The Hole in the wall Gang Camp, thanks to the generous support of Paul Newman and many others, opened in 1988. Its is a good old fashioned camp for children who could,nt camp anywhere else because they suffer from cancer or serious blood diseases. It is a camp where seven to fifteen year old boys and girls can laugh and play, sing and shout, meet other children with similar problems and, at least for a while, forget about being sick and "raise a little hell."
Located in Northeast Connecticut, at the border of Ashford and Eastford, the 330 acre camp, plus a 44 acre pond is an ingeniously designed and dazzlingly equipped Wild West hide out, where children who need special support services do not have to sit on the sidelines.
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp provides year around services. The main camp season is seven, ten day sessions, where approximatley 120 children per session become naturalists and fishermen, athletes and actors, equestrians and hot air balloonists, potters and painters, poets and photographers, singers and dancers, outdoor campers and canoeists, musicians and kite flyers.
While the camp itself is an inspired vision, it clearly inspires the campers to new levels of self confidence, accomplishment and freedom. It is here that the children who have lived through experiences beyond their years, find comaraderie, joy, and a renewed sense of being a kid. They get to do things that they, their parent, or perhaps no one knew they were capable of doing.
While Paul Newman continues to energize the camp with his leadership and support, the camp's annual budget is now entirely sustained by the contributions of individuals, corporations, foundations, churches, and synagogues, and non-profit organizations such as The Hot Steamed Jazz Festival.
We thank you for your support of this event, and thus, "The Camp."
