Hole in the world

"You know, when I was a kid,
I always thought I'd grow up to be a hero."
Butch Cassidy


Butch Cassidy was a role Paul Newman played, but the renegade aura he projected, was present in his real life, from racing cars to giving away millions of dollars. He created an entire industry of philanthropy, involving his entire family and gamely using his mug to raise money. He had an incredibly rich career as an actor, on both stage and film.

We were lucky enough to meet him through seasons we spent at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Certainly it was exciting to see him as he tooled through the parking lot in a Volvo wagon or walked hand in hand with wife, Joanne Woodward as she exited the Nikos after a rehearsal, but there was something more incredible to come.




One of our first projects as an agency was an annual report for the Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch. I can remember leaving our first meeting and walking to my Jeep. It was dark, but golden beams of moonlight pierced the evergreens and seemed to make everything shimmer. Later, as we toured the campus in broad daylight, it still shimmered, a kind of hallowed ground.



There is a magic inherent in creating possibilities for children and the joy that it creates can take root in a place. It took root at the Ranch and it lived in Paul Newman. His passing leaves a hole in the world, but nothing can diminish the work that he did, the magic he created.



A legacy that will endure, through the passage of a torch that is an honor to guard and move forward as the Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch continues the work inspirationally started by Paul Newman. We are proud to be a part of the Ranch.



Paul Newman, Actor, Husband, Father, Philanthropist, Hero 1925-2008