loCals Deb paScoe

Courage, InCorporated

Empowering people, one adventure a time

Story by Deb Pascoe Photos courtesy of Courage, Incorporated

Courage Incorporated helps veterans and others with physical disabilities participate in outdoor activities they might not otherwise be able to access, including camping, fishing, kayaking/canoing, and hiking. All activities are offered free of charge.

Courage Incorporated was co-founded by Erik Conradson, whose childhood friend and Courage co-founder, Nate Denofre, was disabled, but didn’t let that stop him from keeping up with the other kids in sports and outdoor adventures. Denofre kept up with his pals, preferring a skateboard for mobility rather than his prosthetic legs. “You sort of forgot he didn’t have legs. He was just one of the guys,” says Conradson.

The pair went their separate ways after high school, reconnecting as adults, when Denofre was hospitalized in the city Conradson had moved to. Spurred by a vision of persons with disabilities having the ability to access the healing power of the natural world, they transformed Courage Incorporated from a shared vision into a successful non-profit organization. Its mission statement: We provide free outdoor excursions to individuals and veterans with physical disabilities to help them harness their natural courage and enjoy the woods and water. The only cost is the courage to try something that they thought might not be possible.

Conradson brought his business expertise to the process of establishing a non-profit. A graduate of Northern Michigan University, he worked in the retail industry in operational and security management for almost 20 years. His love of the outdoors and his passion to provide access to the wilderness for all who dream of it keeps him motivated.

The men talked through each step of the fundraising process, aware of the importance of presenting Courage Incorporated as a trustworthy, legitimate enterprise. Once Courage Incorporated was officially established, fundraising began. “Trust and credibility is a big deal. Asking people for their money is a big deal,” notes Conradson. They set up a website and showed potential donors photos they’d taken on their wilderness outings.

Courage Incorporated is now headed by Conradson and by Rhonda Numikoski. Numikoski, a United States Army veteran, shares Conradson’s love of the outdoors and sharing that love with others. Numikoski is in charge of campsite organization and meal planning - meals that include her homemade desserts.

Participants are encouraged to challenge their ideas

about what they can and cannot do. There’s no itinerary, no schedule. Some clients are fearful, others eager to show what they can do. Many find it hard to ask for help. If someone falls, no one rushes to rescue them. Instead, they are asked if they want help. Conradson says that clients often decline assistance, preferring to help themselves. “What’s great is when people initiate, taking a hike or getting into a boat, and they see they can do it. Their confidence level shoots through the roof.” Conradson chokes up when recalling one vet’s experience. “On one of our earlier trips we were taking out two disabled military vets. One was old enough to be my dad. He had neck fusion down to the base of his spine, and he was a die-hard outdoorsman. We were hiking on the Yellow Dog River. He says he’d love to check out the waterfall, but it’s a mile and a half hike, and he can’t carry his gear that far. I said, we’ll help you. As we move closer we can hear the waterfall and we can gauge the excitement building in him. I told him to take the lead. As he walked around the corner we stopped and watched him and we heard this shriek of excitement. I went up to him after a minute and said, ‘What do you think?’ He was crying, and he said, ‘Thank you. I never thought I’d see this sight in my life.’ The following year we went to the same place. This time he was a volunteer, and he led people to the spot. Same thing: I walked around the corner and he was cry-

September 2021 Marquette Monthly 61

ing. I asked him why he was crying, and he said it was because last year he had to be led and now he’s the one leading people here.”

A woman who had lost a leg in a car accident challenged herself and conquered fear on a Courage Incorporated outing, fishing near Silver Lake. There were mines nearby; an old silver mine was a 100-foot rock climb away. When the woman expressed doubt about her ability to make the climb, she was told she could go back to the boat and fish, or, with some assistance, she could attempt the climb. She opted for making the effort, and made it to the top, besting her fears.

Courage Incorporated’s most recent outing was in August: rustic camping at Squaw Lake, located south of Republic. The organization supplied everything needed for the camp out, including tents, sleeping bags, fishing equipment, air mattresses, and food. Participants provided their own clothing, medical devices/ equipment, medications, and any special foods or snacks. Caretakers and support persons were welcome, as well. Camp was set up when the campers arrived, with volunteers available to assist with fishing and canoe paddling, and to lead hikes.

“Nature has the ability to heal the mind and spirit, and the body, too,” says Conradson. “It can completely change your mindset and outlook, and that’s just as important as any medicine that’s out there today.”

Planned winter activities will include an ice fishing outing, as Courage Incorporated continues its mission of offering adventure, hope, and healing, one mountain, one forest, one waterfall at a time.

For more information about Courage Incorporated, visit their website at courageincorporated.org.

About the author: Deb Pascoe is a lifelong Yooper. She lives in Marquette, and is employed as a peer recovery support coach for Great Lakes Recovery Centers. Deb enjoys reading, writing, spending time with family, friends and pets, Trenary Toast, and time spent along the shore of Lake Superior. Her award-winning column, “Life With a View,” ran for several years in The Mining Journal.