ASHFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is preparing to welcome its first group of campers as the Travelers Championship begins next week at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.
The camp provides a weeklong getaway for children who are facing a serious medical diagnosis, such as cancer or sickle cell disease.
CEO Hilary Axtmayer said the camp has round-the-clock medical care on site so the kids can just be kids while they’re here.
“They can go out fishing. They can swim. They can experience the magic of camp because they have the safety guard of our incredible medical facility right here on site,” Axtmayer said.
The camp has been supported by the Travelers Championship for 19 years.
Axtmayer said in that time, Travelers has helped send 2,000 kids to Hole in the Wall for a summertime experience they may not be able to get anywhere else.
“It’s life changing. It is a different kind of healing. These kids may not be able to go to the birthday parties. May miss school, spend days and weeks in the hospital. Then they get to come to camp, and look around, this is just paradise for these kids,” Axtmayer said.
Volunteers from Travelers also get the cabins and grounds ready between camp sessions, cleaning up and making beds for the next round of campers.
After a fire in 2021, Travelers helped rebuild a camp building. The sign above the door is a nod to the million-dollar donation that helped turn ashes to “magic.”
“There’s a silver lining there. We were able to make it more accessible. More inclusive. And allow for even more campers to experience the magic of camp,” Axtmayer said.
The camp has provided that experience to 20,000 campers since Paul Newman started the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in 1988.
The first group of campers arrives Thursday morning.
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