fundraising, with some money coming through the government-sponsored AmeriCorp program. About 80 percent of children attending get scholarships.
Noyed has been executive director of the camp for about 2 ½ years. She works both at the camp and from an Indianapolis office.
“ I’ ve always been a camp person,” she said.“ I did it as a kid and I felt like a different person.” She said the camp experience made her more confident, helped her realize who she was around other people, and encouraged her to try new things. Growing up as a shy Milwaukee resident, she said she wants camp“ to do for other kids what it did for me.”
She studied recreational management and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin, and now lives in Indianapolis with her two daughters, aged 13 and 15, her husband, and two dogs.
Many of the children who come to camp are from lower income families. Noyed said the first summer she worked at Happy Hollow, she was struck by the number of campers pushing toward the front of the line at mealtime, and discovered they were doing that because they wanted to make sure food was left by the time they got to the serving area. But after realizing everyone could have seconds, or even thirds, there was no longer the food scramble by the end of the week.
She recalls one camper who did not clean up after himself, leaving wrappers and garbage at the table after eating. But before a staffer could call him out on it, another camper did so.“ Positive peer influence” broke the sloppy habit, Noyed said.
Staff members come from across the state and the nation, and some are international residents. Noyed pointed to one staffer who lives in Ireland, but attended the camp as a child, just like her Irish father did. Most staff members are college students, and Noyed said all“ have a passion for the outdoors and a passion for working with kids.”
The camp has initiated a counselor-in-training program for teens between 15 and 17, and
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