Camping & Education Foundation

04/02/2026

We’re excited to share that the Camping & Education Foundation has been selected for Target Circle Guest Directed Giving! 🎉

If you’re in the Cincinnati or Northern Minnesota regions, you can support us with your Target Circle votes. Each time you shop at Target and use your Target account, you earn votes that you can direct to nonprofits like ours—at no extra cost to you!

It’s quick, easy, and makes a real impact on the youth we serve.

Vote here: https://www.target.com/circle/community-voting/

Thank you for your support!

07/07/2025

06/17/2025

Our Urban Wilderness Program is now hiring for their Minneapolis Team!

If you want to learn more about the position, please reach out to Abby Auran or visit their website at: www.urbanwildernessprogram.org/join-our-team

We're looking for a highly motivated and organized individual to join our Minneapolis Team as a Program Assistant, with a special focus on supporting our Boatbuild Program.

If you're passionate about environmental education, hands-on learning and community engagement, this position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

In addition to the work with Urban Wilderness, this role will include spending the summer as a camp counselor at Ogichi Daa Kwe, a wilderness tripping camp on Rainy Lake, just outside International Falls, MN.

Interested or want to learn more? Please reach out to Abby Auran or visit our website to set up an introductory call—we’d love to connect!

https://www.urbanwildernessprogram.org/join-our-team

03/23/2022

The Urban Wilderness Program is getting a Mobile Makerspace!

This state-of-the-art trailer will transform any location into a boatbuilding and woodworking shop with all of the necessary tools and materials.

The Mobile Makerspace is being built by Caged Crow Fabrication, a small shop in St. Germain, Wisconsin that specializes in food trucks, concession trailers and shipping container conversions. Avid outdoorsmen themselves, the folks at Caged Crow are as excited about the Makerspace as we are!

01/31/2022

"The Biden administration said Wednesday that it had canceled two mining leases that would have allowed a copper mine to be built near an area of pristine wilderness in Minnesota.

The Interior Department said it had determined that the leases, held by Twin Metals Minnesota, a subsidiary of the Chilean mining conglomerate Antofagasta, were improperly reinstated by the Trump administration in 2019."

Click below to read on.

The leases, reinstated during the Trump years, would have allowed a Chilean mining conglomerate to dig for copper and nickel near the Boundary Waters wilderness in Minnesota.

01/26/2022

We lost a beloved member of our community this week.

Robert Shuman was a longtime Kooch-i-ching camper, a staff member at both camps, a mentor to many, and a friend to all.

Of Robert, Camping & Education Foundation President Hugh Haller wrote:

“Shuman grew up on Deer Island, fell in love with the Northwoods, and was a mainstay at Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi for many years. No one cared more about our community than Robert, or did more for our organization behind the scenes. He shared his passion for the outdoors with open arms. Many will remember his solo trip to the Arctic with profound respect, and nobody other than Robert could have pulled it off. In his own words, he set out to conquer the wilderness and ended up becoming one with it. Since last summer, Robert had joined our Urban Wilderness Program in Cincinnati. He was thriving in his role, leading and mentoring young adults, and sharing his gifts as only Shuman could.”

Rest in peace, Robert.

01/24/2022

"Building a boat in your high school hallway—that's crazy!"

Earlier this month, our Urban Wilderness Staff worked with students at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky to build a beautiful (green!) skin-on-frame canoe.

The video below was made by Zach Wells and features interviews with students, teachers and our own Trace Dunning. Check it out!

Earlier this month, our Urban Wilderness Staff worked with students at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky to build a beautiful (green!) skin-on-f...

01/04/2022

Our Urban Wilderness Program staff is going to be busy this spring!

We've got canoe builds scheduled with five schools in the Cincinnati area and one with the Lake Forest Open Lands Association near Chicago. See our dates below and visit campingedu.org/urbanwilderness to learn more.

Highlands High School — January 5-15

Corryville Catholic School — January 18 - February 3

Cincinnati Country Day School — March 1-16

Lake Forest Open Lands — March 19-25

Gamble Montessori — April 13-23

North Avondale Montessori — May 9-20

11/23/2021

What is the Camping & Education Foundation’s single most important asset?

Our staff.

More valuable than all of our land, buildings and equipment combined, these are the students, teachers, coaches and retired professionals who make camp happen. Without these individuals, Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe would not exist.

That’s why we’ve committed to raising staff salaries at both camps in order to make them the most competitive in the industry.

Next Tuesday, November 30, is Giving Tuesday. To mark this charitable occasion, we’re asking friends of Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi to make a donation in support of summer staff salaries, helping us provide fair compensation for tireless service.

We’re also hoping to receive donations from at least 25 first-time givers. Will you be one of them?

You can make your donation now—online or through Venmo (no transaction fees)—using the links below. Our Venmo username is and the associated phone number is (513) 704-6192. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Donate online: campingedu.org/givingtuesday

Donate via Venmo: venmo.com/campingedu

09/20/2021

Look at these kids go! Our Urban Wilderness Program staff is building a canoe with students from Dater Montessori!