FAQ’s

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (updated 2/19/24)

What are the camp goals? What does Hidden Hollow hope a camper will experience and/or learn? The goals of Hidden Hollow Camp evolve around our purpose of providing a safe, enjoyable and educational experience in social living in the out-of-doors for boys and girls of varied social, economic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.  Campers share experiences in winning, loosing, creating, making friends, developing mentally, socially, physically, and spiritually.

Specific Goals for Campers:

  • Become acquainted with their environment
  • Experience individual growth and development
  • Discover their own potential
  • Exercise personal initiative
  • Live and work together
  • Develop new interests
  • Develop spiritual meanings and values
  • Enjoy camping
  • Develop appreciation for writing letters
  • Make new friends
  • have a safe enjoyable experience

How much does it cost to send my camper(s) to Hidden Hollow Camp?  For 2024, the camp fee is $450 per week/per camper. Jr. Camp is $150 per camper. The registration fee is $75.00 per camper.

How many campers will be at HHC per week? Camp can hold 108 girls and 80 boys per week. Jr. Camp is only open for 40 campers, 20 boys and 20 girls.

When does camp start? The HHC 2024 season will begin on June 30 for the first week and run for six weeks. The last week will begin the week of August 4. Jr. Camp is August 11-13.

How old does my camper have to be to attend HHC?  Hidden Hollow is open to any boy or girl between the ages of 8-15.  Campers must be 8 years old before their week at camp begins. The last week of camp is open for campers ages 10-15. Jr. Camp is for ages 6-8 who have never attended camp before and must have completed Kindergarten before the summer.

When does registration for camp begin? Registration will begin on April 17th, 2024 at 6:30pm and will be completely online.

How many weeks can my camper register for?  Campers can register one week or the entire summer!

How do I pay for HHC?  We accept credit and debit card, and e-check payments through our CampMinder online registration system.  We will not be able to accept these payment types over the phone or at Friendly House. All credit card/e-check processing fees are covered by The Friendly House.

Can I send in a partial payment for my camper(s)?  Yes, but you have to make the minimum payment of $75 per camper. This is the registration fee.

Where do I send my registration form?  All forms must be completed online.  The $75 registration fee must be paid online as well.  Remaining fee paid by check or money orders can be sent to:  THE FRIENDLY HOUSE, c/o Hidden Hollow Camp, 380 N. Mulberry St., Mansfield, OH  44902

Where is my confirmation that my camper’s registration form has been accepted?  When applying online through CampMinder, all campers will be placed in “APPLIED” status until HHC staff has the opportunity to make sure all the required information has been filled out.  After this information has been confirmed, your camper will be “ENROLLED” and you will receive a confirmation email and your account charged.

You may have to put CampMinder into your main email inbox. Sometimes these emails can be filed to junk or promotional emails.

Am I able to see photos of my camper or send them emails? Yes! Your CampMinder account also includes access to Summer Services, which include one-way emails to your camper and a look at the photos we post during the week. This is very similar to the BUNK1 service HHC has had for many years, but it is now all streamlined to CampMinder.

Can you hold a spot for my camper?  No.  Friendly House/HHC will not hold spots for campers.

My camper wants to be in the same cabin as their friends.  Can you make sure this happens?  HHC allows for the request of ONE cabinmate, and both campers must ask for each other on the form.  We do our best but do note that mistakes can be made.  Large groups of requested campers will be split up.   Older campers will be placed in the younger campers if they request to be with a younger camper.

Think of it this way… if your camper came to HHC alone and was the only camper in a cabin full of friends or kids who knew eachother, would you think that arrangement was fair to your single camper?

What happens if the week my camper wants to attend is full?  Camp is on a first-come/first serve basis, and some weeks do fill up more than others.  There is never a week that is more popular than another, they all fill up at their own pace.  If your camper wants to attend a week that is full, fill out the registration form online and it will place you on a waitlist.  When a spot opens up, HHC staff will contact you via email to confirm your interest in the open spot.  We also do not hold camper spots by age group.  Registration is fully first-come/first serve.  We encourage all families, even if the week they want is full, to send us an email.   We don’t want your camper to miss out on the fun either!

What is the cancellation policy for HHC?  In most cases, all but the $75 registration fee will be returned to you.  However, cancellations must be made two calendar weeks before the Sunday your camper is scheduled to come to camp to receive this refund.  Any cancellations after that will result in no refund.  Your account will not be automatically refunded.  ALL REFUNDS WILL BE ON PAPER CHECKS FROM THE FRIENDLY HOUSE AND MAILED TO THE PRIMARY ADDRESS ON THE ACCOUNT.

If you paid using a gift certificate, your refund amount will be what was paid for that certificate, but no more than what the amount the certificate is worth.

If Friendly House needs to cancel camp, all but $25 per camper will be refunded to families.

How does my camper get placed on a waitlist?  Campers who are registered for camp through the CampMinder system, will automatically be placed on a waitlist if the session they want to attend is full.  Your account WILL NOT be charged.  If a spot opens up, HHC staff will contact you via email to see if your family is still interested in the opening.  After confirmation from you, your child will be enrolled and your account will be charged.

You can keep that camper on a waitlist for the week, or you can move the camper to another week of camp if it is has the availability.    If your cabinmate got into camp and you didn’t we can switch everyone to another week with availability, as long as a parent or guardian of all parties call and confirm that they want to switch weeks. We cannot hold spots for campers listed as cabinmates if we do not have the registration form and payment.  There is no way to tell when (or if) your camper will get into camp if they are on a waitlist.  It’s a waiting game.  You could hear in a couple of days from first contact or as late as the the day before camp starts.

What should my camper bring to HHC?  Think of packing for camp like packing for a week-long sleepover!  Campers should bring a change of clothes for every day (including socks and underwear), blankets and pillows, towels, washcloths and toiletries (toothbrush, shampoo, etc.).  Flip-flops are recommended for the showers and swimming pool area, but otherwise closed-toe shoes and/or shoes that tie are best for camp… and required for horseback riding.  Campers should also plan for the weather.  It does get cold at night, so long-sleeved tees and sweatshirts or light jackets are recommended.  There is a packing list included on the CampInTouch dashboard.

Is there anything that my camper should NOT bring to camp?  Not everything belongs at camp.  Campers should leave the following items at home:  cell phones, mp3 or other music players, computers, gaming systems, TV’s, weapons, expensive jewelry, and fans.  These items will be collected on Sunday and stored in the office until the end of the week and given back when the parents arrive for pick-up on Saturday.   Friendly House/Hidden Hollow Camp can not be responsible for items that were not turned in and become lost, broken or stolen. Pets, firearms, alcohol and tobacco products are not permitted at Hidden Hollow Camp.

What if my question isn’t on this list?  That’s an easy one to answer! If you have any questions or concerns that aren’t addressed here feel free to call the Friendly House at 419-522-0521 or email us at [email protected]. We will try and answer your question as best as we can!

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