From the moment campers arrive at Birch Rock, they don their maroon BRC shirts and learn to tuck them in. Welcoming staff extend their hands for firm handshakes from the boys, and the tradition ‘Shake a hand, make a friend' starts campers on their summer adventure.

 

At Birch Rock, the daily schedule is shaped by rituals. Boys rise early with the wake-up bell and line up outside the lodge for ‘morning flagpole' announcements. Age-old rituals bring the whole camp together for activities and meals, and make everyone feel included and comfortable.

 

The heart of Birch Rock is the Lodge, where fires blaze on rainy days, and the entire camp meets for meals. To enter this building is to take a step back in time. The walls, from floor to rafters, are filled with the names and achievements of campers. In keeping with tradition, new wooden plaques are carved at the end of each season to commemorate the boys who summered here. Meals are served in the traditional way---family style---with rotated seating so campers and staff quickly get to know everyone.

 

Trails snake their way down from the lodge to McWain Pond, passing the lower camp's small white cabins. In each, four younger campers live with a CIT (counselor-in-training) and a counselor. Close living quarters make for cooperation and strong bonds. Older campers live up the hillside in larger cabins with counselors. While boys are grouped in bunks according to their ages, many activities bring the whole camp together for high-energy fun. Evening all-camp activities include Cross-Camp Capture the Flag, and the wildly creative Saturday night skits, better known as 'Campfire.'

 

At the base of the hill, the waterfront of McWain Pond is filled with canoes, rowboats, kayaks and sailboats. Floating swim docks designate the area where campers have instructional and general swim time. Swimmers constantly challenge themselves to conquer distances in this lake. After much preparation, some adventurous teenagers undertake the perimeter swim---more than 5 miles---known as the “Whale.” As a boy finishes his last strokes, the entire camp rushes down to the docks to shout encouragement and whoop congratulations with the traditional Birch Rock Cheer!

 

Further along the waterfront, the camp craft lean-to is the soul of Birch Rock. For eight decades, our mission has been to safely immerse boys in the natural world. Mastering basic camp craft skills is the quintessential work of every Birch Rocker. With expert teaching, even our youngest campers learn how to handle knives and fire safely. These are the bedrock skills for wilderness trips, and campers can progress over the years through arduous survival badge requirements. This is deeply satisfying, grounding work for children who can operate video game controllers but can't tie a square knot. When a boy lights a roaring fire with flint and steel on a windy day his obvious pride is a wonder to behold.

 

On the way back up the hill, boys flock to a quiet oasis in the woods: the Allen Kearns Library is a cottage filled with books, magazines, games…and lots of comfy chairs. Reading is a deeply-rooted tradition at Birch Rock. Every camper reads books here….at rest periods, before bed, and even during the day if a quiet break is needed.

 

One of our most profound traditions is a non-religious Sunday gathering of the entire camp by the ‘Birch Rock'----the eponymous birch tree growing out of a rock. ‘Tree Talks' focus on character development issues. Each Sunday the community delves into group discussions and activities or skits to bring the topics to life. Boys and staff talk about essential life questions like community, goals, trust, and communication. Boys respond powerfully to the use of ‘warm fuzzies'---exchanging notes about the positive qualities they see in every other Birch Rocker. On the final day of a camp session, senior campers stand before the whole assembly and pass on the lessons they have learned, letting the younger boys know how Birch Rock has transformed their lives.