A Healthy Supply of Courage
“Without fear there cannot be courage.” You can find that quote on the very first page of their website. It represents the crux of the mission undertaken by Courage Incorporated, the local organization offering challenging activities to those with physical limitations.
Their mission? To provide free, all-inclusive outdoor wilderness excursions to individuals and veterans with disabilities.
According to founder and Executive Director Erik Conradson, “We serve both the civilian and Veteran population. Respect and appreciation for our military service members has always been something we’ve tried to embody.”
Veterans and More
Though you don’t have to be a veteran to participate, Conradson says Courage Inc. puts special emphasis on those who have served. “Not all of them come back physically disabled, but many come back home from their time in service with some sort of challenge that isn’t always visible. Our programs are designed to provide a meaningful way to say thank you while also supporting their well-being through outdoor recreation, connection, and shared experience.”
Exactly what kind of shared experiences is Conradson talking about?
“Our events are rooted in camping and include activities such as fishing, boating, canoe/kayaking, outdoor cooking, and more! We also hope to be able to provide some impromptu one-off excursions as well – things like smelting, Yooperlite hunting, or a pontoon boat trip.”
What About Cost?
What’s all this stuff cost, you ask? Well, it’s free for participants. But of course, there are expenses involved for Courage Incorporated. “We rely solely on the generosity of others to keep our programs available,” Conradson says, “and the fact that we’re entering our 10th year of providing service is incredible and speaks volumes about our community.”
According to Conradson, WOTS doesn’t have the space to list all the support they receive from local businesses. In-kind contributions and grant funding from area agencies combine to help the organization provide their popular services. “We are truly blessed with the amount of support we receive.”
You’re Invited!
Now here is where we get to the “ask.” You can help too! Courage Incorporated’s 4th Annual Fundraiser is next Saturday at Rock River Lanes & Banquet Center in west Ishpeming’s Country Village.
Put it on your calendar and dust off your wallet to help the all-volunteer organization provide activities typically unavailable to the physically challenged. Conradson contends it will be money well spent. “People have expressed to us that our programs helped them restore their self-confidence, overcome social isolation, and helped increase their activity and participation in other recreation activities.”
Books and More
It seems a bit of a contradiction to cite research which indicates people are reading less… while you’re reading this! But it’s true.
According to a study published in iScience in 2025, reading for pleasure has dropped by more than 40% over the last two decades. Roughly a quarter of Americans don’t read books, ever. The research suggests “the proliferation of streaming services, social media, and video games provides high-quality, convenient alternatives that compete with books.”
Other factors contribute… like shorter attention spans, illiteracy, and reduced numbers of adults reading to children, which impacts long-term habits.
So, as bookworms become fewer and further between, public libraries have had to adapt to new realities. And that includes our own Peter White Public Library.
Changing With the Times
As one of our city’s most important public assets, the Peter White Public Library (PWPL) is a lot more than just a beautiful facility, open to all. Like other community libraries, the PWPL is well-aware of the changing trends, and is constantly identifying new ways to serve the public.
Library Director Andrea Ingmire understands the new dynamics. “I do think that people are reading less overall. Information is coming at people from all directions and in multiple formats; there just seems to be less time (and capacity) to sit and read. We live in an instant gratification world… and that certainly has changed what and how people read.”
You’d think the fact that Americans are reading less would be what keeps a librarian up at night. Just as bars are reacting to people drinking less, with things like games and entertainment, libraries are also finding ways to keep their operations relevant. (Pardon the comparison of booze to books, but it seems to work.)
It turns out our community library has actually been ahead of the curve for some time. “The Peter White Public Library has a long history of programming and responding to the needs of the community,” Ingmire says. “We also have rooms available for outside organizations to use, partner initiatives like the seed library, library of things, art galleries, Wi-Fi and computer use with no purchases necessary, printing/copies/faxes, memory lab, recording booth, genealogy and local history resources, and a friendly, helpful staff.”
Things to Do
The library also has a calendar full of activities, including plenty of stuff planned for kids as we look ahead to summer. Plus they have regular musical events in their community room as well as outside with their Concert on the Steps.
Your tax dollars, combined with a variety of revenue sources, facilitate an operating budget of around 2.3 million bucks. Though our public schools, as well as NMU, are well-libraried, they aren’t focused on serving the community at large. MAPS libraries are really just for the schools, and… have you ever tried to find a parking place anywhere near Northern’s new facility?
The PWPL is not without its challenges. Our homeless population does a fair amount of its research there, but, like other public entities, the library strives to ensure safety and security within its walls. The pandemic threw a wrench into their operation, but, according to Ingmire, they’ve been back to full capacity for some time. And though they lost a few long-time staffers, they’ve been able to adapt with new staff, and more intensive internal training.
Planning for Today, and Tomorrow
Still reading? Good for you! I’m guessing that would make Ingmire happy, although she knows there are more challenges ahead. “I’m curious to see what happens as AI continues to expand and push out questionable content at an alarming rate. Will we see a return to the printed, slower, and researched word for reliable information? I guess time will tell.”
So, even if you’re not a big reader, the library still has plenty to offer.
“What I hear from people over and over is how much they appreciate the things we do to build community,” Ingmire says. “I know many people who met at the library and developed a friendship as a result. In this time of isolation and loneliness, I believe that connecting people in the community will become the most important service we offer.”