SFA Goes to Apostle Islands and Camp Fair Oaks

Search for Adventure Summer 2025 Highlights

Adventures often begin with an itch to explore, the urge to pack your bags, step into the shoes of a traveler and brave the unknown. Whether near or far, an adventure can open you up to experiences, people and places you may not have encountered otherwise. At Search, we emphasize the importance of experiencing the unknown. Many of the people we support may have never been on a plane or even left the state in which they grew up. 

Search for Adventure (SFA) is a unique travel program that provides vacation experiences for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Trips are planned around the interests and preferences of a small group of fellow travelers. Our team facilitates all travel arrangements from packing to transportation and lodging. The program offers opportunities to explore the world beyond their daily routine and create meaningful social and cultural experiences. 

This summer, SFA participants enjoyed a few memorable trips. In July, six people supported by Search traveled north to the Apostle Islands, accompanied by staff and the Wilderness Inquiry, a nonprofit organization. After an overnight stop in Minneapolis, which included a quick visit to the Mall of America, the group set up camp in Wisconsin for four days of canoeing and kayaking. They enjoyed home-cooked meals in the great outdoors and experienced highlights such as watching otters swim, sitting under waterfalls, gathering around the campfire and enjoying evening sunsets. One especially joyful moment came when Thomas, a person supported by Search, waded into the water and got his legs wet, only to then jump right in, confidently exploring something he doesn’t often get the opportunity to do. 
Alongside the group was a team member of Toad and Co., a social impact partner of Search and co-founder of Search for Adventure in 2000. 

“I cannot thank Jennifer [Gledhill] and the Search team enough for welcoming me on this trip to the Apostle Islands. The love and respect the Search team has for the people they support and for each other is so evident and absolutely contagious,” said Toad & Co. Senior Designer, Helena Davila. “Sharing secret handshakes with Pam, chatting about tennis and books with Michael, and spending a summer sunset on the beach with new friends are memories, among countless others, I will cherish from this trip forever.” 

In August, more than 30 people joined the annual camping trip held at Camp Fair Oaks in Indiana. With options ranging from yurts and cabins to rustic tents, there was something for everyone. Days were filled with camp crafts, beading, field games, hayrides, s’mores and bazooka water fights. For many, the highlight was being outdoors and surrounded by friends.  

“It was so fun to watch them duck behind trees during the water fights,” Quality Assurance Manager Christine Zanca said. “It’s pretty much like getting to hang out with 25 of your best friends.” 
Both trips, whether paddling on Lake Superior or roasting marshmallows under Indiana skies, highlight the importance of creating vacation opportunities for people with disabilities.  

“It’s important to create these opportunities because it’s normal. Who doesn’t want or deserve a vacation? As human beings, it’s natural to want a break, to experience something new, or to try something we’ve always dreamed of. Vacation time is built into our work lives, but not always for the people we support. That’s why this program is so special. I don’t want to call it a gift because it should just be a natural part of someone’s year,” Christine said. 

Through Search for Adventure, people with disabilities are stepping outside their routines, discovering new places and creating lasting memories, whether in the wilderness of Wisconsin or the campgrounds of Indiana and beyond. 

Thank you to everyone who has made our SFA trips a success. Our staff continuously go above and beyond to ensure those on our trips receive constant support throughout the experience and we are deeply grateful for their dedication and hard work. We are already looking forward to next year’s camping trip!