Paul Newman takes a chair

"Newman boosts Camp for Kids," The Saratogian, June 16, 2006.

Words and Pictures by
Thomas Dimopoulos


SARATOGA SPRINGS - He's played a pool hall hustler, a con artist and the western outlaw Butch Cassidy, last seen riding alongside the Sundance Kid. When the popular blue-eyed actor came to town Thursday, he showed up wearing a pair of canvas tennis shoes in his appearance as Paul Newman, philanthropist.

Newman held court at The Lodge in Saratoga to launch a $15 million endowment campaign for the Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch in Lake Luzerne, which he co-founded. The camp is for children with cancer, leukemia and other critical, life-threatening illnesses.

'I got a call from Charles Wood, who said I should come see this place on the lake,' recalled Newman about the origins of the ranch that sits on 320 acres in the Adirondack Park. 'He said, 'I'll put in a million if you put in a million, and we could turn this into a Hole in the Woods Camp.'Ÿ'

The Lake Luzerne location became the second venue under the Hole in the Wall Camp umbrella, which has since grown to locations around the world.

'When we started, I had no idea it would mushroom the way it did or the profound impact these camps would have,' said the 81-year-old award-winning actor, whose impact on the silver screen includes his roles in 'Cool Hand Luke,' 'The Sting' and numerous other films dating back to the 1950s.

'Now, we have camps in the U.S., one in England, one in France, one in Milan. There are a dozen kids from Chernobyl who came to the camp in Ireland,' Newman said.

Approximately 1,000 children facing critical illnesses come to the Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch every year. They are provided a fun experience and emotional support under the care of a staff of doctors and nurses and camp counselors free of charge.

The theme of Thursday's event, 'A Day at Camp,' featured interactive stations that mimicked camper-oriented activities. A number of campers were in attendance to distribute courage bracelets, make slime and create a 'wishboat ceremony,' which the kids traditionally conduct on the last night of camp.

'I've had parents come up to me and say how much their kids look forward to coming back to the camp every year. It helps them to stay alive,' Newman said. 'The parents releasing their kids to go to the camp speaks louder than anything that I could say.'