Dear Menogyn Community,

You already know all about Camp Menogyn.

How this remote outpost, deep in Minnesota's North Woods, has for generations taken in nervous and scared young men and women, many with virtually no outdoor experience, and helped them grow into accomplished canoe campers, backpackers, and adventurers extraordinaire.

More than that, how Menogyn molded their characters, instilling in them the resilience, resourcefulness and camaraderie that will serve them well as they blossom into adulthood.

Menogyn holds a special place in our family's hearts, as all three of our children had their first wilderness experiences there. But our youngest, Sarah, loved it most, doing the entire series of canoe trips, first as a camper, then as a guide.

Sarah eventually earned her PhD in Paleoclimatology from the University of Colorado - Boulder, doing fieldwork in remote polar and alpine wilderness settings, and in 2022, started her dream job on the Geology faculty at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

But Sarah never got the chance to teach at Utah. She was diagnosed with a very aggressive metastatic colon cancer in April of 2022, and after a courageous fight, our indomitable daughter, sister and friend passed away peacefully on November 18, 2022, just shy of her 35th birthday.

So why are we writing to you?

Sarah always credited her time at Camp Menogyn for her love of nature and wilderness adventures, her collaborative spirit, and her tenacity and passion for overcoming challenges.

When we think about what was formative in Sarah's life — what made her successful in her career as well as the "force of nature" she was as a person — her experiences at Menogyn rise to the top of the list.

And we would like to honor Sarah's life and journey by giving other young women the opportunity to experience Camp Menogyn.

So today we are announcing the Sarah Crump Memorial Camp Menogyn Scholarship, a permanent endowment to provide funding for a camper who would otherwise not be able to attend.

But much as we would love to, we cannot do it alone. Your donation will help pass on the many gifts Menogyn offers to other deserving young women, who — if experience is any guide — will surely grow into tomorrow's leaders.

Our initial goal is to raise $25,000, enough to fund a campership for one young woman per year. We hope to grow the fund over time to support an increasing number of deserving campers.

Please join us in helping make that happen.

Sincerely,

The family and friends of Sarah Crump