Dave Jenkins
Dave Jenkins has been a member of the Birch Rock community since 1983. After 3 camper summers, Dave spent a number of summers teaching on the field including acting as Field Director in 1990. Dave served as Waterfront Direcot for a summer before finding his real calling as a Trip Leader in 1993. For the next eight summers Dave focused much of his energy into reinvigorating Birch Rock's Trip Program. From organizing the trip room and inventory to planning and initiating trips, as well as leading many, Dave single-handedly kept the tradition that had been going on since the days of Buck Hard of every camper going on at least one trip every summer. Dave also improved upon the camp's already established "Leave No Trace" policies and practices and brought the camp into the new century by formulating trip manuels and paperwork for future trip leaders. In 2004, Dave returned to act as Assistant Director and spent much of the summer helping with the medical side of camp.
Dave has also served as the primary trip leader of the Maine Wilderness Adventure program for two summers and has often offered his assistance to the camp's Trip Leaders, even during summers he was not going to attend.
Contents
Early Years
In the winter of 1983, David Weeks and Doug Dickey were recruiting a lot of campers for Birch Rock around the Baltimore area. Both were teachers at St. Paul's School and were recruiting students in their classes. Dave was one of these students. Along with his step-brothers Ron and Mike Mattson, Dave was excited to be off to camp in Maine with a bunch of friends from his school in Baltimore. Dave signed up for the full six-week season.
Camper Years
Summer of 1983-'84
Dave arrived at camp excited and maybe a little anxious but was immediately taken in by his cabin counselor Ryck Birch. Although Dave suffered slight bouts of homesickness and had trouble dealing with his cabin mates, boys a year younger then he was, Dave seemed to enjoy his time hanging out with Ryck and loved the activities and community life. By mid-season the camp realized that Dave was too mature for his cabin and decide to move him to Cabin 6. This was great for Dave because the campers were a better match. Dave still had Ryck Birch next door and now had Cabin Counselor Seth Wheeler. Dave was psyched.
Dave was one of BRC's top jocks on the field and was seen at the field activities all the time. In fact, the summer of 1983 was the last time Birch Rock played its rival Waganaki in a game of baseball, and Dave was Birch Rock's starting pitcher. Dave pitched an awesome game that ended in a shutout. Dave was also the camp's top offense player on the soccer team in '83-85.
Summer of 1985
The next summer, 1985, was Dave's Senior Camper year in Cabin 8 with Seth Wheeler again, back then Cabin 7 & Cabin 8 were often used as the Senior Camper cabins. This was a major summer for Dave, mostly because of his Whale swim. When Dave got ready to swim his whale there was already a whale in the water, Kip McManus. Kip was half way around the lake when Dave dove in, and when Kip finished his swim he was the new record holder for fastest camper whale time. About an hour later, Dave arrived at the docks having broken the record again by coming in three minutes faster than Kip. Dave would hold that record for about five or six summers. Dave finished out his camper years having earned almost every badge on the field, except a number of archery badges and was one of the camp's best swimmers.
The Senior Campers went on two big trip in 1985, one on Moose River and the other a hike up Mount Washington. The Moose River trip was led by Scott MacGregor and Toby Brewster with counselor Paul Voss from Cabin 7. Mount Washington was led by Ryck Birch with counselor Seth Wheeler from Cabin 8. These two trips were highlights in Mike's short camper career.
Counselor-in-Training Year: 1986
In the summer of 1986, Dave was thrilled to be heading into the staff ranks. Most of Dave's connections at camp were with people older then he was, and he was truly thrilled to be working along side those he had admired over the last few summers. At this point Dave was being groomed to be a BRC field counselor. In those days everyone taught everywhere but Dave was mostly field focused.
Staff Years
Summers of 1987-1991
Dave was so thrilled to finally be on staff in 1987 and was ready to shine. He was the counselor of the young guys in Hilton B and was teaching field activities. But sadly, Dave started feeling a little sick during Staff Orientation week and by the end of week one he was sent home with a case of mono. Dave would return in 1988 and taught on the field for three summers, he taught Lacrosse, Soccer, Baseball, and Basketball; and in 1989, Dave and his step-brother Mike created the Volleyball activity at Birch Rock. Dave loved teaching on the field but, when needed on the waterfront, Dave agreed to become Waterfront Director in 1991. When Mike skipped a summer, Dave was asked to cover the waterfront. With new catwalks and a decent number of instructors, Dave was able to put together one of the better run swim areas camp has ever had. Mike returned in 1992 and this time Dave took a summer off.
Summers of 1993-2000
Dave returned in 1993. New director Brad Smith asked Dave to help out with the trip program. Brad had planned on many of our trips to be guided by guide companies, but hired David to lead a few of the main trips Birch Rock has always had. Dave was great on the field and waterfront but finally camp had found his calling. With Birch Rock struggling financially for so many summers Mike was the Waterfront Director and Senior Camper Counselor in 1990, 1992, and 1993. He was in Pete's Palace in 1990 and Cabin 8 in '92 & '93. These were the lean years of Birch Rock, prior to its resurgence with the reconstruction of the lodge in 1994-'95.
During the summer of 1990, Mike and five campers were in a major car accident while returning to camp from the St. Croix River trip. The accident happened towards the end of the season and Mike was determined to get right back to camp. So after a couple of days rest, Mike was back down on the waterfront teaching swimming. Mike was featured in the new camp video shortly after the accident with scars on his face. This video was the camp promotional video for almost ten years.
From 1987-'90, many campers would beg to be on the Mattson team during Cross-Camp Capture the Flag. Mike and his brother Ron would often serve on a team together and went undefeated when paired for five consecutive seasons during every Cross-Camp game. When Mike returned to camp in 1992, his brother Ron decided to make them heads of the opposing teams. Ron's team won two out three games. Mike was "shot" off the catwalks by his brother for the first time since joining the staff ranks five summers earlier.
It was sometime in the early '90s that Mike was a Campfire MC with his step-brother Dave Jenkins and then with Brian Roskow a year later. Dave and Mike brought back the Zambini Brothers skit that has been a part of Birch Rock for almost 40 years, and even added the 'mirror push-ups' piece to the Zambini show.
Summers of 1994-1996
In 1994, Director Brad Smith hired Mike to work as the Program Director and move into the Directors Cabin. Mike's job was to plan and help run the program with Head Counselor Josh Church. This would end of being Josh's last summer.
Mike became Head Counselor for 1995 and 1996, but in 1996 at the age of twenty-five, Mike announced to Director Rich Deering that he was ready to move on. Shortly after his announcement, Rich Deering approached Mike with an offer of a year-round job as the Associate Director. This marked the beginning of a team that is still in place to this day.
Mike wrote many of the staff skits for Campfire from the mid-90s through 2000. This included the Prince of Biroca in 2001, a skit performed on a Sunday afternoon in the old rifle range turned outdoor theatre. The Prince of Biroca was a prince and dragon type of skit with elves, witches, knights, etc.
Director Years
Summers of 1997–1999
And so it was that by the end of the summer of 1996 Mike was now working year round as the Associate Director. This was also the time period when Birch Rock was planning for the American Camping Association's accreditation visit in 1997, the first visit from the ACA since the early '80s. Mike and Rich worked closely on the ACA standards, staff training, and many new ways to improve and strengthen the camp. Camp was on the rise.
Mike continued to act as the Head Counselor during these summers and in 1999 worked closely with Thomas Joyce as he moved into the Head Counselor role. It was around this time that Mike brought the single ding style of bell ringing to announce Tree Talk on Sundays, a signal to the campers that it's time to settle down. 1999 was the first summer of the new seven week season.
Summers of 2000–2001
At this point, Mike and Rich were working more as equals. Mike earned a co-director role and was starting to become much more responsible for the full day-to-day activities at the Rock. In fact, during this time period Rich was concurrently working in downtown Portland during the summer. Starting in the summer of 2000 Birch Rock had more than 100 campers coming through campus every summer, nearly twice as many as BRC had ever had from 1926 to the late '90s.
It was also sometime in this time period when Mike started doing the Daily Journal on Birch Rock's new website. The Daily Journal has become an important link for the parents to know what's happening at camp.
Summers of 2002-Present
With Birch Rock bigger then ever and much maintenance work still to be done, the Board of Directors decided to promote Rich into an Alumni Director and Development role. Mike was offered the Camp Director position. Mike and Rich continue to be the perfect team with Rich's marketing skills and Mike's program running experience.
In 2005, the Director's Cabin, Mike's home for ten consecutive summers, was torn down and a new cabin named Chief's Cabin was built in its place. The new cabin was the first insulated building on campus but it would stand for only four summers. It burned down four days before Opening Day of 2008. Mike moved into Lion's Den for the 2008 summer. It was the first time he lived somewhere on campus other than right on the driveway since the summer of 1993, fourteen years prior.
The new Chief's Cabin, reincarnated in the same insulated glory as in 2005, will return Mike to his perch along the driveway for the summer of 2009.
Mike's Summers at the Rock
| Year | Cabin | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Cabin 3 and then 6 | Camper | with Counselor Ryck Birch, then Counselor Seth Wheeler |
| 1984 | Eagle's Nest? | Camper | with Counselor ? |
| 1985 | Cabin 8 | Senior Camper | with Counselor Seth Wheeler |
| 1986 | Pete's Palace | Counselor-in-Training | with CIT Director John Mason |
| 1987 | Hilton B | Junior Counselor | went home with mono. during first week |
| 1988 | Hilton B | Counselor | Baseball, Lacrosse, Soccer |
| 1989 | Cabin 3 | Counselor | Volleyball, Lacrosse, Basketball |
| 1990 | Eagle's Nest | Field Director | |
| 1991 | Pete's Palace | Waterfront Director | new catwalks in 1991 |
| 1992 | skipped | ||
| 1993 | Pete's Palace | Trip Leader | |
| 1994 | Cabin 3 | Trip Director | |
| 1995 | Pat's Cabin | Trip Director | |
| 1996 | Pat's Cabin | Trip Director | Program |
| 1997 | Pat's Cabin | Trip Director | continued as Head Counselor |
| 1998 | Large Tent on Platform | Trip Director | The tent platform was built in 1998 |
| 1999 | Large Tent on Platform | Trip Director | |
| 2000 | Pat's Cabin | Trip Director | |
| 2001 | skipped | ||
| 2002 | Albert's Cabin | Trip Director | |
| 2003 | skipped | ||
| 2004 | Swordfish | Assistant Director | |
| 2005 | skipped | ||
| 2006 | off-site | Maine Wilderness Adventure Director | |
| 2007 | off-site | Maine Wilderness Adventure Director |
