In many ways, camp mirrors society. We uphold a set of core principles that put a premium on character, compassion, leadership and grit. Yet in the end, camp is thankfully just camp. It is a place where kids can have tons of fun, discover themselves without judgment, and seek the joy of being alive.

Terry Jones, an alumnus of Owakonze—the former boys camp acquired by the Camping & Education Foundation in 2017—is an author, speaker and venture capitalist best known as the founder of Travelocity and founding chairman of Kayak.

On January 6, 1999, then-Ohio Congressman Rob Portman stood before his colleagues in the US House of Representatives to pay tribute to one of Cincinnati’s “finest citizens.” He was speaking about longtime Kooch-i-ching Director John Holden, who had recently succumbed to cancer at the age of 75.

In the summer, you’re likely to find him leading a postprandial paddling session, poring over maps in the Map Room, fixing zippers in the Trip Center, or ripping across Rainy Lake in his Boston Whaler.

Over the past three weeks, our community reflected on the Lamp of Love, whose precepts—Be kind, Be helpful, Be joyful—form a timely coda to a timeless code of ethics.

“Be brave.” “Be silent.” “Obey.” These are the rays that make up the Lamp of Fortitude, the third lamp of the Law of the Woods. Over the past few weeks, we asked campers, staff and alumni to reflect on these rays and submit their thoughts and creations.

Halfway through our quest to discover what the Law of the Woods means to our camp community, the lamps of beauty and truth are burning brightly. Here’s what our campers, staff and alumni had to say about the Lamp of Truth and its three rays: “Speak true,” “Play fair” and “Be reverent.”

That’s the question we’re asking campers, staff and alumni this summer as we reflect on past experiences, look ahead with hope, and lean on the Law of the Woods for guidance during these challenging times.

As the true impact of the vote reverberated across the call, the disappointment was immense. At the same time, we took comfort in knowing that we had made the correct decision.

“We are going through an incredible amount of contingency planning. We have to prioritize the health and safety of campers, staff and the community. We have a relationship with International Falls, and it's a relationship we respect.”

A lot of sweating and swearing take place on a portage, and sometimes bugs try to chew on your neck the entire way across a swampy expanse, but the true spirit of our experience involves using teamwork, along with grit and determination, and then laughing when it is all over.

Each set of bustles requires between 35 and 40 hours of labor. Many are dedicated to our distinguished traditions and alumni, and all are reserved for Kooch-i-ching’s most deserving dancers.

Through efforts to engage current staff members and young alumni, and a lofty goal of 250 new donors, we raised more than $825,000 for the annual fund in 2019, the most we’ve ever raised in a single year.

He made it about three-fourths of the way across the field before he got stuck. By the time I caught up to him, all that was left was his prosthetic leg, standing at attention, peeking out of the snowpack.

Bill was indeed a giant, Inukpaq. He was a wonderful geographer, a brilliant maker of people’s maps; and he was these things because he cared for others, listened, and was unfailingly loyal to all who had looked to him for help.

I was the first camper to enter my tent, which was attached to the tallest pine on the island. The moment I crawled in, I experienced the simultaneous deafening roar of thunder and a brilliant flash of light.

“At one point, James’ boots, socks and pants were completely frozen.” Axel recalls. “I still remember him saying, ‘Everything is frozen. I am not having fun anymore!’ I could not stop laughing.”

At 1.1 million acres, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of the largest and most popular backcountry destinations in the U.S. But now the region is facing the threat of sulfide-ore copper mining.

To stay relevant, we must strive to be best-in-class, to be year-round, and to reach as many young people as possible.

On challenging expeditions such as this, success is often measured rapid by rapid, portage by portage, mile by mile, and day by day as each individual wrestles with his or her own mental and physical fortitude.