Rich Deering
Rich Deering is currently Birch Rock's first Alumni Director, a position he has held since 2002. Before that Rich held many roles at Birch Rock: 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 Trustees 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 community, but it is his love for the Rock and knowledge of its history that was of great use to Brad and the camp in the '90s and today.
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 camp accreditated by the American Camp Assocation, hired a seasoned and talented staff, expanded the camp season from six weeks to seven, launched Family Camp and Maine Wilderness Adventure programs, worked closely with the Board of Trustees on facility management, financial stablity and much more....
Rich has always said that, "...camp is a place of life-long learning for all, no matter what your age."
Contents
Life Before Birch Rock
Rich grew up in Falmouth, Maine. The youngest child and only son of Jack and Ann Deering, Rich came from a family where summer residential camp was the core of one's summers. Both his mom and dad attended summer camp as children, and his two elder sisters spent many summers at Camp Se Sa Ma Ca in Raymond, NH.
At the age of eight, his dad and mom toured his father's alma mater, Camp O-At-Ka on Sebago Lake as a possibility for Rich in the summer of 1973. However, the Deerings close family friends from Cape Elizabeth, ME - Bob & Helen Cleaves insisted that they tour Birch Rock in East Waterford as a possible alternative as their sons, Bobby and Harry were currently campers and the second Cleaves generation. Upon entering the campus and touring with Assistant Director Mike Deneault, the Deerings savored the spirited energy and saviored the delicious home-made brownies of Chef Albert. Birch Rock became Rich's new summer home, and the rest of his life journey began........
Camper Years
Summer of 1973
Rich's memories from his first year at camp from the 2001: A Short History booklet:
The carved names, the stuffed animals, the smell of freshly brewed coffee, popovers with jam and brownies that tasted like fudge, everybody saying hello and introducing themselves to me—those are memories of my first hour at camp. I do not remember my parents leaving, but I do remember the bell ringing loudly, calling us together. My first summer at Birch Rock had started.
Rich will always have fond memories of hot cocoa, polar bear swims, operation motivation and the Midnight Phantom to name a few. Rich also talks often about his time spent with Onie Brewster in the library as he was tutored daily with his lifelong friend Harry Cleaves.
Summer of 1974-1978
After spending his first year in the cabin's relatively new deluxe cabin, Hilton B, Rich enjoyed his six camper years in both lower and upper camp. Tennis, riflery, archery, campcraft and swimming were his primary activities of choice. However, the mountain trips along the Applachian trails with Mike Apicelli and Nat Weeks were some of his fondess memories.
Staff Years
Summers of 1979-1981
Rich was a cabin counselor at the young tender age of 15. During Rich's staff summers he taught mostly swimming and tennis. Rich seems to best remember the years he was a staff member in the Upper Camp quad, Eagles Nest and Buzzard's Roost. The teenagers seemed to best fit Rich's talents as a counselor. Rich was able to reign them in with ease and a firm commitment to teach campers to "Put Your Head Where Your Feet Are."
Summers of 1982-1985
When Rich moved into the administrative ranks on campus it was a natural fit for him to be the Waterfront Director. He always had a love for swimming and the swim area was a terrific venue to work with all ages and stages of campers each and every day. Rich was known to push the kids hard to learn and would often focus on endurance with long swims and long periods of treading water and survival skills. Rich specialized in Basic Rescue and Water Safety as well as ARC Lifesaving.
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 (a swim snorkel), 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. Mike loved it! It was the beginning of a life-long mentoring partnership and friendship........
Summer of 1988
Rich returned to work with the CIT group. This particular group was to be CITs for a second summer in a row because Birch Rock decided to move the CIT age to 16. Rich worked with CITs Adam Whinston,Evan Farmer, Matt Woodworth and Tom Bull to name a few. It was during this summer, that Rich began to learn more about the overall organizational operation of BRC from his mentor and lifelong friend, Toby Brewster. For the past four years, Toby was the camp's director and he surrounded himself with a core cabinet of faithful Birch Rockers including his brother Seth, Ryck Birch, Scott MacGregor, Harry Cleaves and the ever constant and dedicated: Donald Munn and Janice Walker.
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 first full-time Camp Director.
For both 1993 & 1995, Rich used his own CIT program that he had worked on as a part of his Masters degree in Adult Education and Counseling. The first year it was a difficult program to truly implement because we only had one Super CIT, Andre Ezequelle, but in 1995 Rich had a great CIT group: Thomas Joyce, Bret Ingold, and Tyler Johnston.
Summers of 1996–2001
Rich stepped up into the Camp Director role in 1996, and he continued the up hill march that Brad had started in helping BRC grow. Rich noted that there was very little documented history over the past decades and new camp regulations and external expectations had to be put in place. With the help of the beloved and giving Brewster Family and Trustees,years of BRC history and records were gathered from files, photos, equipment, etc. and organized to help build the camp foundation and launch the community for the next century. Although it was a supreme and daunting task, Rich spent much of 1996 reaching out to to the past Birch Rock Family, so that the present community could be stronger and preserved.
He also started to connect with the other camps and researched returning Birch Rock to accreditation status with the American Camping Association (ACA). Rich hired Mike Mattson as a year round employee at the end of the summer of 1996. The plan was for Birch Rock to be visited in the summer of 1997 and there was much work to be done. Under Rich's leadership and diligence, and with the assistance of a few of the key staff members, the ACA standards book was prepared, along with all the other on campus manual and we would master the accreditation visit. The Birch Rock staff that summer was top notch, as always.
Thanks to all that hard work and the extra efforts to come over the next few summers Birch Rock was beginning to grow. After the summer of 1998, Rich reported continued growth and the Board of Trustees endorsed the change of the program season from 6 weeks to 7 weeks. In 2000 a new cabin, Owl's Perch was built with beds for more campers. This new cabin pushed Birch Rock passed the 100+ campers per summer mark.
It was sometime late '90s that Rich and Dave Jenkins created the Quest activity. This zen-like activity which focused primarily on communication and listening. Had the boys focus on themselves and their Birch Rock myth. This was a great way for Rich to get some quality time with individual campers. This activity was around for about 3 or 4 summers.
Also, during the summer of 2000, Rich, with help from Mike Mattson, along with Camp Runoia Director Pam Cobb and their Trip Leader Todd Erler developed a new coed trip program for BRC's older campers. This was the Maine Wilderness Adventure program which started up in 2001. In 2001, Roxie, Rich's dog, arrives on the scene.
Summers of 2002-2007
With so much growth and positive momentum it was time for a slight shift in roles and responsibilities. Although the Deering/Mattson team stayed together, Richard redirected much of his energies to the external camp community as the camp's new Alumni Director. He focused on fundraising and development as the camp started up a major campaign: A Call for Character.
Not including his membership with the American Camping Association, Rich has spent much of his recent camp years getting to know the camping industry all over the state. His interest in Maine youth camping in general motivated him to become the President of the Maine Youth Camping Association in 2007. Rich has developed strong relationships with many Camp Directors in the state and has called upon those connections a number of times to the benefit of Birch Rock.
In 2007, Rich started up the Decade Club. Anyone in their 10th summer at camp was honored and awarded a Decade Club vest during one of our Sunday dinners.
Summers of 2008-Present
At this point, with so many summers under his belt, Rich wears many hats for Birch Rock. Ultimately, the fact is he still finds himself down on the waterfront teaching swimming where he himself learned as a camper. He continues to be an important link between the old brc history and the new legends that are present and future leaders.
Rich has been recognized with one of the grandest honors at Birch Rock, a special plaque on the wall in the lodge for his many summers of service to the Rock.
Rich's Summers at the Rock
| Year | Cabin | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Hilton A | Camper | with Counselor Chris Carney |
| 1974 | Cabin 3 | Camper | with Counselor Tom Amezholt |
| 1975 | Cabin 3 | Camper | with Counselor Cam Miller |
| 1976 | Eagle's Nest | Camper | with Counselor Phil Goodwin |
| 1977 | Eagle's Nest | Camper | with Counselor Ben Brewster & Pete Haas |
| 1978 | Cabin 8 | Camper | with Pete Haas |
| 1979 | Cabin 3 | Junior Counselor | w/campers Glenn Brengel, Kit Carson |
| 1980 | Cabin 2 | Counselor | w/campers John Russell, Spaulding Goetze |
| 1981 | Cabin 4 | Counselor | w/campers Will White, Spaulding Goetze |
| 1982 | Buzzard's Roost | Waterfront Director | w/ campers Spaudling Goetze, Rob Mendelsohn |
| 1983 | Buzzard's Roost | Waterfront Director | w/Ron Mattson, Rob Christie |
| 1984 | skipped | ||
| 1985 | The Swordfish | Head Counselor | Program Director |
| 1986 | Trustee | ||
| 1987 | Trustee | ||
| 1988 | Swordfish | CIT Director | |
| 1989 | Trustee | ||
| 1990 | Trustee | ||
| 1991 | Trustee | ||
| 1992 | Trustee | ||
| 1993 | Lion's Den | Assistant Director | worked with Brad Smith |
| 1994 | Trustee | ||
| 1995 | Swordfish | Assistant Director | worked with Brad Smith |
| 1996 | Swordfish | Camp Director | Full-time @ BRC |
| 1997 | Swordfish | Camp Director | ACA Accreditation |
| 1998 | Swordfish | Camp Director | Campus Capital Improvements begin |
| 1999 | Swordfish | Camp Director | Expand to 7 week season |
| 2000 | Swordfish | Co-Director | Ran Camp with Mike Mattson |
| 2001 | Swordfish | Co-Director | Ran Camp with Mike Mattson |
| 2002 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | New MWA and FC Programs |
| 2003 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | Launch Campaign: |
| 2004 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | New Boathouse |
| 2005 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | New Chief's Cabin |
| 2006 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | |
| 2007 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | Elected Pres of ME Youth Camps. Decade Club starts |
| 2008 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | New Infirmary |
| 2009 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | |
| 2010 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | |
| 2011 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | |
| 2012 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | |
| 2013 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | Roxie's last summer |
| 2014 | Swordfish | Alumni Director | the Swordfish gets torn down after camp |
| 2015 | Onie's Cabin | Alumni Director | New Onie's Cabin |
| 2016 | Onie's Cabin | Alumni Director | |
| 2017 | Onie's Cabin | Alumni Director | |
| 2018 | Onie's Cabin | Alumni Director | |
| 2019 | Onie's Cabin | Alumni Director | Launches the BRC Ambassadors |
| 2020 | Onie's Cabin | Alumni Director |
