ILA and USMX Help Raise Over $400,000 For Hole In Wall Gang Camp Allowing Children With Cancer and other Life-Threatening Illnesses Attend Special Summer Camp in Connecticut
NORTH BERGEN, NJ – (May 30, 2021). The International Longshoremen’s Association partnered with United States Maritime Alliance to help raise over $400,000 for the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp at their annual charity golf tournament held on Monday, May 24th, 2021 at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, New Jersey. The ILA and its management partners have teamed up for almost three decades to raise money for this special camp, founded by the late actor Paul Newman and built in Ashford, Connecticut, to allow children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses to participate in summer camp programs.
Harold Daggett, ILA President and Dave Adam, Chairman and CEO, USMX, the Co-Chairmen of the Annual Charity Event, presented two checks totaling $250,000.00 to Jimmy Canton, CEO, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp during awards ceremonies in front of a record crowd of over 450 reception guests. Earlier in the day, another record 297 golfers filled the two beautiful Palmer and Banks courses at Forsgate Country Club.
In past years at the charity event, a camper from the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp, speaks at the Awards reception following golf. Because of continued concerns and safety protocols, participants in this year’s event heard a moving speech from 16-year-old Carly DeMartino via video where she described the joy of attending the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp for several years as she battled a brain tumor. Carly’s moving remarks encouraged ILA President Daggett to up the ILA’s donation to the Camp by $20,000.00 which sparked a number of other ILA Locals and USMX partners to add to their donations. Amazingly, an additional $170,000 was pledged to the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp.
Dave Adam, Chairman of USMX; Harold Daggett, President, ILA; Dennis A. Daggett, President of ILA Local 1804-1; and Alan Robb, President, South Atlantic and Gulf Coast District secured donations of $25,000.00 each from their respective organizations to allow the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp to receive $100,000.00 to make up for 2020 when no charity golf tournament was held due to COVID restrictions.
The ILA first helped the Hole In the Wall Gang Camp in 1992 and has held an annual Charity Golf Outing with USMX since 1993. More than $8 million has been raised in nearly three decades.