Sister Camps

Hole in the Wall Camps are the world's largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions. To date, more than 135,000 children from throughout the United States and 32 countries have attended free of charge. The Association is a not-for-profit organization totally supported by charitable contributions.

The Association of Hole in the Wall Camps celebrates the life and legacy of Founder Paul Newman who for more than twenty years has been the heart and sole of the organization. His endless passion coupled with his selfless commitment to the welfare of children with serious medical conditions has been inspirational to people everywhere.

(Ireland) Founded in 1994, Barretstown is Europe's flagship Hole in the Wall camp.  Housed in a fairytale castle in the beautiful foothills of Ireland's Wicklow Mountains, Barretstown welcomes children from more than 20 European countries.  Barretstown's campers take part in a life-changing program of therapeutic recreation that is recognized by the medical world as playing an important part in their recovery from serious illness. Under the guidance of carefully trained "caras" (the Gaelic word for "friend"), children experience success in overcoming challenges and discover their true potential for confidence, self-esteem and friendship.  In the process, they find new skills to help cope with their illness - all adding up to "Serious Fun."

(Florida) Nestled on 232 acres of beautiful wooded land, this year-round camp is uniquely equipped to serve more than 15 disease groups.  In its nine week-long summer sessions and 20 family weekends each year, children with like illnesses come together for support and acceptance.  The Camp's medical center (lovingly called The Patch) allows for sound and competent care thereby empowering campers to have the time of their lives.  Annually, over 1,700 volunteers lend their time and talents to this inspiring work.  This charming camp is comprised of Florida-cracker style buildings.  Here kids get to fish, explore nature, and just have fun in the wonderful Florida sunshine.

(Italy) Located in the midst of a World Wildlife Foundation Reserve in Tuscany, Dynamo Camp is the first camp in Italy designed for children with life-threatening and chronic diseases.  2007 marked Dynamo’s first season, and children from the area had the opportunity to kick back, relax and soak up the sunshine.   Dynamo’s therapeutic recreation program allows children to gain confidence, self-esteem and independence while making unforgettable memories with new friends.  Behind all of the fun, the camp’s intentional programming is designed to enable the children to experience success and to discover newfound strength and courage to cope with their illness.

(Connecticut) The very fist Camp started by Paul Newman in 1988.  The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp looks like a village right out of the Old West.  The sign at the entrance proclaims, "The Fun Starts Here." Opportunities for fun steadily unfold as you follow the tree-lined dirt road that winds beside a pond, across files, around riding stables, past wigwams and totem poles to reveal a remarkable complex.  Camp features an Olympic-size pool, round Shaker-style dining hall, children's specialty theater, log cabins and a wheelchair-accessible treehouse.  Here, seriously ill children enjoy boating, fishing, archery, swimming, arts and crafts, woodworking, performing arts, horseback riding, nature, overnight camping and group adventure.  The summer program serves arts and crafts, woodworking, performing arts, horseback riding, nature, overnight camping and group adventures.  The summer program serves more than 1,000 extraordinary campers.  Programs continue throughout the year serving even more seriously ill children and their families. 

(Israel) Located high above the Sea of Galilee on 50 acres of gently sloping land, Jordan River Village will be the first Hole in the Wall Camp in Israel.  Children with serious and life-threatening medical conditions such as cancer, cerebral palsy, hemophilia, neurological disorders, rheumatic diseases and heart diseases will be able to enjoy a childhood camp experience, while building self-esteem and confidence.   Jordan River Village in Israel will provide a traditional camp experience to children on both sides of the river, with aspirations of enhancing efforts toward peace in the region.

  (France) Situated on the edge of the Fontainebleau Forest on the grounds of Chateau de Boulains, L'Envol welcomes children from France, Luxembourg, Spain, and Portugal.  L'Envol, the French term for "take off," gives children with serious illnesses the chance to literally test their wings and experience the freedom and joy of camp life.  One of the highlights of each camp session is a guided plane ride and an evening hot air balloon ride.  L'Envol offers children a wide selection of activities.  By day, they comb trees, ride horses, go fishing, boating, and campers become actors, musicians, dancers, and singers who produce their own performances.  Since its opening in 1997, L'Envol has enabled children to regain their self-confidence and joie de vivre. 

(California) The Painted Turtle is more than a summer camp ¾ it is a life-changing environment for children with serious illnesses and the only multi-disease camp of its kind on the West Coast.  Since opening in 2004, the camp has set out to offer camps and their families a haven for self-discovery, change and growth.  The camp is also home to year-round programs including family weekends, camper reunions, sibling camps and medical research conferences.  Located in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles, the camp resides on nearly 175 acres in a scenic valley complete with a tranquil lake.  The Painted Turtle features a recreation and event center, cabin village, arts and crafts, ropes adventure course, organic farm, Shamu-shaped swimming pool and Well Shell medical clinic.  Painted Turtle seeks to reach beyond illness…to inspire children with life-threatening diseases to become their greater selves.

(North Carolina) The Victory Junction Gang Camp is set in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina on 72 acres of rolling fields surrounded by hardwood trees.  This year-round camp for children with serious illnesses has served more than 4,000 campers free of charge since its opening in 2004.  Victory Junction was founded by NASCAR legend Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie, in honor of their son Adam; it utilizes a creative architectural theme to create an unforgettable experience for all who attend.  In addition to summer camp sessions, Victory junction serves more than 500 families in the fall, winter and spring.  When addressing the needs of campers and their families, the camp provides a wonderful setting for retreats, camper reunions, and specialized programs for smaller disease groups.

(UK) Over the Wall provides children from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales with residential camp programs at top-quality facilities such as Bryanston School in North Dorset and Scotland's Glenalmond College near Perth.  Most of Over the Wall's weeklong camps are run during Easter and summer holidays with family weekends held throughout the year.  Over the Wall gives children one glorious week marked by fun, friendships, new challenges and rebuilt confidence.  the programs allow campers to "hand out" with other children who share similar challenges and experiences without having to explain bald heads, scars, eye patches, crutches, weight gain or other unwanted effects of taking multiple medications.  And that gives campers something priceless: a chance to fit in. 

(Hungary) Alapítány ("camp of Courage Foundation") is the only program of its kind in Hungary for children with serious illnesses and their families.  Located in Hatvan near Budapest, Bátor Tábor currently welcomes campers from Hungary with plans to expand in the future to serve children from other countries in Eastern Europe.  The camp was brought to life by a group of committed Hungarian health care professionals following their experiences in Barretstown in Ireland.  Bátor Tábor provides a program of therapeutic recreation designed to increase campers' self-esteem, enhance their ability to develop social relationships, and help hem integrate with their healthy peers.  All the Camp's activities, which range from horseback riding and canoeing to photography, disco night, and beach parties, are designed to be fun and challenging.

(Provisional member) This special place is located in the heart of the Midwest, Mount Gilead, Ohio.  Comprised of 167 acres of beautiful trails, woods and lakes, Flying Horse Farms promises to help children and their families trade the restraints of hospital visits and overwhelming stress with days of swimming, fishing, horseback riding and nights of campfires and singing!  The camp will serve children between ages 7-15 diagnosed with Cancer, heart disease and heart related disorders, hemophilia and related blood disorders, sickle cell anemia, crohn's and colitis, and HIV/AIDS. 

(Provisional member) Located in the heart of Colorado, Roundup River Ranch seeks to enrich the lives of children who have chronic or life-threatening illnesses by providing camping experiences, with appropriate medical support, that are fun, memorable, safe and empowering. This special place is located in the heart of the Rockies along the banks of the Colorado River. The camp will reach beyond illness, giving children a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of control and empowerment. Activities such as boating and fishing, arts and crafts, horseback riding, archery and swimming are structured to allow campers to experience success, no matter what their medical condition. All of this is provided at no cost to the campers and their families. Roundup River Ranch is projected to open in 2011. We invite you to take a closer look at our website and learn more about how you can be involved in helping spread laughter to thousands of children in the Rocky Mountain Region.

 (Provisional member) Located on the historic Carnation Farm, the Camp Korey has a unique agricultural theme, drawing on the experience and activities of agricultural production in the scenic Snoqualmie Valley. Camp Korey is a medically supervised camp staffed with physicians and nurses, and trained camp counselors for children living with serious and life threatening illness.  The camp provides a week-long experience of camp programs and activities for children ages 7-16 at no cost to them.