5 WI trips this year for Jennifer!

Jennifer Nelson joined the WI adventure this past summer by participating in FIVE Boundary Waters trips between July and September–a total of 25 days with Wilderness Inquiry in the BWCA.

Jennifer, who has significant hearing loss, continues a tradition started on the very Wilderness Inquiry (WI) trip, when two young men who were deaf joined the 1977 pilot trip that proved a point and started a movement.  Our adventures today continue to serve those with and without disabilities, including those with hearing loss.

Jennifer was not new to camping, however WI allowed her to go to the BWCA, work together with a group, and feel safe during her travels.  Jennifer shared that through her WI experiences, she now feels like “she can do it.”  In her daily life, she feels less anxious and nervous, is now more patient with herself and also is able to communicate more effectively with a wide variety of people.  Jennifer also tries cooking more in her apartment after learning cooking skills in the outdoors!

When asked to share a memorable experience, Jennifer said that in the beginning of her first BWCA trip, the leader asked for someone to portage a canoe and no one was interested – so she jumped in.  She was happy she did because she felt like it offered her an opportunity to feel like an equal and valuable part of the team – something that she didn’t always feel growing up in a school using oral communication.  Jennifer prefers to learn and communicate visually and uses American Sign Language.

Jennifer became an active WI volunteer this fall, helping at the Great River Race and the Opportunity Fund appeal evenings.  Through sign language, Jennifer explained, “I want to help people that can’t afford trips and want to go.”  She is also planning her next trip to the Apostle Islands.

In addition to serving cool people like Jennifer Nelson in the Boundary Waters, Wilderness Inquiry works with youth with hearing loss from canoeing adventures at schools to our internship program.