Vanguards in Voyageur

A Place for Rest, Community, and Fun

By HoneyRock Center for Leadership Development

January 23^rd, 2023

Who lives in Voyageur?

During the HoneyRock School Year, male Vanguards live in the Voyageur Center. During the summer it houses male summer staff. Voyageur is divided into two sides, North and South, each developing its own subtle personality throughout the year or summer.

Fresh & Reimagined

It wasn’t until 2021 that Voyageur was renovated into a dorm-style facility (Voyageur had previously been a bunk-room which could house a total of 14 people, see photo below, left). The project began in fall 2020. George Polcaster, Facilities Manger, the construction Fellow, and Vanguards began a renovation project that was completed Summer 2021. The Voyageur project was a substantial but necessary undertaking and the end result was well worth the effort.

Today, Voyageur has seven rooms, each of which can hold up to four people. Additionally, each side also has its own communal bathroom, kitchenette, and common space. Voyageur has now become a comfortable dorm-style building. Its Northwoods minimalist aesthetic consists of white walls and ceilings, accented by faux-wood flooring and warm-toned doors and trim. Will Medendorp (Vanguard '22) remarked, “It feels like a little cabin in the middle of the Northwoods”. Tim Schuchardt (Construction Fellow '22), who helped with the final stages of the renovation process in summer 2021, added, “It has a special place in my heart, because I helped work on it and now get to live in it.”

Voyageur Center post-renovation Summer/Fall 2021

Rooms

All Vanguard housing has rooms that are occupied by Fellows, who serve as mentors and are understood as the equivalent as resident assistants. The rest of the rooms are occupied by Vanguards. Each room will typically old about two to three Vanguards each year but a Voyageur room can comfortably accommodate up to four people.

Bathrooms

Each side of Voyageur has its own communal bathroom, complete with three stalls, three sinks and two showers. There is a bench underneath the sinks to store toiletries.

Voyageur room in the summer, ready for summer staff to move in.

Voyageur room during the school year with Vanguard occupants.

“Voyageur is a nice place to chill after a long day of hard work. It’s a place to have good community with the guys, and a space for good conversation.”

Common Areas

The common areas are great places to do your devotionals in the morning, get some homework done, or hang out with friends! There’s a round table that’s perfect for eating late-night snacks or playing games. The fireplace and couches provide a comfortable spot to read and relax. The common areas also have a small kitchenette area with cabinets, shelves, a microwave, and a fridge. You usually find a handful of Voyageur dwellers, Fellows and Vanguards alike, making their morning coffee or tea in the common area.

Fellows and Vanguards capitalize on a quiet Voyageur common room.

Close-up of the mantle over the fireplace.

Fellows and Vanguards in the common area.

Thinking back to the first night of Vanguard, I first made my first connections in Voyageur. I remember playing music with another Vanguard, following each other on Spotify, and comparing playlists. He has become one of my best friends here, and it all started in Voyageur!