Foundation Announces New Leadership

The Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation is pleased to announce its selection of Rebecca Otto as its next director beginning in January.  Rebecca comes to the Foundation as a nationally recognized leader. Her leadership started as an entrepreneur in small business, then in teaching, followed by sixteen years of public service most recently as Minnesota State Auditor.

Otto’s first wilderness experience in Northern Minnesota was at the age of 14. She went on a 10-day trip in the BWCAW, which transformed her life and informs her leadership style and who she is today. She is deeply grateful to the life of Ernest Oberholtzer in working to establish and protect the BWCAW. “I am excited and honored to lead this legacy organization,” said Otto.

Rebecca brings strong experience in the area of environmental advocacy, which ties both to Ober’s intentions and to the crucial wilderness-saving work still very much needed today. She stated that she identifies with Ober’s leadership style, and that her time in 2019 on Mallard Island gave her “a clarity on what she wanted to do next– a role that is environment-related and ideally tied to Northern Minnesota’s wilderness. This new leadership role will bring me full circle,” said Otto.

Rebecca Otto is well known as one who has worked to protect our Earth. She says, “The next generation deserves clean water and air and to have the chance to experience that life-changing time in the wilderness.” Her personal goals mesh well with those of the Foundation and will bring new energy to the islands and to this century-old legacy. Winter months, Rebecca will work from a home office, and she’ll spend several weeks each summer helping to manage Mallard Island in Rainy Lake. She joins an active 12-member board of trustees, over a dozen active and well-trained island caretakers, and hundreds of individuals who volunteer or generously support this lasting legacy.

This completes the first formal executive search process done by this organization. Bob Norbie, chair of the search committee and incoming president of the Board of Trustees says, “The most important role of a board is to make a strong hire in its chief executive officer. The good news is that we have found that individual in Rebecca who we believe will carry forward a tradition of excellence as we foster our mission.”

Otto replaces outgoing executive director, Beth Waterhouse, who is retiring after thirteen years of leadership for the Foundation. For more information about this important transition, feel free to contact the organization.

Our Island Summer

Mallard Island’s summer of 2020 is coming to a close. We were able to hold smaller yet successful weeks in the month of August including a modified week for Stewards of the Wilderness and their faculty ambassadors. Archives Week was attended by five and consisted of a deeper assessment of Ober’s maps, as well as a taste of Anishinaabe net fishing and traditions offered by Pebaamibines. Meanwhile, the hummingbirds stole the summer and successfully hatched two little hummies fondly named “Sissy” and “Buddy.” We watched them learn to fly and grow up quickly! We can tell that the animals noticed the lessened human impact, and we had sightings of otter and hare, whitetail deer and active songbirds and all bird life, including mergansers, loons, eagles, herons and ravens. Did others notice the improved water quality in this region?  Program weeks officially ended on September 5th and now the close-up volunteers will do their work. We all sincerely hope that 2021 allows for easier sharing of Ober’s legacy: a lifetime of stories, values and the history on Mallard Island!

[Ober’s Big House, photo taken by Dick Isenhart, August of 2017] 

Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh

Mallard Island, in the southernmost reaches of Rainy Lake, is a next-door neighbor to the Ontario First Nations territory called “Treaty 3” governed by Grand Council Treaty 3. This Grand Council has recently re-elected Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh to serve another term as Ogichidaa or “grand chief.”  The word, “Ogichidaa” means “warrior / veteran / strong-spirited leader.”

Kavanaugh, from Naotkamegwanning First Nation in Ontario, defeated Kathy Kishiqueb of Onigaming First Nation, and this will be Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh’s second consecutive term as chief and his third, overall. The term will last four years.

“I look forward to working with all the chiefs and the people of Treaty 3 serving another four years,” said Kavanaugh. “We have a lot of work to do with a lot of work we’ve started and can now complete. I am very serious about this commitment I’ve made.”

For current information about Treaty 3 territory and projects, click on this EOBER web site under the word “Anishinaabe.” This will take you to a link for Grand Council Treaty 3.     (Source: CBC News, Oct. 2, 2019).

Ober Exhibit Shown at MN History Center

An exhibit about the life and work of Ernest Carl Oberholtzer was on display for the public in the foyer to the Gale Family Library, second floor, Minnesota History Center for 3 months this fall.  People saw displays about Ober’s life: his work, his books and photography, his camping and old-fashioned gear, and especially his and Billy Magee’s epic 1912 canoe journey to Hudson Bay (and homemade maps). Our thanks to Paula DeMars for her work on this in collaboration with Jennifer Huebscher, Curator of Photography and AV Materials at MNHS.  There was more original material shared here about Ernest Oberholtzer than ever before!

Forty friends of Mallard Island came together on Saturday, October 26th for a reception featuring this exhibit and at this location.  A reception was held in the “Fraternal Congress Room” just off the site of this exhibit, second floor of the History Center.

Bird House 1926 to 2019

We restored an important architectural detail on Ober’s Bird House this summer. Built in approximately 1926, the structure celebrated its 90th birthday three years ago but without this key element of design– its balcony looking to the east. Somewhere in the early 1990s, the balcony had been removed for reasons of safety. This year, at long last, a sturdy and beautiful balcony has been built in the exact location of the old one. Here is a beautiful rendition of the so-far finished project taken by Mairi Doerr. We will add more balcony railings next summer. In the meantime, guests who live in “upper bird” are enjoying the step-out window (Ober style) and the view of the yard below. Our island renovations take us back in time!

Take a Look at What Isn’t There!

Gull Island was once owned by William Hapgood of Indianapolis, that is after the bear and deer and Indigenous peoples allowed him to purchase it. For dozens of summers, it was inhabited by Ted Hall, lifelong friend of Ernest Oberholtzer, and (thanks to Rody Hall) upon Ted’s death the Foundation acquired the beautiful island, complete with a houseboat, a shack of a cabin, and a 1907 Burlington Northern caboose!  Ted’s powerful and creative energy was apparent on the island in many ways, and as that energy now sinks, dissipates, or is moved, we discover a “yin” energy that is just as powerful.

This past February and again in May, the cabin-turned-shack once fondly called the “LP” was carefully taken down and hauled away. What you find in its place is ancient energy in these beautiful rocks. Actually the spine of the island itself, these rounded rocks can now feel the warmth of the sun and feel the rain on their faces. On a summer day, I know they will be warm, and I can imagine them becoming a sacred meeting place or a spot for a nap in the sun.  Sometimes we learn as we lighten the load. 

Sometimes it’s what isn’t there that counts.

— Beth E. Waterhouse, Director

Spring is Coming North

This is one time of year when we can really feel the length of our state. Minneapolis is enjoying small leaves on trees; International Falls is looking to a lake with ice “mostly out” but no immediate signs of spring. The Rainy Lake One Stop “web cam” however makes me think that open water is truly happening!

Big news from the Mallard Island volunteers– we’re getting a new dock this spring! David Markwardt of Ely, Minnesota (long-time volunteer working with Pam and Darrell Rundell to open / close the island) is building an amazing floating dock. See photo from his Ely back yard!  It will be rotated into place as the main dock, north of the Wannigan, while the Wannigan dock (with a lot of good life left) will rotate around to the Library channel.  When you drive up to the island for the first time this summer, I know you’ll have a new feeling of stability, and the east winds whipping into that bay may be surprised by the strength of this new dock.

As for me, I think I’ll eat breakfast out there every sunny morning! — Beth Waterhouse, Director