Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Encyclopedia
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford
, Connecticut
is a non-profit, residential summer camp
and year-round center serving children and their families coping with cancer
and other serious illnesses and conditions.
in 1988. The camp is named after the gang in Newman's film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
. The camp is a 300 acres (1.2 km²) parcel of land including a 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) lake. The land was originally part of a large farm owned by the Harakaly family. When the farming industry in Connecticut began to decline, the Harakalys built the lake and, after refusing to develop it, sold it to Newman.
to Boston
. The camp's staff members make regular visits to these children, introducing services that are consistent with the spirit and programs offered in the camp's Ashford facility.
Each summer, more than 1,000 children between the ages of seven and fifteen, diagnosed with cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV
/AIDS
, hemophilia and other serious illnesses and conditions attend the camp. Approximately 4,000 children are served through weekend programs that run from fall through spring. The Hospital Outreach program serves approximately 11,000 throughout the year. More than half of the children served come from low-income backgrounds.
While at the camp, children engage in horseback riding, boating
, swimming, fishing
, crafts, archery
, sports and recreation.
, AngelRide Charitable Trust, Travelers Championship, the International Longshoreman's Association Children's Fund, and Newman's college fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau
. Although Newman remained active on the Camp's Board of Directors through his later years and supported the organization financially, 98% of the Camp's annual operating budget of $8.4 million comes from sources other than Newman's Own.
The camp also provides advice and financial support to other camps with similar missions, as part of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, a worldwide association of camps for seriously ill children.
In 2010, 70% of the proceeds from B.O.M.B. Fest went to the camp.
Ashford, Connecticut
President George Washington, returning from his tour of the country in the fall of 1789, was chagrined to be involuntarily abandoned in the village on a Sunday...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
is a non-profit, residential summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
and year-round center serving children and their families coping with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and other serious illnesses and conditions.
History
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was founded by Paul NewmanPaul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
in 1988. The camp is named after the gang in Newman's film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman...
. The camp is a 300 acres (1.2 km²) parcel of land including a 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) lake. The land was originally part of a large farm owned by the Harakaly family. When the farming industry in Connecticut began to decline, the Harakalys built the lake and, after refusing to develop it, sold it to Newman.
Services
The camp's programs include year-round outreach to hospitals and clinics, and ongoing services for children, families and caregivers. These programs serve more than 15,000 annually. All of the services are provided free of charge. The hospital outreach program serves children in hospitals from New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The camp's staff members make regular visits to these children, introducing services that are consistent with the spirit and programs offered in the camp's Ashford facility.
Each summer, more than 1,000 children between the ages of seven and fifteen, diagnosed with cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, hemophilia and other serious illnesses and conditions attend the camp. Approximately 4,000 children are served through weekend programs that run from fall through spring. The Hospital Outreach program serves approximately 11,000 throughout the year. More than half of the children served come from low-income backgrounds.
While at the camp, children engage in horseback riding, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, swimming, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, crafts, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, sports and recreation.
Funding
The camp relies upon contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations, receiving support from more than 15,000 annual donors and many organizations, including Newman's OwnNewman's Own
Newman's Own is a food company and for-profit corporation founded by actor Paul Newman and author A. E. Hotchner in 1982. Newman received all of the profits from product sales and donated 100% of the proceeds, after taxes, to various educational and charitable organizations of his own selection...
, AngelRide Charitable Trust, Travelers Championship, the International Longshoreman's Association Children's Fund, and Newman's college fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau is a U.S. national collegiate fraternity.-History:Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity was founded in the Union Literary Society Hall of Miami University's Old Main Building in Oxford, Ohio on March 17, 1906...
. Although Newman remained active on the Camp's Board of Directors through his later years and supported the organization financially, 98% of the Camp's annual operating budget of $8.4 million comes from sources other than Newman's Own.
The camp also provides advice and financial support to other camps with similar missions, as part of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, a worldwide association of camps for seriously ill children.
In 2010, 70% of the proceeds from B.O.M.B. Fest went to the camp.