Hole in the Wall Gang summer camp hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony

ASHFORD, Conn. (WLNE) — A camp in Connecticut that’s popular across Southern New England is opening up the doors to its Creative Complex for the very first time since a 2021 fire.

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is a camp for seriously ill children.

For one mother and her daughter Anne Marie, who is diagnosed with sickle cell disease, life hasn’t been easy.

“She has been hospitalized about every three to four months since birth, a lot of the hospitalizations due to acute chest syndrome and in her short life, she’s received 30 to 40 blood transfusions,” Anne Marie’s mother said.

At the age of nine, her daughter attended the camp for the first time but didn’t know her summers at camp would be put on pause.

“After having years of fun and excitement, we were devastated by the news of the fire, we felt hopeless, scared and confused,” Anne Marie’s mother continued.

The safe haven for ill children was destroyed overnight by a fire in February of 2021. the fire destroyed the creative complex — home to the camp’s woodshop, art nook and camp store among many others.

“This past year has been particularly difficult for our family, because her health took a turn and she found herself struggling with life while fighting for her life, everyone’s experience at camp is different and ours is so special,” explained Anne Marie’s mother.

She further explained the camp offered her family an escape from reality and today’s ribbon cutting brings hope to her daughter and many other children dealing with illnesses across Southern New England.

“Hole in the wall is exactly what we needed and we’re so excited to be a part of this camp family,” her mother continued.

The new creative complex would not have been possible without the millions of dollars in donations the camp received. A mosaic of over 4,000 pieces now honors those thousands of donors in the camp.