Dear Wabun Family,
We who have witnessed the expansion of spirit that comes from living with kindred souls in wild spaces, understand with both heart and mind, that Wabun offers some very special gains for kids. On August 7th we posted this video in which alumni and parents describe the joy, the friendships, the confidence, and the competence that emerge in young people during a summer at Wabun. Campers, supported by expert staff, build together, from the raw materials of water, wind, forests, and friendships, experiences that shape their character, broaden their perspective, and strengthen their capacity to live deeply in this world. We are proud of our program and thrilled to announce that registration for Wabun’s 90th season launches today! Please check out our new and improved website with a secure camper registration system you can access through the “Enroll” button at the top of the page. Our staff application will be up shortly.
The grounding and empowering, wilderness opportunities Wabun provides young people are more needed than ever; in appreciation for your love and support over the past two years we would like to offer a 10% tuition reduction for returning camper(s) and/or if your camper(s) was enrolled for the 2020 or 2021 season. To secure this reduced rate please be sure to register by December 31st, 2021. Additionally, Wabun remains committed to making our programming accessible. We are working closely with the Red Canoe Foundation to broaden and deepen opportunities for families to receive tuition support. Please reach out to Jess for more information.
Throughout the pandemic pause in programming, Wabun’s leadership has worked diligently to ensure Wabun will be well positioned to provide future generations of campers and staff the opportunity to take those first strokes away from the dock and toward life-changing adventure. Two years without camp has been a tough headwind to paddle through, but, as any canoe tripper knows, it is in facing challenge that purpose is crystalized and bonds are cemented.
I am taking this opportunity to lean on those bonds now. We have developed our website and enhanced our social media presence, however, our demographic data consistently indicate there is no effort to spread the word of Wabun that is more effective than word-of-mouth from you, our Wabun Family. You are the heart and soul of what we do and why we do it. It is your accomplishments we celebrate, and it is in the interest of supporting and sustaining this remarkable opportunity for others that we ask for your help in moving us forward in this last decade of our first hundred years.
No one knows better how Wabun can bring joy and strength to a child than the parents, grandparents, and extended family of the young people who paddle our red canoes. The stories you share about Wabun with friends, acquaintances, and associates create an authentic and powerful promotion of Wabun, the likes of which no digital image can compete. Won’t you please help us fill our cabins, tents, and canoes next summer with kids yearning for connection with one another and the nourishment of nature by sharing word of Wabun?
In the next few weeks I will reach out again with our 2021-2022 Open House/reunion schedule. It will include information about the virtual and in-person events we have scheduled over the coming months and also a digital packet of information and links that will be easy to forward along to folks you know. If you would prefer a hard-copy packet, just let me know! I love hearing the stories of ways in which campers and families learned about our program – you would be amazed to know how many young lives were changed because a friend of Wabun said; “hey, you might be interested in this camp I know…”
I leave you with a favorite few words that are often shared at the end of the dock before fleets of red canoes point bows north toward adventure; May the following winds be at our backs, the sun on our shoulders, and a clear view of a bright and promising future be on the horizons before us. Welcome to Wabun, 2022.
Warmly,
Jess