Scott & Martha Weicht
Mr. Frederick J. Weyerhaeuser
Mark & Mary Westra
Jim & Ann Wheeler
David & Suzanne White
Debra Wilkens-Costello & Patrick Costello
Daniel & Ruth Willius
Patricia Zurlo
ISLE ROYALE up to $99
Anonymous
Lily Ahrens
Sarah O. Alexander
Deborah Allan & Lawrence Wackett
Andrews Allen III
Elizabeth & Robert Andersen
Carly Anderson
David & Virginia Anderson
Elena D. Anderson
Logan Anderson
Adair M. Andre
Alison & Zurich Awes
David Baird
Stephen & Jill Barry
Olivia K. Benson
George & Jean Bentley
Sheldon Berkowitz & Carolyn Levy
Brent Berwin
Randall Bibeau
Thomas P. Blyth
Sarah Boyle
Kathleen Briguet
Rutherford Brosious
Donald L. Bruestle
Steve Bruner & Leah Schmalzbauer
Christine G. Buetow
Daniel & Kara Buhr
Claire E. Burgeson
Jeffrey Bush
John Bussey
Jacob A. Cahill
Maggie E. Cahill
Hunter D. Caldwell
Gerald & Judy Campbell
Sally Caruso
Scott Christenson & Katey Leck
Joan Cleary & Jerome Helfand
Gary & Jane Clements
James Collinge
John & Janet Comfort
Hilarie & Caitlin Conboy
Patrick & Patti Conlin
Anders Conway
Mitchell Cooper & Ruth Conniff
Shawn M. Cope
Meghan D. Cosgrove
Lachlan Cotner
Rawley D. Crow
Andrew Currie
Conor F. Cusack
Jane M. Dahlgren
Kathleen & Mike Danielson
Tonya & Marcel de Jong
Jennifer Degnan
Allison Domicone
Frederick Driscoll
Samuel Eberhart
ANNUAL CAMPAIGN SUCCESS
The 2016 Annual Campaign raised a total of $208,131 in donations. Camp Widjiwagan is fortunate to have dedicated volunteers who donate time every year to contact our alumni, campers, staff, family members and friends to raise money for this important campaign. The funds raised support camperships, which helped 75 summer campers fund their 2016 summer trip. In addition 509 participants received assistance through the Outdoor Learning Program during the fall, winter, and spring. This annual campaign also supports staff training and development, repairs and replacement of trail equipment, wood canoe maintenance and funds to purchase safety equipment.
The campaign to raise funds for 2016 was chaired by Megan KlaberHolleran. Many thanks to the dedicated team of volunteers that helped Widjiwagan reach our goal.
Annual Campaign Team:
Admin Volunteers: Jenny Hagberg
General Call Night Captain: Megan Klaber-Holleran
Board Division: Cindy Gardner
Major Gifts: John Saxhaug & Sandra Samuelson
Team Leaders: Tom Hiendlmayr, David Lauth, Ned Patterson, Sandra Samuelson, John Saxhaug, Court Storey, Amy White
A special thanks to all of those who helped call and connect during our general and major gift campaign.
John Ekberg
Katherine & Vincent Ella
Carolyn & Sara Ellstra
Mark & Sara Fabel
John & Betsy Flaten
James & Carol Fruehling
Gillian A. Gadenne
Nicholas J. Gardner
Jean M. Gehrz
Patrick & Martha Gerkey
Frances E. Gibson
Greg & Tammy Gilbert
Candace Ginsberg
Barbara Gipple
Lillian A. Glynos
Ann & Tracy Godfrey
Christina Gray
E.D. & Annalee Gray
Timothy Griswold
Mary & Guillermo Gutknecht
Jean Guttman
Joseph P. Haase
Michael E. Habermann
Amy L. Hadow
Jay Hambidge & Melissa Driscoll
Christine Hammes
Joseph W. Hann
Richard & Lynnette Hansen
Jan & Tom Hardel
James G. Hartnett
Katherine A. Hartnett
August & Anne Haugan
Audrey Haynes
Emily Heck
Shawna & Jason Hedlund
Grace M. Heneghan
Reuben F. Henriques
Jonathon E. Herringer
Arthur Higinbotham
Laurie & Glenn Hockett
Mark Holloway & Briley Brown Holloway
Linda Honebrink
Allison Horick
Stanley & Mary Hunter
Laurel E. Ipsen
The Iverson Family
2016 Annual Campaign
Sarah Jackson
Stanley & Janet Jacobson
Francis & Sally Jo Jefferson
John & Linda Jeffery
Christopher Johnson & Corene Adams
Eric E. Johnson
Gary Johnson
Peter H. Jones
Karl & Sally Kaufmann
Mary & Edward Keirstead
Sarah M. Kellogg
Julie Keyeski-Rank
The Shepherd Kieffer Family
Stephanie & Scott King
Douglas & Melissa Kleemeier
Marian E. Kramer
Noah Kreider Carlson
Barclay Kruse
Grant D. Laco
John & Madelyn LaFave
Manuel & Sarah Lagos
Maury & Julie Landsman
Katja D. Lange
Christopher Lauth
Catherine Lay & Henry Jerome
Joy Leibman
Gregory & Molly Leifeld
Christine & Anthony Lema
Irving & Gwen Lerner
Rebecca L. Levine
Grace A. Lindblad
Albert & Terese Lindeke
Kaia M. Lindquist
Alice Loewenson
Jesse Lorenz
Gary Lowenberg
Hilary & Fritz Magnuson
Robert & Helen Mairs
Elspeth & F. William McClelland
Randall & Anita McKeeman
Merjent Inc
Mark Miller & Laura Cripps
Thomas & Cathleen Miller
David & Fredrica Montgomery
Sophie Munholland & John Porter
Patricia Murphy
Emily Myhre
C. Roger & LaVonne Nelson
Maya Norman
Claire O’Brien
Katherine O’Brien
Maura O’Brien
Catherine O’Dell
Nanci Olesen & Steven Epp
Gary & Lynn Olson
Leigh Onkka
Lauren A. Ott
Sela E. Patterson
Catherine Perron
Bryan & Elizabeth Pershing
Jay & Barbara Pfaender
Karen Pick & John Pierce
Katie Pierce
Susan Pollock & Carla Bates
David & Carol Rankin
JamieLyn & John Reinschmidt
Jessica Rick
Lily S. Rogers-Grant
Kurt & Lesley Ann Rusterholz
Rebecca Salter
Emerson A. Sample
2016 Foundation Support
Andersen Corporate Foundation - Wilderness Outreach and Environmental Education
Hugh J. Andersen Foundation - Wilderness Outreach and Environmental Education
Anonymous - Annual Fund (two foundation gifts)
Sally A. Anson Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation - Annual Campaign
Bren Family Charitable Fund of Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund - Annual Campaign
Bright Funds Foundation - Annual Campaign
Brown Family Foundation Inc - Annual Campaign
Cowie Family Fund of the T. Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving - Annual Campaign
Disomma Family Foundation - Annual Campaign
Steve Euller and Nancy Roehr Family Charitable Fund of Vanguard - Annual Campaign
John and Ruth Huss Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation - Annual Campaign
Joyful Women Fund - Annual Campaign
Knox Foundation - Annual Campaign
Lehmann Family Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation - Annual Campaign
Eric and Laurel Lein Charitable Fund at Schwab Charitable - Annual Campaign
The Armin and Virginia Luehrs Charitable Gift Fund - Endowment
MacDonald Family Conscience Fund - Annual Campaign
William & Katherine Mackenzie Family Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation - Endowment
Mans Burnett Family Charitable Fund - Annual Campaign
Alexandra R. Samuelson
Connie & Kenneth Sansome
Lillian B. Schafer
Janet & Cedric Schrankler
Dawn Schroeder
Samuel E. Schroeder
Ralph & Dorothy Schwartz
Gena & Steven Setzer
Craig & Maureen Shaver
Ben & Katie Sheets
Marjorie Sigel & Richard Van Deusen
William & Virginia Simek
Anne Sinclair
Nan Skelton & Peter Leach
Joe & Lindsay Smith
Shirley Solomon
Joan Sorenson & Wayne Jennings
Helen E. Sprainer
Brittiny L. Stapleton
Byron & Ann Sugden
Mark & Elizabeth Sugden
Christine & Annop Tantisunthorn
Rolf Thompson & CJ Jacobson
Travis & Anna Thompson
John & Amy Tillotson
Martha S. Torstenson
James & Cheryl Ullyot
Joseph & Lisa Van Clock
Adam R. Vanney
Peter Vantine
Daniel & Annie Walsh
Erin Walsh & Katie Fritz
Arlette & Raymond Watts
Jason & Jennifer Weinzirl
Grace A. Werner
Peter & Lisa West
Sarah Western & Henry Sullivan
Ann Westra
James Williams
John Carl & Sarah Williams
Karakoz Williams
Kay Williams
Jeffrey & Sally Willius
Peter Wilson
Jeanne & Gregory Wright
Steven & Annie Yetter
Greg McNeely Fund at Schwab Charitable - Endowment
Meredith Fund of the Women’s Foundation - Endowment
Philip and Katherine Nason Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation - Annual Campaign
Nicholson Family Foundation, Richard and Nancy Nicholson - Annual Campaign
Robert Olander Family Fund of the Orange County Community Foundation - Endowment
Doug and Phyl Ostergren Family Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation - Annual Campaign
John and Arlis Riedel Fund of the National Philantropic Trust - Annual Campaign
Ned Patterson and Susan Schloff Charitable Fund - Annual Campaign
R.C. Lilly Foundation - Annual Campaign
Scott Charitable Gift Fund of Schwab Charitable Gifts - Annual Campaign
Terhuly Foundation Inc. - Annual Campaign
The Philemon C and Barbara Blanch Roy Jr Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation - Endowment
The Racciatti Family Fund of the Vangaard Charitable - Endowment
United Way of the Greater Twin Cities Designated Gifts - Annual Campaign and Capital
Walser Family Foundation of the Saint Paul Foundation - Annual Campaign
William and Barbara Welke Charitable Fund at Vangaard Charitable - Annual Campaign
Rick Weyerhaeuser and Annie Brewster Fund of the Fidelity Charitable Gift FundAnnual Campaign
Witt Family Foundation at Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund - Annual Campaign
