Ogichi Daa Kwe

04/16/2026

Camp continued to grow beautifully in 2015. New campus additions, including the staff recreation cabin, Grady Sanford Trips Center, Elder Ridge staff quad, and married staff cabin, were completed. Rainy Lake Lodge came down, and in its place at the center of campus now stands the new Council Ring. Landscaping around the buildings and gates, along with narrowing the road entrance into a walking path, added the finishing touches to the vision of a private mainland base campus for the girls. Tim Wilson joined us during pre-season and worked with the LDACs and staff to create Ogichi’s garden.

#2015

04/13/2026

The Allanwater Flindt Kopka trip!!

A variation of this route has been taken out almost every year since 2006—that’s how much we love it. It is a Spruce age level 12 day trip that features beautiful waterfalls, an exhilarating (but safe) cliff portage, adventurous rapids, and obviously some pretty good fishing!

04/07/2026

There are a few spots left for Summer 2026!! Whether you’d be a returning camper or a first-year camper, you will not regret signing up for the best summer ever at Ogichi!! Can’t wait to see each and every camper this summer😊

Click the link in our bio to learn more!

04/02/2026

Check out this quick and simple way to support Ogichi Daa Kwe by voting for the Camping & Education Foundation on Target Circle Community Giving!

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!

03/16/2026

In Campcraft class, you can expect the unexpected! This class teaches the wilderness trip basics through some crazy activities—scavenger hunts, races, fire and s’mores contests, and sometimes even... playing in the mud?? It can get crazy, but it’s always fun!!⛺️🌲🔥

03/09/2026

As a result of the campus buildout, led by Bart Vollmer, Ogichi Daa Kwe realized total independence from the use of Deer Island for in-camp programming during the summer of 2012. A brand-new Activities Center was built at the heart of Ogichi’s campus and two new cabins, Fox and Fawn, were added on Ogichi’s ridge.

03/06/2026

🎙️ Tune in to our latest episode with Meredith Freshley, where we dive deep into her journey from camper to director! Discover her incredible adventures and hear about the passion that fuels her. 🚣‍♀️ Listen now!

03/04/2026

WHY OGICHI WEDNESDAY with current camper, James DuBois!

“Ogichi is always a place I look forward to going to each year. For 6 years every summer I’ve found a home and a place that is unique to me, as nobody back home would understand the feeling I get walking into the cabin for the first time in a year, or seeing your friends when you arrive at camp. From the first time I came to camp and even up to now I’ve known that Ogichi is always going to be somewhere where the people stay the same, and a place that will always be there with me. Every summer after the next you watch your friends and everyone around you grow and develop into amazing people, and that shines a light for you to do the same. Even if you’re a legacy camper, or you chose to come because it sounds intriguing to you, you will always somehow find your way back to the camp and hold a passion for it, like I did and still do.”
- James DuBois

03/03/2026

An Ogichi gal since 2006 🧡 We are beyond thrilled to introduce Meredith Freshley as the newest co-director of Ogichi Daa Kwe! For the past 8 years, Meredith has poured her heart into students as a special education teacher and learning specialist in Duluth, MN, and now she’s bringing all of that passion and expertise back home to camp. An incredible leader to help shape the next generation of strong-spirited women! 🏕️

📆 Want to meet Meredith and co-director Grace? Join us for a virtual meet & greet on March 10th at 6 PM CT 🔗 Link in bio to register!

02/28/2026

A MONUMENTAL milestone for Ogichi was achieved in 2011, when Expedition 2016 commenced. Expedition 2016 was a capital campaign that funded a total rebuild of Ogichi Daa Kwe’s base camp to accommodate its envisioned community. Ogichi’s first new camper cabins, Eagle and Hawk, were built on the upper ridge with spectacular views of Rainy Lake. Other projects included the building of a staff parking lot, new road construction, and new docking areas. Ogichi also launched a backpacking program during the Second Session of the 2011 season, with an awe-inspiring trip to the Wind River Range led by Lindsay Wiebold and Matt Polk, EMT.

02/25/2026

WHY OGICHI WEDNESDAY with current camper, Charlotte Verkamp!

“I would say ODK is like a second home to me, but it’s really my first. Since my first summer I really fell in love with camp, and although the people that come back is never the same, the community and values of Ogichi always remain. The community that this place has is like no other. The people really make Ogichi life changing, and my entire life is better because of every person that I have connected with at camp. I am grateful to be able to say that I have friends across the entire country and to be so close with them, even if I only see them once a year. I can’t imagine my life without this place, but I know I’m a whole lot better with it.”
-Charlotte Verkamp

02/24/2026

In Back-Country Cooking class, campers learn how to cook common trip recipes and then enjoy the sweet results. This class is a popular favorite because cooking is an important trip skill, and campers love to taste their hard work!!