Testimonials

Parents

He absolutely loves Camp Chippewa.  The experience has provided such positive development for our son in terms of hard work, self-reliance, maturity, and patience.  He also looks forward to seeing his cabin-mates each year.

Jennifer Y., Camp Parent, New York

I wanted to let you both know how thankful we are for Chippewa and all that it does for our son. I feel that of all of the things we do for him (private school, competitive soccer clubs, even religious education!), Chippewa is one of the most valuable investments we make. Thank you for your commitment to developing men of character and honor.

Heidi B., Camp Parent, Colorado

We wanted to thank y’all from the bottom of our hearts. Having never been a “camp” family, it was a stretch emotionally for us to send our son to you for the summer. His demeanor, self-confidence, manners (most of the time!!), and overall attitude are at an all-time high, and for that, we have the Camp Chippewa experience to thank. Thank you so much for bringing the best out of him. You truly delivered on your word and exceeded all of our expectations.

Jeff H., Camp Parent, Texas

Again for the eighth summer, thank you for a wonderful summer for our grandson. He again said it was awesome especially the Bloodvein canoe trip. Now, he is looking forward to eight weeks next summer, the Bay Trip, and CLT training. Thanks for all.

Elizabeth P., Camp Grandparent, Oklahoma

I saw a picture of our son with his cabin group from skit night. He looks very happy! Thank you again for providing this opportunity for him. Camp was a really important part of my life, and I am so glad he gets his own camp experience too. Chippewa has been a great fit for him.

Caitlin T., Camp Parent, South Carolina

Wanted to let you know my son arrived safe home. Thank you for a great job. He loved his summer camp, found the food great, discovered fencing and riflery, made some great friends, and said everybody was always smiling in the camp. A warmful thanks to the counselors as well. He really appreciated their kindness and their enthusiasm. Our son seems to have progressed a lot in English and has great souvenirs he will share with us.

Stephanie S., Camp Parent, France

Our son adored his experience. Sincerest thanks for all that you and your husband have done in creating this incredible experience that is memorable and life-changing.

Manjari C., Camp Parent, California

I cannot say enough great things about the camp. It makes me cry when I think of how happy it made him, the confidence he left with, as well as a newfound respect and love for nature. He is ready to do a full month next summer, and now he just has to count down a whole lot of days!

Nancy W., Camp Parent, Kansas

The boys had a great time and my son has discovered a passion for sailing! Both boys cannot wait to come back to camp next summer. Thank you for providing them with such an amazing experience.

Erica R., Camp Parent, Illinois

The experience my son had this summer was everything I have ever dreamed that my son would have. As a camper, I thought about how if I had a son, one day, I would send him to Camp Chippewa. The best possible outcome I could imagine was when he saw us at the end of camp he would say, “Thank you for sending me to this wonderful place.“ That is exactly what happened. Rarely do the outcomes that you plan for others in your mind materialize like that.

Bill K., Former Camper and Camp Parent, Colorado

Staff

I have had the opportunity to work at Camp Chippewa for nearly a decade now. As a former camper, turned counselor, turned leadership team member I have been able to take on more responsibilities around camp from leading activities, to serving as a mentor for new staff, to helping to create memories that will last a lifetime. As an employee of Camp Chippewa, I have been able to grow my leadership, critical thinking, people management skills, and have built a large repertoire of semi-decent jokes. I have also been able to see the impact that I make on campers’ lives every day. Being a role model for the boys is not just rewarding for me as I continue to grow professionally and personally, but seeing how my campers grow year to year really hits home how powerful being a counselor can be. Camp Chippewa is invested in making great leaders and that shows through the resources they provide to assist us in doing our job. We receive incredible training on how to deal with the less glamorous side of being a camp counselor (helping overcome homesickness, settling disputes, etc.) that also translates to better emotional intelligence that reaches far beyond life at camp. I am lucky to be a Camp Chippewa counselor and am excited to be able to have an opportunity to impact the lives of others while I grow my own personal skills.

Ben H., Cabin Counselor & Leadership Team, Colorado

Working with, supporting, and leading my cabin of seven 14-year-olds has given me the skills to work with adults. My ability to be creative, patient, and resolve conflicts are what make me such an effective employee and team member. It all came from working at Camp Chippewa.

Jacob E., Cabin Counselor & Leadership Team, Minnesota

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as a counselor this summer. You were right when you said that the job was an all-day commitment. While I was hesitant at first, some of my favorite memories ended up being helping homesick kids after taps and Sooner Cabin’s early morning breakfasts on our Mississippi trip. It may be a cliché, but the kids taught me so much about leadership and character. My green zone and my campers’ green zones expanded—something that will have life-long benefits for us and everyone we interact with. The symbiotic relationship between camper and counselor is hard to articulate in an email, but it is real and so powerful. Thank you for giving me the chance to contribute to that.

I have become more and more convinced about the need for summer camp in our modern world. Even in the last 10 years, technology has advanced rapidly, yet our citizens still report massive levels of depression and general unhappiness. For the first time in American history, less than half the country reports belonging to a community of religious worship. 15% of American men now report having no close friends. We lack community and meaning, and technology is proving not to be the solution that was once promised. How is the educational system addressing these challenging trends? Largely, not at all, with many school districts and private schools relying more and more on technology to teach, despite evidence that screen time is directly correlated with poor social skills, attention problems, and depression.

Chippewa is the perfect antidote to the ills of the modern world. It not only gives boys a community to belong and thrive in, but gives them the tools to build community wherever they go. Adventure brings cabins together. Character keeps cabins together, through thick and thin. Tradition ensures the cycle continues, despite trends outside the camp gates.

I am proud of what my co-counselors and I accomplished, proud of my campers, and above all, grateful for you putting your faith in me this summer.

Powers T., 1st Year Cabin Counselor, Missouri

Campers

Over the past 9 years I’ve gotten the opportunity to attend Camp Chippewa for 7 summers. This past summer was my CLT year.  The CLT or “Chippewa Leadership Training” program was something I wasn’t sure how to approach at first. Because of COVID I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go the full eight weeks; I was worried about not getting to spend enough time with friends and family before college, but after two days back in camp I knew I wanted to stay, learn, and grow for the full eight weeks. It was amazing to see our group of CLT’s bond and grow on the trail for the first four weeks and then to see us all expand our skills as we helped the younger cabins in the four weeks following. Watching the nine of us learn about how to deal with conflict, helping with homesickness, and embracing that love for camp again was amazing. This past summer was something I never could have dreamed of. I saw growth not only in myself but in the rest of camp as nine of us, CLT’s, became such an important part of camp life for both the counselors and campers. 

Evan H., 2021 CLT, Colorado

Camp is a second home to me. It builds my character and maturity. I have been going to camp since I was 11 and I have made many lifelong friendships as well as learned lifelong lessons. Being at camp is great but, the trips are amazing. They really do strengthen you mentally and physically. Camp is not only a summer camp, it’s an amazing place that teaches you amazing things. 

Levi K., Current Camper, Colorado