From left to right: Melissa Falb, Marshall King, Donna Minter, Beth Landis, Ed Kauffman, Brenda Sawatsky Paetkau, Glenn Gilbert, Steve Mullet. Missing: Rachel Geissinger Hoskins, John Daniels, Paula Northwood
The Wilderness Wind board gathered at Pine Ridge, the main camp, for its fall board meeting this past weekend. We traveled from Ohio, Idaho, Indiana, South Dakota and other parts of Minnesota. Kathy Landis traveled from Kansas for the meeting, as well.
This group of passionate people reviewed the past year, with its successes and challenges. Trip numbers were down this past year, we believe largely due to the economy. A number of outfitters in Ely had fewer trips this summer. But we celebrate and are grateful for:
- the amazing staff we had (and have in our executive director)
- new programs, including the Quilters’ and Writers’ retreats
- the success of the Paddle-A-Thon
- The volunteers who contributed to our camp and our mission
- and a new partnership with Big City Mountaineers, which uses Wilderness Wind as a base camp to take inner city youth into the Boundary Waters.
We knew that this would be a challenging budget year. Kathy and the board worked together to build a budget that was frugal and responsible. And we’re hopeful that about $13,000 in year-end donations will cover our budget and let us finish in the black. That’s a real possibility and one we’re optimistic will happen.
The board discussed the 2010 year and how best to fulfill our mission. We want people to experience the wilderness and the work God has done and can do in it. We want people to go on trips and stay at Lakeside. We want those who have experienced it before to bring those who haven’t.
We enjoyed each others’ company and the time at base camp. We enjoyed the food that Liz Rempel, this summer’s cook, prepared and left in the freezer. I won’t say we enjoyed the inch or two of snow that fell over the weekend, but it was interesting to see camp under a white blanket.
Two final notes: Ed Kauffman finished six years as president of the board. He has given significant time and energy to lead this group and we’re grateful.
If you live in the vicinity of Goshen, Ind., mark your calendars for March 27. We’re hoping to have a potluck that night to eat together and celebrate that spot we cherish in northern Minnesota.
– Marshall King, board president
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