Geoff and Linda witnessed firsthand how the experience at YMCA Camp Widjiwagan changed the lives of their children in the ‘80s and now they are securing the chance to change more lives through legacy giving.
Geoff and Linda Hirt, both career college educators, understand the value of investing in young people. They have designated YMCA Camp Widjiwagan in their estate plans and have established, not just one, but two endowments to provide more access to all the great outdoor adventure opportunities the YMCA of the North offers in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
"We give to the places we think change will be created — where we have confidence that change will occur," Geoff stated. "It’s not just change, it is places that change lives in positive ways."
Geoff and Linda encourage those to give what they can, no matter how big or small. For those ready and able to make a larger gift, Geoff noted that opening an Endowment Fund is not that difficult.
The couple first heard about Widji through a family friend whose cabin was on Burntside Lake - where the camp resides. In the '80s, they decided to send Amy, then a 9th grader, and Brian, a 7th grader, up for the summer. When asked what inspired the decision to enroll their children at Camp Widjiwagan a decade after visiting Burntside Lake, Linda Hirt commented, “It just felt right!”
The Hirts speak glowingly about their children’s transformations during their time at camp — citing growth in responsibility, self-ownership, and confidence. Each child took away their own unique experiences from their years at Widji. A physically active and more introverted Brian interacted regularly with his counselors and small group as they took on nature’s physical challenges. An outgoing Amy saw camp as a fun social experience, where she also honed her problem-solving skills each day and flexed her curiosity about new and unknown things.
Brian continued his progression through Widjiwagan’s Advanced Trip Program. On his Voyageur trip, his team spent 44 days on the trail, traveling 520 miles from Kasba Lake to Baker Lake. It didn’t take long before Brian recruited another paddler.
Brian said to Geoff, “Dad, you gotta go with me!”
Geoff was “ALL-IN!” As he reminisces about those father-son canoe trips, Geoff recalls that Brian’s confidence and take-charge attitude were always apparent. Those long journeys with his son changed his life, as much as they did Brian’s. The two of them kept this tradition alive for nearly a decade.
Following their time at Camp Widjiwagan, the Hirt children went on to tackle many more adventures. Amy spent a year studying in Turkey, and Brian once biked all the way from Italy to Finland while visiting Linda, who was teaching music abroad.
“Well, if anyone asks if Widjiwagan had anything to do with that? I’d say it sure did! It gave my kids the sense of ‘Oh, I can do these big things,’” Geoff reflected, thinking on his children’s sense of adventure.
Geoff and Linda believe in the importance of providing access to life-changing opportunities and that you just don’t get that many chances to change your life…and when you do, it changes the world.
“Be generous — it truly makes you happy!”