Even after death of actor Paul Newman, his Hole in the Wall Camps Foundation is still hustling, as it has awarded $1 million towards the creation of a new camp located along the Colorado River.
The funding given by Hole in the Wall to the Colorado-based Roundup River Ranch be allocated directed toward the camp’s $20 million capital campaign.
Including a recent string of donations received by the camp, Roundup River Ranch has pushed its fundraising totals to more than $18 million. Construction on the camp is expected to begin in the fall of 2009 with the hope of being finished by 2011.
"This grant signifies dedication from the Hole in the Wall Foundation in assisting Roundup River Ranch to move to the next level of sustainability for future operations," said Alison Knapp, founder and board chair of Roundup River Ranch. "The grant also provides great momentum for us to complete the capital campaign and bring us that much closer to breaking ground this fall."
Located on 85 acres of land along the Colorado River east of Glenwood Canyon, the camp hopes to become a member of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, which oversee the eleven camps that specialize in accepting children with serious or life threatening illnesses.
The Roundup River Ranch will look to provide a rewarding camp experience for children who may not be able to do so otherwise at no cost to their families. An on-site medical center staffed by The Children’s Hospital of Denver will also be constructed to ensure the campers safety.
According to the Foundation’s website, Hole in the Wall Camps began as one camp – named The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp – that was founded by Newman in 1988 as a camp for children battling cancer. After expanding admission to children with other types of life threatening diseases, 10 additional camps were created to create the world’s largest group of camps of its kind that have served more than 164,000 children.