First Year Voyageur Crew

     It feels like we won the lottery this year with all of the great Voyageur Crew we have.  We have what in college would be called non-traditionals on board this year.  These folks come with a few more birthdays and years of experience beneath their belt than our usual crew members.

     Ron and Elsa have worked a number of years at a resort on Lake of the Woods.  They were looking for a job on the Gunflint Trail this summer since the place they had previously worked was no longer in operation.  They drove up in April to speak with us and we’re sure happy they did.  Ron is originally from Indiana and Elsa is from the Phillipines and they make a great addition to our crew.  Elsa is our cook and I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful her cooking is.  Fresh bread, delicious desserts and home cooked meals abound and the kitchen has never been cleaner!  She is a hoot to have around and the entire staff loves her to death.  Ron knows his way around a resort and on a lake.  It’s wonderful to have someone who can hop in a tow boat and know what he’s doing the first day. He does numerous projects around the resort and you could call him a Ron of all trades with a specialty in electrical work.  We’re thrilled to have them with us at Voyageur.

 

     John Westphall answered an ad we had placed for a carpenter this spring.  He did such a great job, worked so hard, accomplished so much in such a little bit of time that we had to beg him to stay on for the summer.  His handiwork can be seen all over Voyageur where new doors have been put in, cupboards replaced, flooring installed and much, much more.  He can drive a boat, clean equipment and is flexible and easy going.  We feel incredibly lucky to have him working with us this year and would love to be able to have him on board next summer too.

     Eric Johnson commutes by boat a couple of days a week to lend a hand.  He splits his time between the Twin Cities and his family’s island on Saganaga.  His parents owned and operated the Trading Post near Customs for a number of years and he’s related to the Powells of Sag.  He’s fixed up some of the cabins and has them available for rent.  He’s a wizard when it comes to anything with a motor as he was an airline mechanic in a previous life.  He knows how to weld and can fix just about anything that is broken,  His partner in crime, 9 year-old Yukon comes to work with him every day and spends time with Rugby.