FRANKFORT, Ind. — Camp Cullom will roll out several flavors of Glover’s ice cream, hot dogs and a full slate of family activities on Saturday, August 15, for “Hoppy Appreciation Day,” a community celebration honoring longtime camp ranger Hoppy Bray.
The free (Free Will Offering) event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Camp Cullom Lodge, 6815 West 200 North, Frankfort, and doubles as an ice cream social featuring new and returning flavors from Glover’s Ice Cream. Glover’s has produced Camp Cullom’s own flavor, Blueberry Wafflecone.
Bray has served as Camp Cullom’s full-time ranger for some 30 years, living on-site and overseeing the upkeep of the 90-acre youth camp, which has served Clinton County since 1947 under the ownership of the Children of Clinton County and operation as a United Way agency.
Beyond maintenance duties, Bray leads nature programs for scout troops, school groups and community organizations throughout the summer, and has become a familiar, well-liked presence for generations of campers. Bray also played a hands-on role in building the camp’s Prairie Grass Observatory in the early 2000s, one of several projects that have shaped the property over the decades.
Saturday’s celebration will offer more than cake — er, ice cream — for Bray. The day includes solar viewing at the on-site Prairie Grass Observatory, weather permitting, giving families a chance to safely view the sun through the observatory’s telescope equipment. The Frankfort Lions Club will host a cornhole fun the length of the event, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At 11 a.m., a ribbon-cutting ceremony will mark the completion of a new pollinator garden located north of the Nature Center, a project completed by Girl Scout Troop 50435 as part of a Bronze Award effort. The addition reflects the camp’s continued emphasis on conservation and environmental education, values long championed by Bray in his nature programming.
The event is structured as a free-will offering, with organizers noting that net proceeds will be split 50/50 with United Way for Clinton County. Camp Cullom is recognized as a United Way Pace Setter agency, underscoring its long partnership with the local nonprofit.
Hoppy Appreciation Day is being made possible with support from State Farm agent Guadalupe Bautista, the Frankfort Lions Club and Kaspar Media Group.
Camp Cullom has been a fixture of outdoor recreation and youth programming in Clinton County for nearly 80 years, offering hiking trails, camping sites, a disc golf course regularly ranked among the state’s best, an air conditioned lodge with fireplace, and the Nature Center/Museum that anchors many of its public programs.
The camp regularly hosts community events, from its spring pancake breakfast to public astronomy nights at Prairie Grass Observatory throughout the summer and fall.
Organizers encourage families to come out, enjoy a scoop of Glover’s ice cream, and thank Bray for his years of service to the camp and the young people who pass through it each year. No registration is required, and the event is open to the public.
By the way…Hoppy is NOT retiring. Camp Cullom is just rolling out the red, green, yellow nature painted carpet to say “Thanks, Hoppy” with a Free Will offering fun day at Camp Cullom.
