This summer, with uncertain access to Canada, we are looking closer to home—to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a million-acre swath of protected forest in northern Minnesota. Practically in our backyard, the Boundary Waters is world-famous, yet entirely unexplored by Kooch trippers. Until now.

“In my experience, Duluth Packs are somewhat bomb-proof. We put our packs through significant stress and they always hold up. We have hundreds of packs, including the #4, #3, and #2 styles. You just know that your Duluth Pack is going to last forever.”

The classes with the best scores have certain things in common: staff who are enthusiastic and personable, and content and skills that are sequential. In other words, our best classes have caring, competent staff who teach skills that lead somewhere—skills that campers can build on, year after year.

This June, instead of organizing a game of scatter dodge on the ballfield, our staff was hard at work at home, collaborating remotely to improve the quality of our program. And despite not setting foot on Deer Island, they accomplished a great deal, especially in the area of wilderness trips.

“He really just lives and breathes this stuff,” says Foundation President Hugh Haller. “I started talking to him about this program years ago. I told him to be patient and to get involved and that’s what he’s done.”

Back in May, with second session still in limbo, a small group of staff men came up to get the island in shape and knock out some major campus improvement projects. Altogether, these projects are sure to make 2021 the best summer ever.

Not even the absence of camp could stop our community from coming together and carrying on the traditions we would normally have shared on Deer Island. Our staff made it their mission to keep our campers happy and engaged—just as they would have at camp.

In the final episode of First Bell’s first season, Pat, Zach and Matt rendezvous with Assistant Director Tim Downey for an off-the-record interview about his ambitious long-term vision for camp: solar power, Coca-Cola and a battle for the directorship decided in Little Council.

Reconnect with fellow campers and staff members. Share photos, updates and memories. Introduce, employ and mentor young alums. Advance your career through inside connections working in top companies. All in one place.