Wilderness Wind Paddle-a-thon Participants 2005:

Aubrey James Kathy Mary Ruth Nathan Peter Zeb

Aubrey Helmuth

Age: 21

Years on staff: 1

Hometown: Harrisonburg, Virginia

Home Congregation: Harrisonburg Mennonite Church

"Other" job: fourth year student at Goshen College

Reasons for participation: enjoyment

Bio: Aubrey is currently studying music and education. Besides making music, she enjoys getting up early, spending time with family, being outdoors, contradancing and conversing and laughing with interesting people. She is with us through the Camping Inquiry Program of Goshen College.

Quirk of character: loves randomnimity, and finds it funny

BWCAW animal she most identifies with: the loon because it makes funny noises and likes to sing

James Hiebert

Age: 25

Years on staff: 5

Hometown: Eugene, OR

Home Congregation: Eugene Mennonite Church

"Other" job: Professional academic

Reasons for participation: loves to exhaust himself through physical activity

Bio: James is currently living in Eugene, Oregon. He volunteers for several University and community organizations working with environmental and labor concerns. In his spare time, he holds a research fellowship at the University of Oregon while continuing work on a Ph.D. in Computer Science. He also hangs out in the woods a lot.

Quirk of character: is both technophobic and technophilic. How do you mix the two? James doesn't know either...

BWCAW animal he most identifies with: the river otter because every time he sees them, their life seems as scattered and insane as is his current life

Kathy Landis

Age: Does she have to answer this one?

Years on staff: 14

Hometown: Growing up: Tunkhannock, PA; Current: Newton, KS

Home Congregation: New Creation Fellowship

"Other" job: Being observant

Reasons for participation: Paddled 38 miles on my first "paddle-a-thon" experience and that was memorable enough, I wanted more.

Quirk of character: Just ask any staff person?

BWCAW animal she most identifies with: the loon because she gravitates towards and is fascinated by water. Miles, her husband, however, thinks it should be a moose. She is still trying to figure out how to take that...

Mary Ruth Kamp

Age: 26

Years on staff: 4

Hometown: Millersburg, Ohio

Home Congregation:

"Other" job:

Reasons for participation: Sense of accomplishment, to feel the muscles tired from good work and sigh deeply with contentment and to have fun with other folk.

Bio: Though Mary Ruth has been spending more time this year getting to know her home state of Ohio, she looks forward to being in the North Woods for another season. You can usually find her creating with food, throwing on a potters wheel or reading poetry - all to share with family and friends.

Quirk of character: likes to sleep... a lot...

BWCAW animal she most identifies with: the river otter because she's attracted to their playfulness

Nathan Stayrook Hobbs

Age: 19

Years on staff: 2

Hometown: Newton, Kansas

Home Congregation: Shalom Mennonite

"Other" job: student at Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona

Reasons for participation: desire to see how fast a canoe can move

Bio: Nathan is studying Adventure Education. Nathan enjoys paddling with speed as paddling 70 miles in one day last summer will attest and he also enjoys playing around in his kayak.

Quirk of character: loves to eat (see picture at right)

BWCAW animal he most identifies with: the bee because he likes to go around and stick his nose in flowers

Peter Jantzen

Age: 19

Years on staff: 1

Hometown: Newton, Kansas

Home Congregation: New Creation

"Other" job: currently working residential construction with his father's small business

Reasons for participation: he enjoys paddling in the BWCAW and wanted to return to this wilderness area

Bio: A 2004 graduate from Newton High School in Newton, KS.  Enjoys Backpacking, Climbing, and, as of last summer, canoeing.  Spent last canoeing season as a trip leader and camp hand for Wilderness Wind.  Was a member of the trio that canoed 60-70 miles in one day.  Believes that Wilderness Wind is a highly unique and important organization. 

Quirk of character:

BWCAW animal he most identifies with: the beaver because they are construction workers, too

Zebulon Holsopple

Age: 21

Years on staff: 1

Hometown: Goshen, Indiana

Home Congregation: Assembly Mennonite Church

"Other" job: fourth-year student at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana

Reasons for participation: the challenge for mind and body; the physical exhaustion that accompanies hard work, along with the good feelings exercise produces; and hey, it beats swimming 50 miles!

Bio: Zeb is a double major in Environmental Science and Secondary Education. He enjoys being in the wilderness - a passion fueled by childhood memories of tracking wildlife through the African bushveld. Zeb is also participating in the Camping Inquiry Program of Goshen College.

Quirk of character: hates fashion with a passion

BWCAW animal he most identifies with: the beaver because while they are hardworking, they can also be annoying