What is Wilderness Wind?

It is an experience that includes:

• wilderness travel and awareness
• seeking God
• re-examining our relationship with creation
• relationship building
• self-discovery
• solitude
• wildlife
• skill enhancement
• two locations for folks with different needs and interests

Wilderness Wind (WW) offers wilderness experiences for individuals and groups regardless of skill level and experience. We offer canoe trips into the Minnesota Boundary Waters and the Canadian Quetico. Wilderness Wind also has four cabins on Armstrong Lake. Whether you are interested in a canoe trip or staying at the cabins, we work to tailor the experience to the interests and abilities of your group.

In addition, while offering retreats and spiritual experiences, we encourage others to examine their relationship with creation. As Earth sustains all life, and as we believe that God called it into existence out of goodness, we take the last phrase of our mission statement seriously (environmental sustainability). Living sustainably is an important component of our faith expression and we consider our relationship with that which sustains us on a daily basis.

Wilderness Wind is a member of the Mennonite Camping Association.

Who owns Wilderness Wind?

Wilderness Wind is a nonprofit organization operated by a national board of directors. Wilderness Wind Inc. offered its first trip in 1986. The availability of the Lakeside cabins in 1995 broadened the program to include people with varied abilities and interests in wilderness experiences.

Wilderness Wind Board of Directors

John Daniels
	How you spend your time: I spend most of my time as a CFO for a large law firm. I also serve on the board of Global Gifts in Indianapolis and on the Worship Committee at First Mennonite Church. Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana is where I live now, though i grew up all over, including Europe (France and Germany) and the Far East (Korea). Home Congregation: First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis Reason for joining the board: I was looking for an opportunity to serve on a board and chose Wilderness Wind based on the enthusiasm of the other board members despite not having been there before I started on the board. Area of interest: I hope to strengthen the financial reporting. I am also interested in building a monthly donation program. A life goal: I would like to visit Bhutan and I'm interested in building a "green" home to retire to.

Glenn Gilbert
	How you spend your time: I'm Utilities Manager at Goshen College, chair of the elders at Assembly Mennonite Church, biker, hiker, husband, father, and grandfather. Hometown: Goshen, IN Home Congregation: Assembly Mennonite Fellowship Reason for joining the board: I am personally indebted to WW for the experiences I have had in the Boundary Waters. I believe in the mission and values expressed and lived out by those that have worked hard to enable others to have similar encounters with their Creator and Sustainer. And I'm always open to a good excuse to travel north. Area of interest: All good things worth sustaining require nurture and care. WW is no exception. To the extent that my gifts can enable the vision, I am glad to participate. A life goal: I don't think about goals a lot. I just like to get up in the morning with anticipation and go to bed at night with gratitude.

Rachel Hoskins

	How you spend your time: I work at an environmental nonprofit that works to protect, conserve and restore Minnesota's Environment.  When I'm not doing that, I enjoy anything outside.  A favorite activity is hiking and spending time with my husband and dog.  I also enjoy reading, watching movies and cooking.
	Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
	Home Congregation: Faith Mennonite Church, Minneapolis
	Reason for joining the board:  I spent lots of weekends up at Wilderness Wind when I was a teenager and have only fond memories of that place.  When asked to join the board, I thought I could finally give something back and hopefully help others enjoy the wilderness.
	Area of interest: Helping develop ways for everyone to be able to enjoy Wilderness Wind; through canoe trips, stays at lakeside, volunteering or ways yet to be discovered that help people enjoy the outdoors.
	A life goal: To own my own cafe/coffee shop/candy store that serves organic, locally grown, fair trade ingredients in a small town like Ely.

Ed Kauffman
	How you spend your time: I serve as Executive Conference Minister for the Central Plains Mennonite Conference. Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD Home Congregation: Reason for joining the board: I joined to give back to an organization that has nurtured me spiritually and physically, and to ensure that others will have an opportunity to experience the wilderness as I have. Area of interest: I think Wilderness Wind combines spirituality and practice in significant ways and I hope to strengthen that aspect of the program. A life goal: Because i want to continue to take canoe trips into the wilderness for many years to come, this keeps me motivated to go to the fitness center on a regular basis.

Marshall King
	How you spend your time: I'm a writer for The Truth newspaper, focusing on food and feature stories. Because of that, I spend a lot of time eating, cooking and thinking about what I'll eat or cook next. In addition I enjoy basketball, reading and running. Hometown: Goshen, IN Home Congregation: Assembly Mennonite Church Reason for joining the board: I believed in the mission of Wilderness Wind and saw the impact it had on my life in terms of thinking about the earth and care for it, as well as how we slow down to find God. Area of interest: I want others to learn about Wilderness Wind and experience the subtle power of a canoe trip or time at lakeside. I want to help make WW sustainable and expand its reach to new people and new expressions of our mission. A life goal: Hiking the portion of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Virginia.

Beth Landis
	How you spend your time: I work as a nurse practitioner, garden, jog, hike, cook, host guests and maintain relationships. Hometown: Eagle, Idaho Home Congregation: Hyde Park Mennonite Reason for joining the board: After nine canoe trips and experiencing the BWCAW as a magical place, being on the board seemed an appropriate way to give back to the area and to Wilderness Wind. Area of interest: I would like to strengthen Wilderness Wind's relationship to constituents and find new converts to the wilderness. A life goal: My short term goal is to use wisely all the vegetables that come in my CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture) box each week.

Paula Lehman
	How you spend your time: During work hours I spend my time as Associate Minister of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. Otherwise, I hike, bike, kayak, canoe, read mysteries and grandmother Aurora and Azure whenever I can. Hometown: Saint Paul, MN Home Congregation: Plymouth Congregational Church Reason for joining the board: I co-founded Wilderness Wind and have been on the board ever since. I believe in WW's mission to offer wilderness experiences where participants can deepen their spirituality by nurturing a relationship with creation. Area of interest: I am excited about how wilderness trips continue to be transformative and restorative for participants, thus I am committed to looking at how we can most effectively outfit folks for the inner journey. A life goal: To illustrate and write children's books.

Donna Minter
	How you spend your time: I hike/walk, bike, canoe, camp, and x-country sky as much as possible. I support myself and my family by working as a pediatric neuropsychologist and conducting forensic psychology evaluations. Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN Reason for joining the board: I suspect that being in the wilderness is close to being in Heaven. I want to promote this type of spiritual, mental, and physical experience for those who know it and want more and for persons just getting turned on to outdoor adventure. Wilderness Wind allows me this opportunity. Area of interest: Staff development and program planning for various groups. A life goal: Each day I want to mindfully take care of myself so that in turn, I can serve and give generously to those God places in my life. Also, I like discovering my personal physical, spiritual, and mental limits. In July 2007, I biked 500 miles in 7 days during the RAGBRAI. At the moment, I am training for a North Rim to South Rim day hike of the Grand Canyon before I turn 50 next year.

Steve Mullet
	How you spend your time: My work time is spent running my own computer consulting and services company. I'm also actively involved in some other businesses with my brother, am chair of Church Council at First Mennonite Sugarcreek, serve on the board of directors at Bluffton University, am a father of two and a husband, to name a few other things. In my free time I enjoy reading, exercise, canoeing, hiking, having theological and political discussions, and working on my golf game. Hometown: Berlin, Ohio Home Congregation: First Mennonite, Sugarcreek Ohio Reason for joining the board: After my first trip in 1995 I realized that the Boundary Waters had a grip on me that would not let go. In our present age we are becoming dangerously alienated from the ecosystems that sustain us and as a result also from God, who has entrusted to us the earth's care. Wilderness Wind provides an antidote of sorts - a vital re-connecting point - and I am grateful to be able to be involved in what I believe is the extremely important work of continuing to make the Wilderness Wind experience available to as many people as possible. Area of interest: I am interested in strengthening and sustaining all aspects of Wilderness Wind as an organization. A life goal: Hmmm, a good question. I don't really have any specific goals in mind. I guess a goal I would have would be for my grandchildren (should I ever have any) to be able to look back on the life of their grandfather and to say that I actually made a difference in making the world a better place.

Virgil Sauder
	How you spend your time: Hometown: Bloomington, IN Home Congregation: Reason for joining the board: Area of interest: A life goal: