Woman pays it forward helping camp recover from fire

By CNN Newsource

Published February 14, 2021 11:12 am

ASHFORD, Connecticut (WFSB) — After a blaze destroyed several buildings at a children’s camp in Ashford, a Massachusetts woman is trying to help out.

She created a GoFundMe not long after she found out about the fire at Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

She says it’s a way to repay the camp for all it’s done for her family.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God. Not the woodshop. Not arts and crafts.’ It’s where we spent all our time,” Massachusetts resident Lisa Zonghi tells us.

Video and images of the fire at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp truly broke Lisa’s heart.

For nearly ten years, her son, Jake, has made the camp for ill children a second home.

He has phenylketonuria, or PKU, a condition where he can’t metabolize protein properly.

“That’s why a camp like Hole in the Wall was great, because they’re geared to help with medical conditions and that’s what they do, and they made sure he had the proper nutrition all week when he was there and everything,” continued Zonghi.

The fire destroyed four buildings.

Arts and crafts, the woodshop, cooing zone and the camp store.

The cause is still under investigation.

To help rebuild, Zonghi decided to start a GoFundMe.

“It was created in a way where it all, all the proceeds just go straight to the camp. I never see anything, which I wouldn’t want to see any of it,” stated Zonghi.

Camp officials say they’ve been getting an outpouring of love, posting this on their Facebook page:

“While these iconic buildings may be gone, the memories made inside live on forever, and we will rebuild Downtown Camp so that more children and families can experience the magic of Hole in the Wall for many years to come.”

Zonghi is looking forward to making more memories at the camp when it rebuilds.

“Honestly, you never saw an angry face there. All you saw was happiness and joy. Everywhere you walked, everybody was always smiling,” added Zonghi.

The camp was started by Paul Newman and it’s helped 20,000 kids annually.

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