Hello all, and welcome to the Boundary Waters Connect blog! My name is Mac Leaf, and I am an intern for Boundary Waters Connect this summer. You will see me doing a lot of the Facebook posts, blog posts, and Instagram posts, as well as coordinating with Lacey on community events and activities.
I grew up in a southeastern Minnesota town called Winona, and attended the public high school there before moving to Ely, MN to attend Vermilion Community College (now named MN North College - Vermilion). I earned an associates of applied science in Wilderness and Parks Management, and got two certifications: Wilderness EMS and Fireline EMT. The hands-on and activity based learning is what led me to pursue a college education here, when the idea of college was something I had not considered before.
I chose to come to Ely mainly because of its connection to the Boundary Waters, but also because I love small, rural towns; I think towns like Ely have the most bonded communities, involved citizens, and unique opportunities. And based on the two years I have been here, I can tell I was right. This town is incredibly welcoming, loving, and inclusive; it provides me with new opportunities every single day.
In my free time, I can be seen roller skating around town, kayaking on all the lakes, backpacking all the trails, and just enjoying the great outdoors. Nothing feels better than rays of sunshine dancing across my face. As much as I love the sun, I also partake in chasing the northern lights; before I moved up here I didn’t even know you could see them anywhere except the north pole, and now I get to see them regularly in all their glory!
I am very excited to be running the BWC socials as well as be involved in community activities and events. I cannot wait to start meeting new people and am very excited for the new opportunities that will continuously present themselves while I am living here. If you have any questions about me, or any events that could be posted on any of our BWC social accounts, please feel free to reach out to me directly at mccarthy@neminnesotansforwilderness.org