Owner says Camp Hi-Ho rebuilding after barn fire; plans to be ready for campers on June 7

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The owner and director of Camp Hi-Ho in Simpsonville, Kentucky, is thanking members of the public for their expressions of support after the camp lost a barn in a fire late last month.

No people or animals were hurt in the fire.

In an e-mail to supporters on Tuesday, Blaine Lawrence, the park's owner and director, said they were overwhelmed by the public's response.

"This experience has been gut-wrenching, but the cards, flowers, prayers, emails, texts, donations and phone calls have been an enormous boost to our spirit," he wrote. "We have had generous donations in the form of horse tack, structural materials, appliances for our snack shack, and countless offers to help by donating goods and services. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you and are overwhelmed by the love and support shown to us over the past week."

The camp says it plans to rebuild the arena and stables, in addition to rebuilding an arts and crafts outdoor pavilion and a rock climbing wall.

"The experts agree that it is completely feasible to have an arena, pavilion, and stalls built by the time summer comes around," Lawrence wrote. "We are prioritizing the entire project by what we absolutely need by June 7th, our first day of camp, and we are wasting no time lining up the necessary pieces of the puzzle. We are confident and hopeful that with the combination of insurance coverage and donations, we will be ready to start camp on time!"

The Simpsonville Fire Department responded around 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, to the reported fire at the camp on Aiken Road, according to Assistant Chief Bobby Cravens.

A female who had been in the barn was able to escape "without injury," and "some small pets" were removed, Cravens said. It took 25 firefighters from three fire departments over an hour to get the fire under control.

Neighbors captured images of massive flames shooting into the air, and said they could be seen from miles away.

"From the back of our house, we just watched the flames and saw the fire trucks and emergency vehicles come through," Bennie Crowder said.

Camp Hi-Ho has been serving thousands of kids ages 4 to 12 over the summer for more than 30 years.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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