McLaughlin

Birch Rock dad and long-time trustee Mark McLaughlin is a neurosurgeon and author of the new book Cognitive Dominance: “A Brain Surgeon’s Quest to Out-Think Fear”. He’s a philanthropist and co-founder of the non-profit Trenton Youth Wrestling (providing inner city kids with life skills learned through the discipline of wrestling). In his spare time he... what spare time? When Mark can take a breather, though, it’s right here on McWain Pond, because he’s now proud owner with his family of the Camp Waganaki property. His wife, Julie, is a fellow Birch Rock trustee and a devoted mother.

Waganaki was founded in 1919, however before the intervention from the McLaughlins stood silent and abandonded for thirty years. After too many years sitting by the poolside in New Jersey Marks brothers were able to convince him to attend Waganaki for a CIT year when he was 14 years old. After two CIT years, Mark stayed on for three more years as a counselor. Mark had fallen hard for the traditional camping scene (think butter sizzling on cast iron and plenty of flannel), and loved leading trips. Mark would use this love to become a Junior Main Guide (a title his son Patrick would also earn).

In 2003 the McLaughlins introduced their oldest son, Alex, to the camp right down the road from Marks former stomping grounds, Birch Rock. Their younger sons Patrick and Trevor arrived on the hilltop for their first summers not long after. These three remarkable young boys conquered the athletic program of Birch Rock (a McLaughlin running at you full speed during round of Quorum is enough to traumatize a lower camper). All three boys were campers and part of the staff, teaching a variety of activities from mt. biking and swimming to campcraft to art.

The Birch Rock community is thrilled that the McLaughlin family has put down deep roots right next door. Birch Rock is a better place for having close, enduring relationships with all the remarkable McLaughlin family members.