Happy hollow camp
~ story and photos by Bob Gustin
For a week in June this year, 80 children with hearing loss felt at home in the woods while learning, creating, exercising, and playing at Happy Hollow Camp in southern Brown County. And their isolation disappeared as a sense of community took over.
The camp, located off Bellsville Pike, was founded in 1951 by a group of Indianapolis civic leaders. The camp consists of 850 acres, but only about 100 acres are actively used, with the rest managed by the Nature Conservancy. Over the years, it has served more than 45,000 children.
Happy Hollow is open all year, but most active in the summer. Currently, more than 2,000 children come to camp here annually for outdoor activities, arts and crafts, environmental education, and to have a little fun. About 30 staff members work at the camp, which is accredited by the American Camp Association.
Between rounds of archery practice, camper Rebecka Dealey-Cooper took a few minutes to reflect about her experience.
“ I belong here,” the New Castle teen said.“ People actually like me.”
Attending as part of a group from Hear Indiana, a statewide association for children with hearing loss, she said she sometimes is alone because she is“ different.” But with
Camp Executive Director Sara Noyed.
fellow campers at Happy Hollow, she said,“ This place is perfect.”
Much has changed at the camp since its founding, but its mission to serve Indiana’ s children with outdoor experiences while encouraging human potential through exploration, connection, and self-discovery, has not.
“ We want all kids to be able to enjoy camp,” said Sara Noyed, Happy Hollow’ s executive director.
She said all kids between ages 7 and 14 are welcome to apply. Children whose family members are eligible for free and reduced school lunches can attend for $ 80 a week, she said, and others can attend on a sliding scale, depending on family size and income. Applications for camp can be made online or over the phone.
The camp has a $ 1.2 million annual budget, funded primarily by individual donations, grants, and
16 Our Brown County • July / August 2025