04/10/2026
Karen Lawrence is a hard working, outdoor loving, firecracker of a woman with endless energy and a playful spirit who brings fun and excitement wherever she goes. Karen has always loved children. When she became a mother, she was wholly devoted to her kids and wanted to find a way to spend time with them while working to help provide financially.
She was often thinking of creative business endeavors and had the gumption to put them in motion. In the summer of 1986, Karen did just that, as she carried out her idea to host a children’s day camp at her father in law’s farm. Karen invited boys and girls from her neighborhood, church and son’s baseball team to caravan to David and Dorris Lawrence’s 600 acres in Sulphur, Kentucky, about 40 minutes outside of Louisville. At the time, her oldest son, Ben, was 5 years old, and her new baby, Blaine, was just 4 months.
At the farm, Karen gave campers as much freedom as possible, allowing them to build forts, fish and swim in the pond, visit the dairy barn and milk cows, catch bullfrogs, and nurture barn kittens and farm dogs. The campers had many original and imaginative plans for how to spend their days at camp. While most adults would have perceived these as silly, risky or messy ideas, Karen recognized them as creative opportunities worth exploring. Karen not only loved and adored the children attending camp, more than that, she respected them and truly valued their opinions. She listened to her young campers and their desires, and this is what ultimately birthed the way our non-structured camp format is run today. Hay wagon rides, mural painting, Friday shaving cream fights, and pick-up baseball games in the cow pasture were some of the non-structured, camper initiated activities that boys and girls looked forward to each week.
Though it was popular from the beginning, Karen had no idea just how special of a summer camp she had started; one that would continue to grow and flourish, blessing thousands of children from all over, and eventually be passed down to the next generation. The infant, Blaine, pictured in Karen’s arms during the first summer of Hi-Ho, is the current owner and director of Camp Hi-Ho.
As we continue to share our history, we wanted to begin by highlighting a bit about the story of our founder, Karen. Her courageous, playful and adventurous spirit embody so many of the values we uphold today. We share her adoration for our campers and continue to offer them the space and freedom to choose their activities, carryout creative ideas, and give them new opportunities to grow and shine.
Photos and video in post:
1. Karen Lawrence directing camp in the 1990’s at Sulphur, Ky farm.
2. Karen stands with campers before a hay wagon ride; her father in law and farm owner, David Lawrence, drives tractor. Sulphur, Ky farm, 1980s.
3. David Lawrence helps campers collect wildflowers at his Henry County farm, 1980s.
4. Ben Lawrence (left), enjoys a picnic lunch with a camper friend. Sulphur, Ky, 1986.
5. Karen holds her infant son Blaine (far right), while some of the first campers gather for a photo on a hay wagon. Henry County farm, 1986.
6. Blaine and Karen Lawrence are photographed together at Camp Hi-Ho’s current location. Shelby County, Ky, 2017.
7. Karen drives a group of campers on a Gator ride. Shelby County, Ky, 2003.
8. Karen and a former staff member, outside the horse barn. Shelby County, 2000.
9. Karen observes a shaving cream fight, 1998.
10. Karen with her horse, “Buck”photographed at Camp Hi-Ho. Shelby County, Ky, 2017.
