Program News Archives - Bethany Birches Camp

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Ready to Climb…Climb On!

Ben “Flapjack” Hershey

These words were heard consistently throughout cabin challenge and adventure times during the 2024 summer program season. In the past they could only be heard outside as 2-3 campers climbed the rock holds on the outside of the pavilion chimney. Thanks to generous donors, and climbing wall staff, these words were also heard inside on rainy days as more campers climbed more often thanks to the completion of the indoor climbing wall.

As one of the final remaining loose ends of Mission Possible: The Pavilion Project (2014) it was long past time to install the climbing wall. Designs, styles and colors were researched. Bids received from various companies and finally Eldorado arrived for a week of work back in April of 2024. (insert the time lapse videos?). The group of 3 guys worked diligently to erect the BBC indoor climbing wall complete with ? # of holds, 4 “panels” 2 auto belayers and mats for the bottom. Generous donors helped us purchase additional harnesses and climbing shoes. Bring on a summer of climbing!

Recruiting and training additional staff was a key to utilizing the indoor climbing wall. Ben “FlapJack” Hershey was coming back for a third summer of counseling and was asked to be one of the climbing wall managers for the summer. Managing includes teaching campers about the wall and the equipment we use to climb, keeping children (and staff!) safe, and helping campers to improve their climbing skills while encouraging their appreciation for the sport. He accepted the challenge and offers some reflections on his experience.

“Running the rock wall quickly became one of my favorite activities of each week, and something that I looked forward to doing. However, it was not just my mastery of a new activity that made the rock wall a highlight of the summer for me. Getting to witness the campers’ enjoyment of the new rock wall each week from my role was truly what made it stand out at camp for me.

In examining the core values of BBC, I find that the activity of climbing the indoor wall rests on each of these values in a unique manner. While the wall itself may be man-made, scaling it successfully and making the transition from easier to more difficult routes requires the boldness to step outside of your comfort zone. I believe that this boldness extends beyond the wall and is present in the challenge of living outdoors in nature at camp that campers take on for a week (or multiple weeks in some cases) and that staff take on for a summer. Those of us who have had that experience to any extent know how wonderful it can be, but it requires us to go beyond what we know to be comfortable and familiar to appreciate nature in that way. Similarly, climbing the wall is based on a principle of faith. When you begin climbing, you have to trust that your equipment, the ropes, and your belayer on the ground will keep you safe and will catch you if you fall. Though it may seem trivial, this exercise is analogous to trusting in God and His promise to carry us through every storm that enters our lives. The wall also embodies a certain sort of community. Climbers have to be able to work and communicate with their belayer (and vice versa) and to be able to accept the help of staff in making sure that their equipment is functional and safe, and it was not an uncommon occurrence this summer to watch campers who had already climbed the wall give advice and tips to their peers who had yet to reach the top. If you’ve ever climbed a rock wall, it is almost challenging for it not to be fun. There is nothing quite like the feeling of hearing cheers and encouragement from an audience of campers below, or the sense of accomplishment that you receive once you reach the final hold.

An added incentive of the rock wall for campers this summer was a reward of “cabin points” in the weekly Crazy Camp Cabin Competition for climbing to the top of the wall. One of my own campers this summer was determined to get to the top of the wall, despite never having done it before, to earn those points for our cabin. He didn’t make it all the way on his first attempt, and nearly resigned himself to the conclusion that it was too difficult of a challenge. But with some encouragement from myself and his cabin mates who were also participating, he gave it another shot. From the ground, the other campers and I tried to direct his attention to good handholds and footholds, all while encouraging him to take his time and trust in his abilities. After a few minutes, he found himself looking down at us from the top of the wall with a smile on his face, satisfied with the feat he had just accomplished. Throughout the rest of the week, he continued to talk about how his ascent of the wall would be one of his favorite moments from camp that year. The wall only adds to the wonderful camp experience at Bethany Birches that I have had the privilege to be a part of as a counselor for three summers and that campers come back year after year to enjoy. I am grateful that I was able to witness this new aspect of camp in the role that I did this summer, and I have no doubt that climbing will continue to bring camper smiles for many years to come.”

Thanks to the many people who helped make the rock wall a reality. Consider a visit to BBC to try out the indoor climbing wall for yourself!

Local High School “Unplugs” at BBC

Amber “Cheeks” Bergey & Hartford High Teachers and Students

In March of 2024, 27 Hartford High schoolers and 3 teachers arrived at the BBC Cabin and planned to stay for 3 nights. Dropping their phones in a basket was the first event of their stay. The devices would stay in the basket for the duration of the 3 days and the group was officially unplugged. Students, teachers and parents of students on the trip shared reflections that demonstrate the value of inviting young people to disconnect from technology and focus on making other connections. BBC is happy to provide that space for young people to connect with God, creation and each other.

Following the trip a lovely thank you note came to the BBC mailbox and included some of the following reflections.

“Our goal was to take a contingent of our students out into the wilderness to remove the demands of their digitally connected lives with the hope that they would connect deeper with themselves, each other, and nature… We could not be more excited for how this endeavor positively impacted our students on so many levels. We feel incredibly grateful for your willingness to allow us this opportunity to “Unplug.”

One of the teachers in the group shared “In my observations the students who participated in the HHS Unplugged retreat at BBC had a transformative experience. I feel that the trip opened the scholars’ eyes to how much fun and how impactful life can be when we can “figure it out” without the distraction of the internet/cell phones. Shortly after arriving in nature, it did not take long for the students’ creativity and sociability to kick in.”

A student from the senior class noted that “The most beneficial part was learning how to cook and taking a risk and being out of my comfort zone.” Another senior commented, “For me, this trip revealed the difference between real personal connection and the ways I try to connect through my phone.” The thank you note abounded with similar comments from students.

Parents even noticed the difference. A mom sent a note of thanks including, “When I picked him up after the retreat, he was more at ease, more communicative, and more himself than I’ve seen him in a long time. He almost immediately expressed relief from not having to tend his phone all the time and shared that he’d like to curb his use of it moving forward.”

Another senior felt the “experience gave us the chance to grow and learn how we can communicate and build bonds outside of the technological ways we normally would. On behalf of the students of Hartford High-School, I want to thank BBC for allowing us to build those bonds.”

Bethany Birches continues to be a place to connect with God, nature, and have fun while living in community.

Covid-19 update

Greetings friends!

Summer camp is so close and the weather proves it! The Pandemic is over in this country and the disease Covid-19 remains. There are varying viewpoints and opinions on how to behave at this time so we wanted to lay out our basic expectations for the summer 2022 season, as of June 7, 2022. This post may be updated in the coming weeks.

We desire safety for all participants including emotional, social, spiritual, and physical. As such:

All campers coming to camp need to be healthy, without symptoms of illness.
If campers develop symptoms of illness while at camp, we will let them rest, rehydrate, and if no improvement, arrange for a pickup. Camp is a hard place to rest, recuperate and recover. A camper may return to camp after 24 hours illness free.
At this time we require proof of a Covid-19 negative test (at home rapid is fine) within 36 hours before coming to camp. Details will be explained in the preparation packet you will receive. If there is an update to this requirement, you will receive an email prior to your session start.
If your child or anyone in the household has had Covid within the 5 days before camp, please notify us by email (camp @ bethanybirches.org) so we can schedule a call with you.
We strongly encourage the required Vermont Department of Health vaccinations as well as becoming up to date with Covid-19 vaccination.

I hope your school year is wrapping up well. Can’t wait to see you on the hill soon!

Brandon Bergey

Executive Director

Rhythm of Life: What’s Next?

The life of an organization can be similar to the life of a person. There are seasons of growth, stagnation, seasons of vision and hope, and times of challenge and fear. This is likely so because organizations, especially camps like Bethany Birches, centered on community and relationships, are filled with people! Just like many people, the camp did a little less at the beginning of and into the pandemic. Turns out that doing anything at all during the pandemic felt harder than doing a lot in a normal year. While we are a bit worn out, we are energized by the signs of campers on site (more than 400 total camper weeks summer 2021), meeting with supporters, and other normalized activities. We are energized enough that we even scheduled 8 winter weekends of programming this December – February, are invested in the counselor in training program (CIT), and working faster than normal to find summer 2022 staff and volunteers. Now we just have to pace ourselves.

** Continue Reading from Newsletter Email**

We have to pace ourselves so that as we work toward our current goal of winter camp growth, we can see that task to completion. The Bethany Birches mission, while stated in different terms over its lifespan, has long been to help young people connect with God and others in nature. Providing a Christ-centered camping experience is at the core of what we do. We feel that if a camper can be at camp more often their growth in faith, maturity, and strength can be accelerated. It’s a little like starting your plants in a greenhouse during the late winter and early spring.

As we come to terms with the reality that Covid-19 seems to be here to stay, and we create strategies to mitigate risk, similar to so many other illnesses and diseases, we begin to be free to think about what’s next. Will you join me in prayer, and seeking wisdom for how to take the next steps into the future of Bethany Birches? We are working to envision a winter camp experience that will enrich many young people for generations to come, and introduce them to the sustaining and peaceful love of Jesus. May it be so.

-Brandon “Tuna” Bergey, Executive Director

Winter Camp Update (02/09/2021)

Dear Camper Parents,

I write to you with breaking news that is hard for me to share: we just learned that the Health Department made new policy and will not allow our resident camp program this winter. This news is hours old at time of writing this post.

How did we get here?

I consulted with the Health Department in late November about our winter programming. A representative from the department noted that our plans seemed in line with the guidance they have set forth and as safe as one can be right now.
I was instructed to follow the Governor’s orders, be aware of the law, and then make choices. In mid December, after reviewing all the available guidance and executive order again, and finding solutions for how to eat and sleep safely, we decided to open registration for resident winter camp for 21 campers at a time with a mostly outdoor schedule.
A school nurse recently inquired (last week?) with the Health Department as to whether a child who attends Bethany Birches winter camp would need to quarantine before coming back to school. Officials felt that section 8.2 of the WorkSafe guidance did not have a good enough answer. As a state lawyer described it to me, he felt our overnight winter programs did not fit neatly into any of the ACCD guidance for Governor Scott’s executive order. He noted that our plans seemed very creative and worthy of consideration and that we should submit a request to the Health Department.
They reviewed our request. There was discussion between high ranking representatives from ACCD, Health Dept., and Bethany Birches.
Feb 9 in the late afternoon, I received notice that our resident camps were not allowed at the moment. This was a policy the Health Dept. just created: no resident camps for February.

Needless to say, we are somewhat stunned at this updated policy/guidance. Especially when our operating procedures seem safer than what I observe in many public places. I try to remember how much stress some of our government officials are experiencing, and that gives me grace toward them. More so than being stunned, I am sad and disheartened. We were so excited to welcome your child to camp, and to stimulate hope and love and joy… and share some of this deep fluffy snow!

Given the timeline it was important to me that we get you this information immediately.

What’s next?

Money: tomorrow we will reach out about your preference. You will have three options. Roll your payment to summer camp, get a full refund, transfer your payment to a donation.
Winter Camp: we will consider whether we can offer any day programming this winter, or, open our facility to you so your family can come to ice skate, ski, tube, etc.
Summer Camp: it sounds like we may be invited to help craft guidance for resident programs in Vermont for summer 2021. This is good news for BBC families because it means that we will have early awareness of the new rules and be able to best prepare for what is quite likely to be another strange year. Registration for summer camp 2021 is open. Many have already registered. If you have not, you can find your session here.

Let me know of any questions, comments, and ideas. In the meantime give your kiddo a hug from me and the other camp staff. We miss them and hope they are finding ways to thrive.

Sincerely,

Brandon “Tuna” Bergey
Bethany Birches Camp
Executive Director

Work Day this Saturday (Oct 24, 2020)

We need your help to prep camp for the coming winter and summer! Here are some of the tasks:
– Clear ski trails
– Cut trees for firewood (have a chain saw?)
– Split and stack wood
– Light leaf work

We will also provide individually wrapped desserts – physical labor earns brownie points and brownies!

October 17th 9am-5pm
October 24th 11am – 3pm*
*This is an update. If you were planning to come earlier or stay later, please just let us know! camp@bethanybirches.org or FB messenger.

More info here: https://mailchi.mp/ecd318461232/fall-work-day-2

Camp In A Pandemic: Vol. 3

Dear Camp Friends,

We did it! 7 weeks of summer camp. 185 campers, 29 staff members, and checking with Rupert on exactly how many gallons of hand sanitizer, simple green, bleach, and other cleaning/sanitizing agents we’ve used.

When we started camp in July, I was surprised, and admittedly a little disheartened. Why did we have to be so strict? Will camp even be camp if we aren’t gathered close for fireside, or piled one too many around a picnic table for supper? Will we be able to feel each other’s love and care even though we can’t see smiles through masks?

The answer is simple, and became clear as soon as campers started arriving. We didn’t bend rules so that we could offer the experience of camp to 185 young people this summer. So that they could reclaim some normalcy, and be with people who care about them, and learn about God in the middle of a global pandemic. While most camps closed or pivoted to virtual, we wanted to see if we could actually follow the guidance and actually avoid virus transmission. Well it turns out you can take people from many different households, live together, and not infect each other! All Covid-19 tests taken came back negative and all of the parents who responded to our post-camp surveys, stated their child was healthy or did not suspect their child of Covid-19.

But more importantly than no virus transmission, campers had powerful experiences and our mission was accelerated. At the end of each week, campers have the opportunity to write “Dear Friend” letters to camp supporters. We got to read some of them and I wanted to share a few of them with you- in case you have wondered if camp was still “camp” this year. (spoiler – it was as good as ever)

See photo and video highlights from our summer here

For more details about our pandemic response, see our FAQ page here.

Kellyn “Benji” Boyden
Media and Communications Manager

P.S. We have a few volunteer opportunities including lawn mower, book keeper, wood cutters. Are you interested in any of these?

Camp In A Pandemic: Vol 1

Dear Camp Friends,

It happened! The first week of camp in 2020! We ran our day camp program with campers ages 6-10. The weather was great, and in true Wet and Wild Wednesday fashion, there was a little bit of rain on Wednesday afternoon. We learned about all that God is: loving, gracious, forgiving, trustworthy, and faithful.
One question we’re getting a lot is, how’s it going?
The short answer: Better than expected.

Meals are being cooked over the fire. Silly songs are being sung. Campers are learning about God. The Slip n’ Slide is being conquered. The hill is being trekked. And…we’re wearing masks. We’re washing our hands and burning through hand sanitizer. We’re not playing gaga, and we are definitely not having a pig trough. We’re spending as much time outside as possible, while maintaining safe distance. One of the reasons we’re able to do camp this way is because most of camp exists outdoors (even the Pavi is considered an outdoor space with the garage doors open).

There is a palpable sense of joy though, between campers and staff alike. Camp is still camp, even though it looks different this year. God is still good. I think we have so much to learn from little children. They’ve taken a lot of this in stride; they wear their masks and maintain their bubbles (with some extra reminders during pond time) with a smile, and so much laughter!

We would love your continued prayers for the health and safety of our staff this summer. We have now had staff living on site for two weeks and things are going well.

To see photos from this week at camp, click here.
For more details about our pandemic response, see our FAQ page here.

We still have some spots open for camp this summer!
Get signed up here! Register Now

Kellyn “Benji” Boyden
Media and Communications Manager

Find previous communications about summer 2020 here.

p.s. We could use new volunteers to mow the lawn. Please reply if you’re interested!

This was originally an email. See the email here.

Registration Open!

Dear Camp Friends,

The moment has come! We have done all we need to do to re-situate people and reopen registration. Thanks for bearing with us! So go ahead and grab your spot while you can.

I encourage you to register and pay as soon as possible for your best chance at reserving a session for your child. Please select only one session for the summer per child. If you select more than one session per camper, we will remove your child from all but one session of our choosing.

As a reminder, we are only taking those living in-state (VT) at this time. If you live out of state, and would like an exception, please let us know and we can review your situation.

If the session you want for your child is full, I encourage you to sign up and get on the waitlist. As we know, the pandemic is causing ongoing changes and that is one of the main reasons I encourage you to claim your spot on the waiting list. Surely some spots will open up. You will need to make a $50 deposit to get on the wait list and we can refund that $50 if your child does not end up being able to attend camp.

Get signed up here! Register Now

Check out the pandemic response FAQ page here. Feel free to ask any questions not answered there.

I pray that you and your family are finding peace and joy, even in these strange times.

Brandon “Tuna” Bergey
Executive Director

Find previous communications about summer 2020 here.

p.s. while some details on what summer camp will look and feel like are in the FAQ page, more are coming shortly!