The Swamper Program is Back!
Wilderness Canoe Base is offering its Swamper Program in 2022, and we’d love for interested high schoolers (age 15-19) to apply! The Swamper Program has been around for a while, and in its present iteration is comparable to an internship in camp and outdoor ministry work. Swampers have a chance to explore the wide variety of different aspects of a Wilderness Canoe Base summer—from trip leading, nature orientations, and worship planning to maintenance projects and meal prep. Swampers can learn and grow as individuals and community members while living and working on the edge of the beautiful Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Here’s what two past Swampers have to say about Swamping at Wilderness Canoe Base:
“Swamping is a once in a lifetime opportunity to volunteer at a place where god is always present. The work is so fulfilling and I met some of the most amazing people while I was Swamping. Swamping is also an opportunity to grow as a teen and be in a community of other Swampers.”
-Erin
“As a camper, Wilderness Canoe Base was a super special place to me, so I jumped at the chance to Swamp when I was old enough! I was excited just to be living and camping in the BWCA, but Swamping turned out to be much more than that. I was able to assist a guide on a camping trip, something I was super nervous to do, but ended up being a really unique and amazing experience! I got to work with an all-girl group of mostly first-time campers from Project Success. Helping those girls challenge themselves and bond over that week was incredibly empowering. It felt like I was giving back to a younger generation of campers!
As a Swamper, I also was able to get experience “shadowing” other staff around camp–in the kitchen, the Nature Nest, and in the Med Center. I built strong connections with campers and other volunteers, challenged myself, and learned a multitude of new skills, from biscuit baking from scratch, to safely removing a splinter, to solo lifting a canoe. And, I got to do it all in one of the most beautiful places on Earth with a great team of people. If you enjoy camping in the BWCA and are passionate about helping others have positive experiences up North, you’ll love Swamping.”
-Freya
Swamper Program details:
Site: Wilderness Canoe Base
Ages: 15-19
2022 Program Dates: June 18-August 14
Arrival and Length of Stay: Swamper arrival days are Saturdays, unless alternative arrangements have been made. WCB would like Swampers to commit to at least two consecutive weeks if possible, in order to experience a variety of aspects of the WCB site and to have the best chance of going out “on trail” into the BWCA.
Cost: $100 per week*
*Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp offers scholarships for those in need. For more information, please ask Wilderness Canoe Base during application or in the interview.
If you’d like to learn more about the WCB Swamper program or are ready to apply, you can go here: https://lakewapo.org/programs/swamper-program/. Reach out to WCB Program Manager Dan Ahrendt via email at daniela@campwapo.org with any questions.