HARTFORD, Conn. — Travelers and the Travelers Championship announced Monday their efforts to help Hole in the Wall Gang Camp after a devastating fire broke out at the property Friday afternoon.
The insurance provider and its namesake golf tournament say they will match up to $1 million in donations to the Ashford camp.
“For more than three decades, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has brought hope and healing to children and families struggling with serious illnesses,” said Alan Schnitzer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers. “Now, after this devastating fire, the camp itself is in need of hope and healing."
He added: "The Travelers family is heartbroken for the kids and families who cherish the comfort, peace, and refuge the camp offers. We’re honored to lend a hand to rebuild this special place as quickly as possible.”
RELATED: Campers and families ready to help restore the "Hole In The Wall Gang" camp after major fire
Officials at the site, founded in 1988 for seriously ill children and their families, say they will get through this in the way that they always have and always will – as a family.
CEO Jimmy Canton released the following statement after news of the donation:
“We are moved beyond words by the extraordinary generosity of our friends at Travelers and the Travelers Championship, who have lifted the hearts of our camp community during a very difficult time. When we lost our Founder, Paul Newman, many years ago, Travelers stepped forward in a big way and has stood beside us every day since. Their leadership, employees, and our friends at the Travelers Championship have all made Paul’s dream of ‘a different kind of healing’ their own and continue to be unwavering champions for our children and families. They are beloved members of our camp family, and their loyalty is truly inspiring.”
Fire marshals said Friday that a large portion of the property was destroyed including the Woodshop, the Arts and Crafts, Cooking Zone, and Camp Store buildings.
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp serves more than 20,000 children and family members each year through a variety of year-round programs – all free of charge.
Lisa Zonghi of Franklin, Massachusetts, has two children - her son, Jake who was diagnosed with Phenylketonuria attended the camp in 2014 along with his sister, Kaitlin.
"There’s so much to do. It’s so much fun. It really ... it’s a place where you don’t remember you have a medical disease or anything," said Jake.
"I just started screaming because I was sad because they’ve done a lot for us for a lot of people even if I don’t have PKU," said Kaitlin.
Lisa felt compelled to help the camp, so she recently started a GoFundMe page and so far, over two-thousand dollars have been raised.
"They’ve given our family so much. They’ve never asked for anything in return and we just figured what way could we help to pay back?" said Lisa.
Travelers and the Travelers Championship have both supported the camp for years. For the past 14 years, the camp has been a primary beneficiary of the Travelers Championship.
“We’re relieved, first and foremost, that no one was injured in this terrible fire, and we’re grateful to all of the first responders for their brave efforts under extremely hazardous conditions,” said Nathan Grube, director of the Travelers Championship Tournament. “We know how much campers and their families were looking forward to returning to camp – and to a sense of normalcy – after in-person programming was suspended last summer due to COVID-19. The Travelers Championship is committed to being there for the camp at every step of the way as it recovers from this tragic event.”
If you wish to contribute toward the match, click here for more information.
You can also send a donation by mail to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, P.O. Box 150448, Hartford, CT 06115-0448, Memo: Rebuild Camp Fund.
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