The saying goes that we should aim to leave our campsites better than we found them. We teach this value to our campers, in camp and out on trail. Campers don’t just leave no trace, they pick up trash they find in the woods, remove downed branches from trails, and leave a little firewood at their campsites for the next group.
This was Andy Mack and Joe Crain’s final summer as Caretakers here at Camp Nebagamon. For over 30 years, they’ve both lived that saying every day.
Their impact has been undeniably massive. Each of the over 90 buildings at camp, and the grounds in between, have been touched by Andy and Joe. Every program area, every camper cabin, every chair in the Rec Hall, every inch of our trail system, and every drop of paint on every wall of every building in camp has their fingerprints. Well… maybe not literally, like I said, they are experts at leaving no trace! Together, Andy and Joe oversaw decades of growth and development of the grounds including big projects like entirely remodeling our Jops and building the climbing wall.
Andy, as Head Caretaker, took on the training and management of our pre-camp crew, seasonal Caretakers, and broad project management. He has taught countless staffers how to prep a work surface, hold a paint brush, and clean up after themselves.
Joe’s projects illuminated camp, literally – he converted each and every one of camp’s lights to LEDs. Our five-mile trail system was cut entirely by Joe, opening up many more of our 77 acres for campers to explore. Many whimsical whirligigs that dot the Hill were lovingly handcrafted by Joe in the style and tradition of the Caretakers who came before him.
As their final chapters as Caretakers at Nebagamon come to a close, Andy and Joe continue to pour their souls into Camp Nebagamon. They are working on projects that they won’t see through, preparing the grounds for winter, and passing the torch, teaching our next Head Caretaker, Jeremy Nordin-Berghuis and Caretaker Cody Keys as much as they can. And they are putting camp to bed for one last time, for the next generation of Caretakers, campers, and staff to awaken in the Spring and continue the work of improving our campsite.
We are endlessly grateful for the dedication Andy and Joe showed over each of their 30+ year careers at Camp Nebagamon. Each of them touched the lives of our campers and staff in their own ways. Our campsite is in pristine condition, ready for the campers of 2027 and beyond, because of the work of Andy and Joe. Without question, they have left this campsite better than they found it.