WATERFORD - They call themselves the Legends of the Dark Knight.

"We're a unique family group," said 16-year-old Carl Martin of South Portland. The group includes him and his brother Sam and several other sets of siblings who form a "family" at Camp To Belong on the shores of Bear Pond

"We were always unique. We brighten the room," said 15-year-old Sam Martin of Raymond, laughing as he threw an arm around his older brother.

The two are part of a national nonprofit program designed to reunite for one week siblings separated by foster care, adoption or other out-of-home care.

Maine's camp was set up five years ago with the collaboration of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. It is in a pine grove at Camp Wigwam, a boys' camp overlooking Bear Pond and Bear Mountain.

"It's emotional at times," said third-year counselor Tim Swift, noting the campers sometimes haven't seen their siblings in a year. "But then you hear their laughter. It's very heartwarming."

Swift is child welfare adoption program manager for the Department of Health and Human Services in Augusta.

The children participate in typical camp activities - swimming, tubing, wall climbing, arts and crafts, theater, canoeing and hiking - but also have special events unique to their situation. On Tuesday night, they celebrated Christmas and other traditional holidays under a huge Christmas tree set up in the main lodge. This week they will have a big birthday party marking everyone's birthday with gifts that the children pick out for each other at a special gift room.

Each child receives a camera and will make a scrapbook with pictures of their siblings and friends. Portraits of the siblings also are taken and each makes a sibling pillow/quilt with a special message to each other that they take home with them.

The items are all donated, said Penthea Burns, policy associate with the Muskie School in the University of South Maine in Portland and part of the team that helps plan the camp each year.

"There's something special here," she said. "It's simple and powerful all at the same time."

This year, counselors, including staff from Camp Wigwam who stay after their season ends to run specific activities at Camp To Belong, come from across the country, including California, Texas and Colorado. They are doctors, teachers, nurses, social workers and other professionals who Burns says "bring an extra heart" to the program.

"The kids have enough of social workers. We don't want to convey it's a therapeutic camp because it's not," she said as Faith Welsh, 12, of Herman, and another child go screaming by in a tube being pulled by a motorboat operated by Camp Wigwam owner Bob Strauss.

With 2,101 children in foster care in Maine and 336 of those children adopted by families last year and 496 looking at an adoptive situation, Swift said the state has a lot of work to try to provide stable environments for the children, who are often separated from their siblings.

Strauss came from Baltimore, Md., and took over Camp Wigwam in 1977 from his parents. He said the decision to host Camp To Belong was an easy one.

"This one you see the results today," he said as he sat contentedly on a log bench on the porch of the main lodge. "It's exactly the environment they need."

Many of the young people, whose ages this year range from 12 to 18 years, come back year after year.

"There's a lot of younger kids here this year," observes Sam Martin, who was 10 when he first came to the camp. "A lot of them are not really ready to express themselves, but that goes away in a day. We know better to help them out than look at them and walk away."

Burns said the camp benefits far outlive the weeklong adventure.

One pair of siblings who lived three hours apart discovered they couldn't bear to be without each other after a week together at camp. "Now they live three miles apart and go to the same school," she said. "If we're making an impact for deeper connections, that's what we're about."

When asked if he would be back for another year, Carl Martin looked surprised.

"I'm going to be here every year. Are you kidding?" he asked smiling broadly.