Rich Deering

Rich and his dog Roxie 2002

Rich Deering is currently Birch Rock's Alumni Director, a position he has held since 2002. Before that Rich held many roles on campus. He was the assistant director to Brad Smith for a couple summers in the mid-'90s, and was Head Counselor in the mid-'80s, but probably enjoyed his Waterfront Director years in the '80s the most. Since being Waterfront Director, Rich can still often be found on the waterfront helping with Instructional Swim.

In the mid-'90s, when the Board of Directors hired Director Brad Smith, Rich was the perfect man to assist Brad in settling in and recovering the somewhat dwindling Birch Rock. Rich's business savvy and amazing sales ability have always been strengths for the camp, but it is his love for the Rock and knowledge of its history that was of great use to Brad and the community in the '90s.

Rich will likely be best remembered for what he did during his own summers as Camp Director. Brad did a terrific job of keeping the camp numbers up enough to stay afloat, but it was Rich who took the camp to the next level. He did this in many ways such as getting the ACA accreditation, hiring the right staff and more importantly paying them appropriately for their service, working closely with the Board of Directors on facility management, and so much more.

Rich has always said that, "...camp is a place of life-long learning for all, no matter what your age."

Staff Years

Summers of 1982-1985

When Rich moved into the administrative ranks on campus is was a natural fit for him to be in the Waterfront Director position. He always had a love for swimming and the swim area and was a terrific swim instructor. Rich was known to push the kids hard to learn and would often focus on endurance with long swims and long periods treading water.

At the end of the season, Rich and the other waterfront staff would dress up in "costumes" and act as waterfront gods on a throne. Each camper would enter the counselor's swimtent (the Moose Manor), an area they were never allowed to go into, and bow before the swim gods. After being tapped on each shoulder by a sort of plunger scepter, Rich as the Waterfront Director would inform the camper that he passed his swim course that season. It was always entertaining.

In 1985, Rich became the camp's Head Counselor but of course could always be seen helping in the swim area and in fact taught a few classes everyday. Rich was a well organized Head Counselor, and even at that point you could see a developing Camp Director in the making. Mike Mattson and Rich both fondly remember Rich sending then Senior Camper Mike into the kitchen at least twenty times that summer to work with Janice.

Director Years

Summers of 1993–1995

In 1993, Director Brad Smith hired Rich to be his Assistant Director. Rich had Birch Rock deep in his fabric, which helped make him the perfect assistant to Brad who was entirely new to the BRC community. Rich had remembered and absorbed each and every detail taught to him as a camper and young counselor over the years and was a fountain of information in a time when there was no real written history. Rich ended up being a link between BRC's heroes of the past and its new legends of the future.

Although Rich was unable to return in 1994 he was right back on campus at Brad's side in 1995, and by the next season was the new Camp Director.

Rich's Summers at the Rock

Year	Cabin	Role	Note
1973		Camper	with Counselor ?
1974		Camper	with Counselor ?
1975		Camper	with Counselor ?
1976		Camper	with Counselor ?
1977		Camper	with Counselor ?
1978		Counselor-in-Training	with CIT Director ?
1979		Junior Counselor
1980		Counselor
1981		Counselor
1982		Waterfront Director
1983		Waterfront Director
1984	skipped
1985		Head Counselor	Program
1986	skipped
1987	skipped
1988
1989	skipped
1990	skipped
1991	skipped
1992	skipped
1993		Assistant Director	worked with Director Brad Smith
1994	skipped
1995		Assistant Director	worked with Brad Smith
1996	Swordfish	Camp Director
1997	Swordfish	Camp Director
1998	Swordfish	Camp Director
1999	Swordfish	Camp Director
2000	Swordfish	Co-Director	Ran Camp with Mike Mattson
2001	Swordfish	Co-Director	Ran Camp with Mike Mattson
2002	Swordfish	Alumni Director
2003	Swordfish	Alumni Director
2004	Swordfish	Alumni Director	shared cabin with Dave Jenkins
2005	Swordfish	Alumni Director
2006	Swordfish	Alumni Director
2007	Swordfish	Alumni Director
2008	Swordfish	Alumni Director
2009	Swordfish	Alumni Director