Camp Becket

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Camp Becket, also known as Camp Becket-in-the-Berkshires, is a YMCA summer camp for boys in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts USA. Founded in 1903 by Henry Gibson on Rudd Pond in Becket, Massachusetts USA, it is the oldest summer camp in the state. The camp is a single-sex environment for boys to concentrate on traditional values while building a sense of teamwork.

The camp is divided into 4 units called villages, (Iroquois [cabins named after Indian tribes], Pioneer [cabins named after famous explorers], Frontier [cabins named after forts] and Ranger [cabins named after US National parks]) for different age groups. Within each village are 8-10 cabins. Each cabin consists of eight boys (all close in age), an assistant counselor, and a counselor. In addition to a focus on group activities and team-building within the cabin group, campers have the opportunity to engage in numerous activities, ranging from sports to arts and crafts, boating, and nature activities. There are many opportunities to get involved in the Becket community during the Fall and Spring by going to a work weekend. During these work weekends, alumni, staff, and kids participate in work activities, such as wood chip spreading or fixing a roof. There is also an Alumni weekend, a chance for alums to reconnect, and for father and son or mother and daughter to hike around the grounds. All of these events are hosted at Chimney Corners Camp (mentioned below) because of their heated, and insulated cabins. Note: This camp is Accredited by the American Camp Association.

Contents 1 Opportunities for Older Boys 2 Youth Travel Programs (YTP) 3 The Aides Program 4 Songs 5 Chimney Corners 6 External links

[edit] Opportunities for Older Boys

Becket also offers specialty programs for older campers. The Construction cabins, for boys interested in carpentry; the Climbing cabin, for boys interested in rock climbing; and Odyssey, for boys with an interest in camping.

[edit] Youth Travel Programs (YTP)

Each summer since 1963, the Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA has sent teenagers around the United States and around the world. The International Camper Exchange Programs (ICEP) focus on service work and cultural exchange in Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, and Russia. The REACH program sends groups to the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota to do service work and learn about Native American life today. The Teen Leadership and Service (TLS) program combines biking and community service in Vermont and New York State. And Yellowstone Adventure and Service (YAS) combines adventure activities and service work in Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons.

[edit] The Aides Program

The Aides program is an eight week leader-in-training program offered to boys finishing their sophomore year in high school. The program was started by Dr. Russell Irons in 1951 as the first step in the camp's leadership development program. Its participants consist of 22 former Becket campers selected from a competitive pool of applicants each summer. Similar to the Aides Program is the Service Core. The Service Core are much more recently formed and there are two service cores, session one and two. They also embark on many more community activities than the Aides, although the Aides actually do more work at camp.

[edit] Songs

Becket has a tradition of singing songs in the dining hall after meals. It is an enthusiastic way in which campers and staff alike express their love for the camp.

one of the oldest, and most sang songs at Becket is Four Miles Up. It goes as followed.

Four Miles Up

Four miles up

Four miles down

Four miles away from Becket Town

Yes it's worth the four mile tramp

With a Ra Ra Ra for Becket Camp

Other traditional Becket songs consist of Becket in the Berkshires, Sons of Noble Living,Mountain Dew,and the Becket Way.

The most traditional Becket song is called Amici, a song about friendship written by one of the camp directors wives. The song is always sung after all camp activities such as campfires, and village activities. Also, taps is played almost every night at Camp Becket.

[edit] Chimney Corners

The sister Camp of Camp Becket. It is situated about one mile away from Becket, it is a single sex girls camp. The camp director is Shannon Donovan Monti. This camp includes many opportunities for young girls, including horse riding, tennis, soccer and many other sports and arts. The Chimney Corners Pond has been named Smith Pond. Chimney Corners is divided into 3 different age groups called Units. There is the Junior Unit named after famous ships,, the Intermediate Unit named after mythyical lands, and the Senior Unit named after goddesses and constellations. Previously, there was also the Middie Unit, which was between Juniors and Intermediates, named after the Brewster sisters.

Many girls start going to Chimney Corners at a young age in the Junior Unit. Most of them end up being a camper for at least five years, then going on to take part in one or two of the youth travel programs, then becoming an aide in the Aides Program, and then becoming and Assistant Counselor and Counselor. It is a place that people always want to go back to.

The Aides program at Chimney provides the opportunity for young women to connect with around twenty-five other girls for eight weeks; they live in one building called the Aides Quarters with their leader. They volunteer and work hard throughout the camp, get to know the staff, and interact with the campers. By the end of the eight weeks, they consider each other sisters. There are many traditions in the Aides program. For example, each Aides group must come up with a name with the word 'aide' in it, such as 'Invaiders' or 'Tornaideos.' It is one of the most special opportunities that both Chimney and Becket offer, and is a summer that is most often never forgotten.

[edit] External links

• BCCYMCA.org

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