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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 continually running summer camp in the United States. 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 The Native American tribes of the Iroquois Nation], Pioneer [cabins named after famous explorers], Frontier [cabins named after U.S. Forts] and Ranger [cabins named after U.S. National Parks]) for different age groups. Within each village are 8 (Iroquois and Frontier), 9 (Pioneer) or 10 (Ranger) 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 all seasons, including 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 Life At Camp 2 Opportunities for Older Boys 3 Youth Travel Programs (YTP) 4 The Aides and Service Corps Programs 5 Songs 6 Dad and Moms Weekends 6.1 Chimney Corners 6.2 External links

[edit] Life At Camp

Week #1: This week is mostly about getting acquainted with your cabin mates. Although campers all need to take a swim test to show your ability. There are five swimming tags show your ability (you must take mandatory swimming lessons if your tag is below green):

Red: Cannot Swim - Can only take out rowboat on the lake.

White: Can swim but still needs lessons - Can only take rowboat on the lake.

Yellow: Almost a perfect swimmer - Can take Canoe or Kyak(Must pass test) out on lake.

Green: Good Swimmer - Can take every boat (including JY sailboat) out on lake, they must pass kayaking test.

Purple:Can swim to 440 rocks, in Rudd Pond and back, can take out every boat.

Week 2: This is really the beginning of camp, you start your activities, and your cabin teamwork builds. (There is non-religious chapel every week that include morals, values, and readings.

Week 3: Dads weekend is the highlight of this week.

Week 4: The End of camp there is the Big Show (a play) Candelight, (a ceremony reflecting on camp where every camper is given a candle)and there is final banquet, the last dinner of camp where a specialty meal is always served.

[edit] Opportunities for Older Boys

Becket offers specialty programs for older campers. The Construction cabins, for boys interested in carpentry and building skills; the Climbing cabin, for boys interested in rock climbing and bouldering; and Odyssey, for boys with an interest in backwoods, low-impact camping.

Construction Cabin: The boys in this program are supervised by an experienced foreman, as well as their counselors. One new structure is completed each season, currently new camper cabins in Iroquois village.

Climbing Cabin: Climbing Cabin is dedicated to sport climbing, using Becket's Ropes Course, Climbing Tower, various top-roped chimneys on the property, and off-site climbing locations.

Odyssey: These campers spend four weeks living outdoors, both on camp property and during several off-site trips. The focus of this program is group building and leave-no-trace camping techniques.

[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, and 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 and Service Corps Programs

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 Corps. The Service Corps was formed much later, in 2002. There are two Service Corps groups, one for each session. There are 8 or 9 boys in each group, with two directors. While the Aides spend most of their time doing on camp work, the Service Corps do most of their work off campus, in places like Soup Kitchens, Community farms, Habitat for Humanity, and other locations around the Berkshire community, spreading the Becket Spirit.

[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 often sung songs at Becket is Four Miles Up. It goes as follows:

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, Becket Way, and My Paddle.

The lyrics to My Paddle are:

My paddle's keen and bright,
flashing like silver!
Swift as the wild goose flight,
Dip dip and swing

Dip dip and swing her back,
flashing like silver!
Swift as the wild goose flight,
Dip dip and swing

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] Dad and Moms Weekends

At Becket although campers are separated from their parents, they can visit you during the weekend of the third week. If you go to Becket it is called Dads weekend. Your Dad comes up and he participates in all of the sons activities but first has to participate in a quick swim test. On Sunday Moms can visit the camp with siblings as well. Chimney Corners has a moms weekend.

[edit] Chimney Corners

Chimney Corners is a single-sex girls camp that acts as a sister camp to Camp Becket. It is situated about one mile away from Becket, on Smith Pond. Chimney Corners offers many opportunities for young girls, including horseback riding, tennis, soccer and many other sports and arts activities. The camp, directed by Shannon Donovan Monti, is divided into four different age groups: The Junior Unit, for girls ages 7-9; The Middie Unit, for girls ages 9-10, The Intermediate Unit, for girls ages 10-11; and the Senior Unit, for girls ages 11-13.

Many girls start going to Chimney Corners at ages seven or eight and end up returning to camp every summer until they are 12 or 13. Girls older than 13 can take part in one or two of the youth travel programs, then become an aide in the Aides Program, and then become an Assistant Counselor and Counselor. Some of the oldest Chimney Corners staff members have been to the camp for over 13 years.

The Aides program at Chimney provides the opportunity for around 25 young women to connect with each other for eight weeks. The girls live in one building called the Aides Quarters with their leader, provide services for the camp, participate in leadership training programs, and interact with the campers. The Aides program involves many traditions, including the important process of a name selection. Each Aides group must come up with a name with the word "aide" in it, such as "Invaiders" or "Illuminaides." Both Becket and Chimey Corners Aides often say that they will never forget their Aides summer.

Chimney Corners Camp Aides Names:
2006- INVAIDERS!
2005- Incineraides
2004- Exhiliraides
2003- Brigaides
2002- Discombobulaides
2001- Tornaidoes
2000- Yippie-Ai-Aides
1999- Millenniaides
1998- Renegaides
1997- Milky Waides
1996- C.I.Aides
1995- Illuminaides

[edit] External links

• BCCYMCA.org

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• [3]