We bet you’ve got tons of stories about being a kid at summer camp. And even if you’ve never been, chances are you’ve read about them in at least one book during your early teens. Being at camp represents freedom, the outdoors, the arts and, above all, friendship – the ultimate kid-friendly American tradition.
But what about those kids who can’t go to camp because they’re struggling with serious illnesses? That’s where the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp comes in.
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was opened by Paul Newman in 1988 for children coping with serious illnesses. As their website claims, the idea was to create a special hideout where they could simply be kids – free of charge.
Located in Connecticut, the Camp has served more than 22,000 children since then. Most campers have cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, or hemophilia, but all can enjoy the ultimate camping experience with 24-hour medical supervision. There’s boating, fishing, swimming, camping, performing arts, arts and crafts, horseback riding, group games, dancing and singing – just your run-of-the-mill camp activities.
As adults, we now know the world is plagued with misfortunes and it pains us to see kids learning that too early in life. But what the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp does is create a massive silver lining in an otherwise grim situation. The Camp is actually giving these kids the opportunity to be kids – and it doesn’t get more inspiring than that. Just watch the video below and see those faces: