2007 Paddlers

Arthur Paul Boers

Age: 50

Years involved with Wilderness Wind: 3

Hometown: Canadian living in Elkhart, IN

Home Congregation: Prairie Street Mennonite Church

Distance he's paddling: 30

Reason for participating: Getting foolish in his middle-age.

Bio in Haiku: Dutch immigrant son

Teen Convert to Mennonite

Two adult children

Quirk of Character: I enjoy hard-boiled mystery novels.

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: A moose. I've not seen one yet.

Aryn Baxter

Age: 25

Years on staff: 1

Hometown: Grew up in Silver Springs, NY; lives in Minneapolis, MN

Home Congregation: Currently attending Faith Mennonite Church, Minneapolis, MN

Distance she's paddling: Hope to paddle 50 miles (+)... but the main goal is to enjoy it.

Reason for participating: "I'm participating in this event for the physical challenge, the comraderie, the sights and sounds along the way, and the support it provides to Wilderness Wind."

Bio in Haiku: Blowing here and there

A leaf changin in season

Rests now in this place

Quirk of Character: Sporadic singing while playing games

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: Beaver and looking for signs of beavers.

Ben Gerig

Age: 26

Years on staff: 1

Hometown: Grew up in Goshen, IN about to move from Phoenix, AZ to Denver, CO

Home Congregation: Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen,IN, currently attending Trinity Mennonite Glendale, AZ

Distance he's paddling: 75

Reason for participating: "Sustain mission of experiencing spirituality through nature."

Bio in Haiku: Whispering softly

Winds refreshing move gently

through the changing seasons

Quirk of Character: Quixotic

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: Bears

Dave Leonard aka "Papa Bear"

Age: 48
Years on staff: 1st year, but after seven trips with Mennonite Disabilities Goldenrod, does it still count as the beginning?
Hometown: Born in Eugene, OR-back in the day. Now residing in Goshen, IN
Home Congregation: Attend Assembly Mennonite Church and Faith Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN
Distance he's paddling: 30 miles
Reason for participating: "I plan to paddle 30 miles so I can be paid a stipend. Good plan, eh?"
Bio in Haiku:
Quirk of Character: Being bear-like.
Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: The loon - hard to catch though.

Heidi Collins

Age: 27

Years involved with Wilderness Wind:5

Hometown: Goshen, Indiana

Home Congregation: College Mennonite

Distance she's paddling: 55-60 miles

Reason for participating:

Bio in Haiku:

Quirk of character: Won the Elkhart county fair "Strongman Contest"

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: Loons

John Daniels

Age: 48

Years on board: 2

Hometown: currrently live in Indianapolis, IN but have have moved around a lot.

Home Congregation: attend First Mennonite Church of Indianapolis, member of Chicago Community Mennonite Church

Distance he's paddling: I'll let you know when I am done.

Reason for participating: this is way out of my comfort zone.

Bio in Haiku: trying to recall

the rules for writing haiku:

ah, five seven five

Quirk of Character: quiet and introverted, but can come up with a zinger every now and then

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: the loon

Kathy Landis

Age: 44

Years on staff: 16

Hometown: Grew up in NE Pennsylvania, now living in Newton, KS

Home Congregation: New Creation Fellowship, Newton, KS

Distance she's paddling: as far as feasible and enjoyable - 50-60 has been fun so far.

Reason for participating: It is a remarkable event full of moments of surprise and discovery. Moments where you are faced with a vastness beyond yourself, coupled with the realization that you are somehow intricately intertriwined with it all are gifts that draw me back.

Bio in Haiku: Mud between the toes

laughing among skyscrapers

heart still in PA

Quirk of Character: Writes entirely too much on small pieces of paper.

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: The dragonfly

Marshall King

Age:37

Years on the board: almost 5

Hometown: Goshen, IN

Home Congregation: Assembly Mennonite, Goshen IN

Distance he's paddling: Depends on where he fits in the canoe.

Reason for participating: Did it last year with a couple young college bucks and want to do it again.

Bio in Haiku:Writing and laughing

he finds his way through the world

sometimes paddling too

Quirk of Character:Can recall tastes for absurd lengths of time and convey them in words.

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: A walleye. Want me to tell you how it tastes.

Mary Ruth Kamp

Age: 28

Years on staff:10

Hometown: Millersburg, OH

Home Congregation:Poverty of Spirit, Wooster

Distance she's paddling: hopefully i'll reach the 50 mile mark

Reason for participating: TRADITION! oh, and it is a lot of fun!

Bio in Haiku:

Quirk of Character:

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: The Great Blue Heron

Peter Wiggington

Age: 21

Years on staff: 2

Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

Home Congregation: Shalom Mennonite, Indianaplis, IN

Distance he's paddling: 60 miles

Reason for participating: "trying out my newly finished paddle and companionship on the water for a day.

Bio in Haiku:

Quirk of Character: Love to listen to Michael McDonald as he paddles in the morning.

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: mink

Robin Fletcher

Age: 21

Years on staff: 1

Hometown: Harrisonburg, VA

Home Congregation: Zion Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA

Distance she's paddling: 30-50 miles

Reason for participating: "I want to help raise funds for Wilderness Wind, but I also anticipate that it will be a lot of fun."

Bio in Haiku: Student at EMU

Psychology and Art major(s)

minors Bible and Religion

enjoy coffee shops, the outdoors, and Art

Quirk of Character: Doesn't like to be crowded while eating.

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: Loons and watching baby loons.

Kerri Haldeman

Age: 28

Friend of Wilderness Wind

Hometown: fluxuates between Ohio and the Duluth/Superior area

Home Congregation:

Distance she's paddling: aim for 50 miles and we'll see from there

Reason for participating: After volunteering and taking a trip with Mary Ruth Kamp she is excited about the simplicity and gentleness towards the earth that are communicated through speech and action at Wilderness Wind.

Bio in Haiku: a nature lover

learning ASL this year

enjoys baking bread

Quirk of Character: enjoys canoeing with muskrats, quo?

Favorite Boundary Waters Animal: The Roughed Grouse

Val Hershberger

Age: 45

Years involved with Wilderness Wind: aproximately 13

Hometown: Grew up near Garden City, Missouri. Currently reside in Goshen, Indiana

Home Congregation: College Mennonite

Distance she's paddling: 55-60 miles

Reason for participating: She wants to support Wilderness Wind and to take on the challenge of paddling a long distance.