The History of the Fire Circle

By John Burgman
July 14, 2020 (comments)

There are many places on the camp peninsula that look a little different this year, and many aspects of the CV summer that feel…off. The cabins are not filled with campers; the Mess Hall lacks the typical, prevalent chatter of trip tales and activity happenings. Pine Stadium remains mostly unoccupied aside from the storage of a few boats and has not hosted a big athletic game in 13 months. Indeed, the pandemic and the resulting cancellation of a full-fledged Voyageur summer have changed much of what has become standard for the season. Yet, one area of the peninsula that somehow...

Positivity Amid the Pandemic

By Bill Burgman
July 02, 2020 (comments)

I arrived at camp very late a few evenings ago. Exhausted, I quickly moved in some gear and crashed for the night. The next morning, strong mixed feelings set in. It was a beautiful day—misting, then turning sunny; loons calling from the Kawishiwi River; and some friendly, familiar faces in the Mess Hall. But something was definitely off: First, there were quirky—but justified—COVID-19 pandemic precautionary rules and protocols in place, such as “No Handshakes or Hugs,” “No Handling the Coffee Carafe,” etc. But more striking was that no campers were around—no stirrings from the cabins, no voices coming down the...

Virtual Programming Unveiled

By John Erdmann
June 18, 2020 (comments)

Campers will be happy to know that Bill Burgman will be reprising his role as Bill Burgman. Our dynamic staff – lead by licensed teachers Mikey Meves and Alex Kvanli, M.S.Ed. – along with a host of outlandish characters are leading the program, which includes various “How To” videos along with interactive camp favorites such as WELK Radio Show, Olympics, Word of the Day, and Bean Auction. All campers and alumni are invited to join our free 8-week virtual session this summer. To participate: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and/or YouTube so you can catch the latest updates. Have access...

Counselors Arrive: What Will They Do All Summer?

By Kyle Montgomery
June 11, 2020 (comments)

John Erdmann’s glad you asked. For the first time in 70 years, campers won’t be moving into the cabins this Sunday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the penninsula is still crawling with life; veterans Alex Kvanli, Mikey Meves, Kyle Montgomery, Harrison Pratt, and newcomer Jack Diedrich are working hard to get the peninsula tuned up, create interactive virtual programming, and outfit CV families for Boundary Waters canoe trips. Improvements and Maintenance A summer without campers has given us ample time to tackle maintenance projects around camp that have slipped through the cracks over the years. On any given day,...

2020 Voyageur Offers Guided Trips with Counselors

By Alex Kvanli
June 01, 2020 (comments)

Exclusive guiding for Voyageur families and alumni. Phase II of Minnesota’s Stay Safe Plan began June 1st, meaning that some Minnesota businesses are allowed to reopen under limited circumstances. As a non-critical business, we have been mandated to adopt and implement a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in order to open services for the public. At this time, we are unable to provide families lodging or mess hall meals. Our pre-trip outfitting services include: Phone consultation Route planning and reservation assistance Food menu planning Group packing Full outfitting starts at $75/person/day with a Grumman canoe. Guided trips start at $95/person/day. Outfitting includes...

Alumni Do Work Despite Restrictions

By Alex Kvanli
May 27, 2020 (comments)

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.

The Most Unusual Summer

By John Erdmann
May 20, 2020 (comments)

Opening camp this summer is unlike any other. Mim and Charlie Erdmann experienced a couple of relatively empty summers after retiring in 1979 while renting camp to previous counselor Dave McCracken and then to Dick Lyons of DePauw. We notified camper families in mid-May that camp sessions were canceled due to COVID-19. Subsequently, most of the Minnesota camps we have counseled with have followed suit. We will miss each and every camper and staff member who was signed up this summer and we hope that they will join us again in a year. Even in the absence of campers, counselors...

2020 Summer Sessions Canceled

By Deb Erdmann
May 14, 2020 (comments)

For 70 years the Erdmann family has proudly provided Camp Voyageur summers for youth to share sports, meals, and wilderness trips in the north woods. By nature, camp is communal and emphasizes interdependence and collaboration. The impact of COVID-19 has made the prospect for camp anything but normal this year. Minnesota’s stay-at-home order expires May 18th with limitations thereafter. The Canadian border is closed, and Boundary Waters permits are currently restricted for day use only. Limited COVID-19 testing, six-foot social distancing, gloves, and masks have slowed the virus, but a threat remains real, particularly in group settings. Amid safety concerns...

Top 10 Books to Bring to Camp

By John Burgman
May 05, 2020 (comments)

A typical day at Camp Voyageur is fairly busy. From morning inspection to the afternoon activities and the evening entertainment programs, there is not a lot of idle time for campers or counselor’s. Still, within the action-packed day are periods of downtime when campers are encouraged to relax, write a letter, or read a book. And while good books often get passed around from camper-to-camper and cabin-to-cabin throughout the course of a summer, it’s always a good idea to arrive at camp with something of a personal library. In no particular order, here are 10 books for consideration. We realize...

Meet the Staff: Mikey Meves

By John Erdmann
April 28, 2020 (comments)

What is your favorite part about the trail? Reading for fun was something I never really did growing up, in fact my reading level was so poor that holding me back a grade was a consideration. When I came to camp and went on the trail for the first time, I brought a book with me, Fahrenheit 451. While on trail I got this feeling like nothing before, where my mind was fully free to picture and experience the story as I read it. I fell in love with reading while on the trail, especially fantasy, where the book brings...