Who We Are

Our Founders

In 2009, Robyn and Mike Kelly founded Lake Joy Trails of Terror, fueled by their passion for giving back to the community while delivering a thrilling experience. They established it as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to raise funds in support of the broader Trails of Hope mission.

Learn More About The Trails of Hope Mission

501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

Our team is made up of dedicated professionals who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of those we serve. Money raised by the Lake Joy Trails of Terror goes to helping cover medical expenses for local children battling critical illnesses.

Meet the Committee

Co-Founder / CEO

Vice President of Operations

Co-Founder / CEO

Mike Kelly

Mike Kelly, co-founder and CEO has led Lake Joy Trails of Terror for over 15 years, turning his lifelong passion for Halloween scares into one of Georgia's top haunted attractions. What started as a fun family haunt in 2009 evolved into a nonprofit powerhouse after the loss of his sister to cancer, focusing on immersive yet family-friendly experiences that deliver thrills while raising significant funds for childhood cancer families through partners like Jay's Hope and community projects. His dedication has earned widespread acclaim and created a legacy where spooky fun directly fuels hope and meaningful impact. What truly elevates Mike's work is the deep commitment to giving back. As a nonprofit, the haunt channels proceeds and efforts into meaningful causes, particularly supporting families battling childhood cancer.

Co-Founder / COO

Vice President of Operations

Co-Founder / CEO

Robyn Kelly

Robyn Kelly, co-founder and COO has led the nonprofit haunted attraction alongside her husband Mike since launching it in 2009, blending her deep compassion with a shared vision for thrilling, accessible scares that serve a greater purpose. Deeply committed to causes like Haunters with a Heart and Trails of Hope, she drives the mission to transform every visitor's scream into real support—funding childhood cancer battles through partners like Jay's Hope, backing special needs playgrounds, and uplifting families in crisis year-round, from Halloween events to holiday fundraisers. Her heartfelt leadership ensures the haunt remains a beacon of empathy, where spooky immersion meets genuine healing and community hope in Georgia.

Vice President of Operations

Ron Jablonski

As Vice President of Operations, Ron brings over 20 years of executive leadership, including his service as an Army combat veteran, to guide our organization with precision and dedication. Drawing from extensive experience in operations management, team coordination, crisis response, and strategic planning across defense, intelligence, and nonprofit sectors, he oversees end-to-end execution, coordinates volunteers and staff, optimizes logistics and safety protocols, and fosters charity partnerships to maximize community support. His proven expertise in building high-performing teams, ensuring seamless delivery under demanding conditions, and driving operational excellence helps sustain our 501(c)(3) nonprofit's mission of thrilling visitors while transforming lives through meaningful giving.

Director of Operations

Vice President of Operations

Travis Knight

Aka Cletus, Travis serves as a Director of Operations and helps lead our "build team". He has been in the haunt industry since 1993, proving to be a great asset to the organization. Along with performing as Cletus during the October haunt season, Travis works operations to help support the year-round events as part of our Haunters with a Heart and Trails of Hope Missions.

Creative Director

Director of Operations

Operations Manager II

Debi Fermin

Dr. Debra Fermin is a Creative Director with a doctorate and a dark-side pedigree—13 years in the haunt industry honed her mastery of immersive storytelling, atmosphere, and fear-fueled design. Beyond the scares and behind the darkness is a genuine love for helping people—supporting creatives, fostering growth, and proving that even the scariest worlds are built with heart.

Operations Manager II

Director of Operations

Operations Manager II

AJ Harris

AJ provides day-to-day operational support to ensure smooth, safe, and efficient execution of all events. This role helps the VP of Operations oversee cross-functional coordination, and helps resolve operational issues in real time, while ensuring policies, procedures, and schedules are consistently followed. Works closely with other leadership to maintain operational continuity.

Makeup and Effects Supervisor

Wendy Spraggins

Wendy has been an active member of Lake Joy Trails of Terror since 2015. What started out as a background actor roll has led to so much more. Wendy has also been a lead actor, prop designer, costume designer, build team member, set designer, zombie coach, secretary, and lead makeup artist. Her belief and dedication to the "Trails of Hope", and "Haunters With a Heart" missions has kept her committed to Lake Joy Trails of Terror. She now leads our Makeup and Special Effects team.

A Haunted Trail with a Mission to Give Back

In 2009, Robyn and Mike Kelly lost Mike’s beloved sister to breast cancer. In the raw ache of that grief, they did something only love can do: they built something beautiful out of the broken pieces.

What started as a single haunted trail in the woods behind their home—lit by a few flickering lanterns and fueled by nothing more than a desperate wish to keep her memory alive—has become Lake Joy Trails of Terror, a nonprofit that wraps its arms around hurting families every single October.

We call our mission Haunters with a Heart and Trails of Hope, because every blood-curdling scream that echoes through the pines is immediately transformed into hope. Every ticket you buy, every terrified laugh you let out, becomes gas money for a weary mom driving her bald, brave little boy to chemo… becomes a night in a hotel so a family doesn’t have to sleep in their car between treatments… becomes a soft blanket, a favorite toy, or a grocery gift card that says, “You are not alone.”

Through our partnership with Jay’s HOPE Foundation and countless other quiet acts of kindness, we’ve watched cancer families look up through tears and whisper, “Someone sees us.” That moment—when fear turns into relief—is the real magic we’re chasing in the dark.

And it doesn’t stop when the fog machines shut off. Lake Joy has sent kids on mission trips who never thought they’d leave the state. We’ve put instruments in the hands of band students, supported FFA projects that teach responsibility and heart, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Lake Joy Elementary to build a playground where every child, no matter their abilities, can laugh and swing and just be a kid.

Sixteen years of mud, makeup, and midnight rehearsals have all been for this: to prove that even in our darkest seasons, love is louder than loss.

So when you step onto the trail and feel your heart race, know this—that pounding in your chest is joining thousands of others, beating for families who are fighting battles bigger than any monster we could ever create.

At Lake Joy Trails of Terror, we scare because we care.
We haunt because we heal.
And we will keep doing it, one frightened heartbeat—and one restored hope—at a time.

Thank you for screaming with us.
You’re helping us change lives, and we appreciate every time you do.

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