My Story
Welcome to the Save the Boundary Waters fundraising page of three men in the mountains of Utah; Micah Jensen, Nate LeMoine, and Jake Van Hecke.
We have different connections to the Boundary Waters. We have different wilderness backgrounds. But, we all give a shit about protecting our natural resources. They don't belong to one person or one company, they belong to us, and as responsible guardians, we must protect them, and save them from harm, so everyone can continue to enjoy this wonderful wilderness area.
Micah's Story
Micah was born in San Diego, on the shores of the Pacific. The waves lapped and spanked his little baby bottom, helping breathe life into his little baby lungs, and from that moment he had a special connection with nature.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness brought his family to Nevada, where horny toads became Micah's best friends. He'd get into all sorts of trouble with those gosh darn toads; he took one to senior prom. Nature spoke to Micah through those toads, and they told him to venture north to a land of plenty, Salt Lake City (more specifically, Utah Valley University).
For the last 15 years, Micah has called the Salt Lake valley home. He accompanied both Nate and Jake to the Boundary Waters in 2025, paddling in one of the two distinctly different groups. A man, born from the ocean, molded by the desert, and perfected in the mountains, Micah has fallen in love with the Boundary Waters, and he will never be the same.
Micah would like to thank you all in advance for clapping for us during the marathon.
Nate's Story
Nate was born and raised in Minnesota, but he didn't have the opportunity to visit the BWCA until he met his wife Sara, whose family grew up visiting the Boundary Waters multiple times a year.
Since joining in on the annual Erickson trips to the BWCA, he has fallen in love with the adventure, solitude, and beauty of this incredibly special place.
Nate has participated in Grandma's Marathon two times previously, finishing in 2018 and 2022, and he thinks it's the greatest race in the world (it is). He can't wait to join in on the fun again and contribute directly to Save the Boundary Waters and their mission to maintain the wilderness area Nate and so many others cherish.
Jake's Story
In high school (2010), Jake missed out on the school's BWCA trip, because he overslept (classic).
For Jake's bachelor party in the summer of 2025, he and 10 friends (in two distinctly different groups) had the time of their lives exploring this incredible natural area.
He is running the Grandma's Marathon for Save the Boundary Waters, for the Certified Wet Bois, for his wife, and for all Grandma's everywhere, especially Judy and CeeCee.
Description
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is an undeveloped 1.1 million-acre federal and state-recognized Wilderness Area. It is an expanse of lakes, rivers, and forests in the Superior National Forest, located along the Minnesota-Canada border, that has been protected by statute and international treaty for more than a century. This is the sixth most critical region in the lower 48 to protect for climate resiliency and contains 20% of all the freshwater in the entire National Forest System. The water in the Boundary Waters is so clean, you can dip your cup and drink straight from the lake.
Save the Boundary Waters is the locally-based, national campaign led by Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness based in Ely, Minnesota dedicated to permanently protecting America’s most beloved Wilderness Area – the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Recent donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 15 | Jacob Van Hecke | Undisclosed amount |
