Camp Becket FAQs

There are 8 or 9 campers and two or three staff members in each cabin.
What if I want my child to attend a family or sporting event during the session?: We ask that campers not be removed from the camp during the session, as this can adversely affect the cabin group. We do not grant permission for a child to leave camp for a wedding, sporting event, family reunion or other event. Please check your calendar for these events before making an application.
What is the weekly chapel service, and does my child have to attend?: Our chapel is an ecumenical service held in each camp on Sundays. Readings from the Old and New Testaments, as well as other spiritual and inspirational stories, original skits, plays, and music are central parts of the service. All campers must attend chapel, and they may participate in the service if they choose to.
What if my child wants to be with his/her friend?: On the spring camper forms you may specify one cabin mate request. We will do our best to accommodate these requests. Only mutual requests indicated on the form will be considered. Late requests (after paperwork deadline) will not be considered.
When is drop-off and pick-up time for the session?: On opening day, plan to arrive between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. On closing day, pick-up is from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
What does your camper population consist of?: In 2007, six campers, approximately 1.2% of our campers stayed for the full season. Our camper return rate was 79% . Campers come from a wide variety of ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. Statistics are available upon request.
What medical staff and facilities are at the camp?: Each camp has an infirmary and the two camps share a pediatrician-in-residence. The pediatricians work on a weekly basis and all work for Quincy Pediatrics. Each infirmary is also staffed by three nurses. The health staff at the infirmary handles most illnesses and injuries. When necessary, the camper is referred to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA.
May my child keep medications with him/her at the cabin or on their person?: Due to safety issues, all medications must be kept in the infirmary, including all non-prescription medications, etc. with the exception, as mandated by state law, of inhalers and epipens. Those campers wishing to carry an inhaler or epipen must bring an additional inhaler or epipen to be kept in the infirmary. The medical staff is on-call 24 hours a day should your child require medication. Staff members will carry camper medications with them when groups go on overnights or out-of-camp trips. All medications must be administered from the original package.
May I call my camper during the session?: Campers may not receive telephone calls while at camp. This tends to increase homesickness. However, if you would like an update as to how your child is doing, please contact the camp office. We will have the appropriate staff member return your call. Parents of new campers should expect a phone call form the cabin staff during the first week of camp to update you on how your camper is adjusting to camp. You may send mail, faxes and e-mail to your camper. More details on these details is sent in a spring mailing.
What is the food like?: Meals are nutritious and well-balanced. They are served family-style and each cabin sits at its own table. There are salad bars at every lunch and dinner. Vegetarian options are always available.
What are the cabins like?: Our cabins are rustic, wooden buildings with no bathrooms or electricity. There are both glass and screen windows, and built-in bunk beds. Each camper has a cubbie. The two cabin staff sleep in separate rooms within the cabin. A shared modern washhouse with hot and cold running water and electricity is located nearby.
Are there extra charges for anything?: The tuition includes all of the regular program costs. We add $100 to the tuition bill so that each camper has a camp store account upon his or her arrival. Campers are required to have their laundry done twice a session at a fee of $25 per session which will be added to your bill. Other elective services, such as transportation or linen rental, are provided for an extra fee. For the 2-week starter program the store and laundry fees are half the amount mentioned.
Can you provide transportation for a child coming from outside the area?: Yes, we can pick up your child at an airport, bus or train station. We must be aware of this need in advance. It also carries an extra charge. The nearest airports are Bradley International in Hartford, CT, and the Albany International Airport in Albany, NY. The nearest bus stations are in Lee, MA and Pittsfield, MA. In addition, on the closing day of each session, a charter bus service is provided to the New York City area and Boston area for an additional fee on the closing day of each session. Camp personnel staff buses.

AC: An Assistant Counselor is a seventeen year old in his first year on camp staff. ACs live with a cabin group under the guidance of a counselor, and function in the counselor's role when he is off-duty. ACs are usually assigned to the three youngest villages.
Ad Staff: Administrative Staff is comprised of: the Camp Director, Program Director, Village Directors (see below), Aides Director (see below), AC Advisor and Administrative Assistant.
Aide: A sixteen year old in the first year of the Camp's leadership training program. The Aides have their own leader (Aides Director) and living facilities (Aides Quarters [AQ]). The Aides assist with Camp programs and operations but are not counselors, and should not be considered as such.
Alcove: The space just inside the door of a cabin where the junior staff member of the cabin lives. This term also refers collectively to ACs and Rovers who live in the alcoves.
Amici: Traditional Becket song which is often sung after all camp programs. The phrase is also used to close letters. Amici means ‘friendship’ in Italian.
AOD: “Adult on duty”. A person over the age of 21 who patrols the camp each evening for safety reasons.
Automat: There are no wash facilities in the camper cabins. Instead, each village has its own central bathroom/shower area called an automat (short for automatic, as opposed to an outhouse.)
Becket Mottoes: Eight phrases which are painted on wooden plaques hanging in the dining hall. They represent the backbone of our camp and all staff and campers are encouraged to abide by them.
Big Show: Our camp musical. Written by the performing arts director, one show is put on each session.
BO: Business Office. Your one-stop shop for so many real world things like postage, calling cards, to store your valuables, or for a ray of sunshine, visit Pat.
Buddy board: This board is at the waterfront and is where you leave your buddy tag before you get in the water. It is how we keep track of how many people are in the water and who they are.
Cabin Chat: Cabin chat provides the counselor an opportunity to lead his campers in a period of reflective, thoughtful group discussion at the end of each day. Instruction in leading cabin chats is provided during staff training.
CCR: Camper Cumulative Record; a form counselors use to document their campers’ growth and experiences. Past CCRs can be useful in learning about campers prior to their arrival. Rovers and ACs are not responsible for completing CCRs.
Candlelight: A somewhat solemn event held near the end of each session. It allows campers and staff to reflect on their summer experience.
Chapel Whites: It has been a tradition at Becket that campers and staff wear white clothing (pants or shorts and a shirt) to our Sunday chapel service. It provides a sense of unity among the community.
Chimney: Chimney Corners Camp (or CCC); the YMCA girls’ camp one mile from Camp Becket. Though the two camps interact, Becket and Chimney operate as independent organizations.
Construction Cabin: A cabin (or two) in Ranger Village where boys spend one cabin activity each day building a structure for the camp.
Dads’ Weekend: One weekend each session when the dads of campers come to see what coming to camp is like for his son. For many dads it is the highlight if the year. Campers without dads are paired with a volunteer surrogate dad for the event.
Drag: A rescue routine employed on the waterfront to find missing swimmers who may be trapped under water. The Lifeguards practice this routine after general swims.
Four Square: Americans have baseball, Europeans have soccer, Becket campers have four square (also known as Box Ball.)
440s: a group of rocks in Rudd Pond, off Long Point. They are just below the surface and can cause all kinds of trouble if you run into them while boating. Swimming to the 440s is a popular swim class activity. They are 440 yards from the Frontier flagpole.
Gia Wia: (Pronounced Guy-a Wee-a) A native American phrase meaning “good word”, a Gia Wia is a brief skit concluding with a simple moral (“Don’t play with matches”, “It is better to give than to receive”, Etc.) ranging in time from serious to comic, Gia Wias are performed by cabin groups during each village’s morning assembly.
Gibby: Gibson Hall, one of the oldest buildings in camp. Most performing arts programs are located in Gibby. It is also used for housing some support and program staff, overnight guests and a staff lounge.
ICEP: International Camper Exchange Program; a world-wide, coed summer travel program for 15-16 year olds.
Infirmary: the camp’s health office.
Inter-session: the afternoon and evening after the first session ends and before the second one begins. A time to clean, restock, move if necessary then usually a trip off camp with for dinner with your village or staff group. Usually a few campers are here for both sessions and stay for inter-session.
Long night: Time-off from just before dinner until 1 am. Staff receive one long night per time-off week.
Odyssey: A specialized, minimum-impact camping program for older boys.
OD: (On Duty) After cabin chat (see below), each village assigns several counselors to a safety patrol until each cabin's counselor, rover or AC has checked in for the night. Administrative staff perform the same duty for the whole camp (AOD).
Overnight Sites: 4 spots around Rudd Pond with log shelters. They are: Green Point, Rocky Point, White Rock, and Long Point. Cabin groups will each go on at least one overnight during their camp session.
Pittsfield: Also called Pitts Vegas, or the Pitt; the closest major ‘city’ to Camp; a popular destination for staff on time-off. Shopping, banks, restaurants and entertainment are available.
PC: Project Challenge, an afternoon activity available to Ranger campers that allows campers to face individual and group challenges. It is the only activity we offer that is coed.
Ranger Guides: the first step on the Leadership development progression for campers. Ranger Guides are campers who volunteer to help out in afternoon activities for the younger two villages.
REACH: “Reaching, Educating and Caring for Humanity.” This travel program takes teens to a Lakota reservation is South Dakota to work with native Americans.
Rover: Short for "roving counselor". A Rover lives in the alcove section of a cabin, and together with a counselor form the staff for a cabin. Rovers do not share cabins with Assistant Counselors.
Saratoga South: The second session talent show. It refers to the fact that we are south of Saratoga, New York a famous performing arts venue.
Short night: Time-off from after cabin chat until 1 am. Staff receive one short night per time-off week.
Siesta: A rest time immediately following lunch. Campers are encouraged to sleep, write letters or read. Campers may order candy from the store to be delivered during Siesta along with the mail.
Snacks: In-camp free time immediately after cabin chat. Staff who are not O.D. are welcome to the dining hall. Staff from both Becket and Chimney are invited to snacks in either camp.
Tanglewood East: The first session talent show. It refers to the fact we are east of Tanglewood a famous public amphitheater in the area.
TLS: Teen Leadership and Service”; the name of our travel program which involves bicycling and performing community service enroute.
Villages: The camp is divided into four age group called Villages. (Chimney Corners' villages are UNITS.) Each village is a group of counselors under the guidance of a head counselor called a Village Director (VD).
Iroquois: The youngest age group village; for campers 8-9 years old. Cabins here are named after Native American tribes.
Pioneer: Village for campers 10-11 years old. Cabins here are named after famous American explorers. People living in Pioneer call themselves Bison.
Frontier: Village for campers 12-13 years old. cabins here are named after Forts on the American frontier
Ranger: The eldest village; for campers 14-15 years old. Cabins here are named after American National Parks. These age groups are approximate. The actual age divisions vary from summer to summer.
Village Watch: After taps in the evening, in most villages, four counselors
VD Shack: The cabin where the Village Director (VD) lives. Each village has a V.D. Shack. It also serves as a staff meeting/lounge space.
Yacht Club: Our boat house or the center of all small craft activity. The Yacht Club is the lower level of the Becket Library.
YAS: Yellowstone Adventure Service - A program in YTP sending participants who have completed 10th or 11th grade to Yellowstone National Park to work on low impact camping skills, environmental awareness and service projects.
YTP: Youth Travel Programs - That branch of the Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA that coordinates off-camp teen programs such as ICEP, REACH, TLS and YAS.