1961-2011: Birchwood Camp Celebrates 50 Years of Summer Camps

Alaska had been a state for just two years when Birchwood Camp began offering camping programs in 1961. Since those early days thousands of campers, church groups and community organizations have enjoyed the peaceful camp in Chugiak. We’ll be offering several opportunities for people to celebrate and commemorate this landmark year– including special 50 year t-shirts that our campers tie dyed at camp this summer!

50 Year Annual Dinner & Auction: Sunday, October 2

This is an event you won’t want to miss! We’ll continue our golden anniversary celebration with a delicious meal, stories from several generations of campers, and live &  silent auctions. EVERYONE is welcome to attend! Tell your friends, tell your parents, tell your kids… Help make this a great event. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we hope you’ll join us for this historic event.

4:30pm Annual business meeting, Board member elections in Fireweed Hall

5:00pm Silent Auction opens in Main Lodge; Open House in Fireweed Hall

5:30pm Dinner & Program in Main Lodge

6:45pm Live Auction in Main Lodge

There is no charge to attend but seating is limited; please RSVP to 688.2734 or info@birchwoodcamp.org or respond on our Facebook Page.

Founders Day Event: A Review of a great celebration

If you missed it, Birchwood Camp  kicked off the summer with Founders Day, a celebration of our “roots” on May 14. The day began with more than 25 runners joining in our first ever 5k race; participants were united in their praise of the scenic course and a desire to see the race continue in years to come.

The weather cooperated well for the event, blessing us with a beautiful sunny day— visitors enjoyed an open house around the grounds before our program, which took place in the newly named “Fireweed Hall.” We had several folks in attendance who were instrumental in the growth and success of Birchwood Camp during the “early years,” including Dorothy Roberts, Anna Andrews, Walt Hays, Jim Hitchcock, John & Barbara Shaffer, and David & Aileen Fison. We heard entertaining stories of Birchwood’s formative years from John Shaffer, Walt Hays, and Anna Andrews. Dave Beckett, the Alaska United Methodist Conference Superintendent, blessed and commissioned the new Fireweed Hall, helping us to dream up what the next 50 years of ministry will hold!

The event concluded with s’mores & hotdogs around the fire. Well over 100 people attended the festivities.

Birchwood Camp was purchased in 1958 by what is now known as the United Methodist Church’s General Board of Global Ministries. It had 160 acres including a lake, and the only building was the “Trapper Cabin” (which is still in use today). There was no road to the property, only jeep trails. Gradually 18 buildings have been built, mostly with volunteer labor, including the new 1,500 square foot Fireweed Hall. The photo to the right depicts a worship service held at the newly created outdoor chapel in the early 1960s. The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association and is run by a small staff and a volunteer board of directors. Additional information on the camp’s history, facilities and programs is available on our history page.