THE CREW

Meg Casey

Thanks to the campership endowment Meg was introduced to Manito-wish at an early age and spent 13 summers as a camper and a staff member. Meg feels her life has been radically shaped by her time in the wilderness and wants to encourage experiences of exploration and responsibility in the outdoors. Meg graduated from St. Olaf College in '04 with degrees in political and environmental sciences and now resides in Portland, Oregon. Since the 2005 Expedition, Meg has spent her summers leading expeditions all over Alaska and her "off-seasons" working for Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Program. She will begin at Vermont Law School in the fall of '08...unless convinced otherwise.

“I can say without a degree of hesitation that the two factors most influential in my youth, my character, my ethics, and my future intentions have been my family and my experiences at Camp Manito-wish. As a young woman, Manito-wish taught me to be courageous, conscientious, and industrious."

 

Nina Emery

Nina and her extended family have been a part of Manito-wish for generations. She is excited to continue contributing to this tradition through the Borealis Paddling Expedition. Her 10 summers at Manito-wish and the many months she has spent paddling in Saskatchewan and Nunavut continue to be deep influences in her life today. Nina studied physics and philosophy at Cornell University before moving to the Wasatch Mountains in Utah where she could ski and mountain bike to her heart's content. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA where she is a graduate student in the Linguistics and Philosophy Department at MIT. Once she gets her PhD she hopes to return to the mountains for good.

“I would jump at any chance to go back to the tundra, but being a part of the Borealis Paddling Expedition goes far beyond the actual trip. Our connection to the greater Manito-wish community, the strong tradition of female leadership and exploration that we are tapping into, and the fact that we are raising money to help a more diverse group of campers have a Manito-wish experience -- these aspects of our mission will be with us every mile, every river, every day."

 

Beth Halley

Beth first came to Manito-wish when she was 11 years old. She has spent 6 summers as a camper and 4 summers as a staff member on trips ranging from 3 to 32 days. Beth graduated in 2004 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in neurobiology. Since the 2005 Expedition, Beth spent a year working at the Madison REI and area hospital in preparation for medical school. She has most recently moved to Columbus, Ohio and is excited to be well into her first year of med school at Ohio State University. Not much can keep this girl off the tundra. 

 

"The Manito-wish experience is something that I honestly wish I could give to every teenage girl who is struggling to sort out life at a young, difficult age. It gives young women the confidence to recognize what is really important among all of the influences and messages they are bombarded with growing up. We hope to make this experience possible for at least a few who cannot afford it--which I think is a good start."

Karen Stanley

Karen has been a wilderness tripper and a member of the Manito-wish community for most of her life. She has a passion for the mission of the YMCA. Karen feels the Borealis Paddling Expedition has given her an opportunity to take a stronger role in spreading its message. She has bachelor's degree in Recreation Management and Women's Studies from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.  Karen has spent the past two years as a full time director with the program team at a YMCA camp in North Carolina.   She is sharing the YMCA mission through adventure travel programs and local outreach.

 

"This expedition is an opportunity for me to give back to an organization to which I owe much of my character and confidence. I am so motivated and excited to introduce more young people to Camp Manito-wish--a place where they can't help but learn about themselves, relationships, our earth and so much more."

 

Emily Stirr

Emily grew up rambling in the outdoors at her family’s cottage in Northern Wisconsin. Over the course of 11 years, Manito-wish allowed her to continuously expand her horizons of exploration and to build a foundation of values that is present in all aspects of her life. Emily graduated from the University of Pudget Sound with a degree in biology in '04. Since the 2005 Borealis Expedition, Emily completed the Teton Science School's Graduate Program, adventuring in the Jackson Hole valley, and is currently at the University of Wyoming working toward an MS in Natural Science and her teaching certification in Biology.

“Every aspect of this trip is both exciting and challenging for me--from the smallest details to the larger goals of sharing a genuine love of Canada’s uniquely beautiful territory, the values found in the solitude of extended canoe travel, and the bonds formed through friendship and teamwork. I look forward to discovering what we are capable of and hope we are able to instill the urge to paddle and explore in future generations of trippers.”