Camp Alvernia
Encyclopedia
Camp Alvernia is a non-profit recreational summer camp
in Centerport, New York
on the North Shore
of Long Island
. The camp is located on the east shore of Centerport Harbor, on the Little Neck peninsula. It was founded in 1888 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn
, who still run the facility now, over 120 years later. Alvernia was the first, and is now the oldest Catholic
camp in continuous operation in the United States.
Camp Alvernia is currently a day camp that serves 800-900 children ages 4 to 14 from all religious backgrounds, and also continues to serve as a retreat for the Franciscan Brothers. The Camp offers boating and sailing activities, land and field activities, and swimming in two pools, and recently added a visual media program. Scholarships are also awarded each year to deserving youth.
In the summer of 2000, Camp Alvernia developed a course called "Leadership Skills in Community Youth Recreation." The course was based in part on the camp's annual pre-camp orientation program, and participating camp counselors earn college credit. The Love of Learning Montessori method
school moved to the grounds of Camp Alvernia in September 2004.
Originally built as a summer retreat for Franciscan brothers, the 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) facility later became a residential camp for immigrant children from New York City
, who slept in tents until cabins were built in the 1930-40's. It was originally named "Mount Alvernia" after the mountain in Italy where Francis of Assisi
is said to have received stigmata
. Funding for the camp was raised by redeeming Kirkman Soap wrappers, each having a value of two cents. At its peak, it comprised the main building and boarding house (Chalmers House) which accommodated as many as sixty guests.
Camp Alvernia used to be a residential camp, ending during the past 15 years. Boys and girls, ages 5–18, could go for either 3 or 6 week periods of time. (Later changed to 2, 4 or 6 week sessions) Girls traditionally stayed in the dorms, one room for younger girls, one room for older girls. Boys stayed in cabins with names such as Nest, Den, Bayview and Seaside. During the height of Alvernia's popularity, the youngest girls did stay in two of the cabins. At the time of its 100th anniversary, it was run as a simultaneous residential and day camp. Residential students would be awoken by a reveille over the campus wide loudspeaker, meet for breakfast, and then break into their day camp groups, as the day campers would be bused in from local Long Island towns. Keeping with the camp's theme and location, the day camp named its various age groups after tribes of the Iroquois nation
. The youngest campers were called the Oneidas, followed by the Mohawk
, Huron, Cayuga
and the Seneca
.
Camp activities included traditional arts and crafts and swimming, but also had full sized basketball courts, tennis courts and playing fields. Its specialty was boating, especially windsurfing. Campers would have boating, led by the famous Brother Louie, and could canoe, kayak, sail or go on the larger sailboats for a ride. There would also be excursions to the local roller skating rink, museums and nearby beaches.
In the 1990s, many of the camp's records were thrown out, having suffered water damage. In 2010, the camp began a concerted effort to reconnect with former campers and counselors.
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
in Centerport, New York
Centerport, New York
Centerport is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the notably affluent North Shore of Long Island. Formerly known as Little Cow Harbor about 1700, Centreport in 1836, and then the present Centerport after 1895...
on the North Shore
North Shore (Long Island)
The North Shore of Long Island is the area along Long Island's northern coast, bordering Long Island Sound. The region has long been the most affluent on Long Island, as well as the most affluent in the New York metropolitan area, which has earned it the nickname "the Gold Coast." Though some...
of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The camp is located on the east shore of Centerport Harbor, on the Little Neck peninsula. It was founded in 1888 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn
Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn
The Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, also known as "Congregation of the Religious Brothers of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis,"arrived from Ireland in 1858, responding to the invitation of Bishop Loughlin. They began serving the Diocese of Brooklyn in child care, primarily as educators,...
, who still run the facility now, over 120 years later. Alvernia was the first, and is now the oldest Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
camp in continuous operation in the United States.
Camp Alvernia is currently a day camp that serves 800-900 children ages 4 to 14 from all religious backgrounds, and also continues to serve as a retreat for the Franciscan Brothers. The Camp offers boating and sailing activities, land and field activities, and swimming in two pools, and recently added a visual media program. Scholarships are also awarded each year to deserving youth.
In the summer of 2000, Camp Alvernia developed a course called "Leadership Skills in Community Youth Recreation." The course was based in part on the camp's annual pre-camp orientation program, and participating camp counselors earn college credit. The Love of Learning Montessori method
Montessori method
Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. Montessori education is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children from birth to eighteen years old.-Overview:...
school moved to the grounds of Camp Alvernia in September 2004.
Originally built as a summer retreat for Franciscan brothers, the 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) facility later became a residential camp for immigrant children from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, who slept in tents until cabins were built in the 1930-40's. It was originally named "Mount Alvernia" after the mountain in Italy where Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
is said to have received stigmata
Stigmata
Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
. Funding for the camp was raised by redeeming Kirkman Soap wrappers, each having a value of two cents. At its peak, it comprised the main building and boarding house (Chalmers House) which accommodated as many as sixty guests.
Camp Alvernia used to be a residential camp, ending during the past 15 years. Boys and girls, ages 5–18, could go for either 3 or 6 week periods of time. (Later changed to 2, 4 or 6 week sessions) Girls traditionally stayed in the dorms, one room for younger girls, one room for older girls. Boys stayed in cabins with names such as Nest, Den, Bayview and Seaside. During the height of Alvernia's popularity, the youngest girls did stay in two of the cabins. At the time of its 100th anniversary, it was run as a simultaneous residential and day camp. Residential students would be awoken by a reveille over the campus wide loudspeaker, meet for breakfast, and then break into their day camp groups, as the day campers would be bused in from local Long Island towns. Keeping with the camp's theme and location, the day camp named its various age groups after tribes of the Iroquois nation
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
. The youngest campers were called the Oneidas, followed by the Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
, Huron, Cayuga
Cayuga nation
The Cayuga people was one of the five original constituents of the Haudenosaunee , a confederacy of American Indians in New York. The Cayuga homeland lay in the Finger Lakes region along Cayuga Lake, between their league neighbors, the Onondaga to the east and the Seneca to the west...
and the Seneca
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
.
Camp activities included traditional arts and crafts and swimming, but also had full sized basketball courts, tennis courts and playing fields. Its specialty was boating, especially windsurfing. Campers would have boating, led by the famous Brother Louie, and could canoe, kayak, sail or go on the larger sailboats for a ride. There would also be excursions to the local roller skating rink, museums and nearby beaches.
In the 1990s, many of the camp's records were thrown out, having suffered water damage. In 2010, the camp began a concerted effort to reconnect with former campers and counselors.