The History of Our Camp

In the 1950’s a young couple named Lloyd and Alice Moyer noticed something. They noticed that many kids in Vermont didn’t have lots of constructive activities to engage in during the summer. They also noticed that the camps that were close by were very expensive. They held these observations and in the 1960’s they began to wonder what they were going to do with some extra land they had. They knew they would give some to their children and they even sold some. Yet, there were 100 acres left. What if they could meet some needs by putting this land to work as a camp? This idea got traction with other folks in the community including Nevin Bender who became the first Director of Bethany Birches Camp (also pastor at Bethany Mennonite Church).

It was once said that something worth doing, is worth it even if it means starting out with nothing but a dream. And not only did we have a dream, we had land thanks to the Moyer’s! So we began to gather all sorts of volunteers from near and far and kids started coming to camp. In the 1970’s Bethany Birches Camp became an entity that had a very special appeal. A rustic facility, a unique program, and a community that believed in it. BBC still is rustic and unique and the community has grown. You can’t go far in Vermont today without finding someone who has attended BBC as a child or teen. Many families continue to send children year after year. And, one of the most common sentiments heard from a younger sibling: “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to come.”