Summer camp is a seminal event in many kids’ lives. They’re out from under their families’ wings, trying new and exciting activities like ziplining and hiking, and connecting with their peers. What seems like a universal childhood experience is actually inaccessible to a great deal of kids due to poverty, special needs, or illness. Camp For All in Burton exists to bridge that gap. Since 1998 they’ve offered a barrier-free campground and partnered with a myriad of nonprofits to bring kids who would otherwise be unable to attend a camp to their site.
“‘Barrier free’ means people with any challenge can go anywhere on site and can do any activity,” says Pat Sorrells, president and CEO of Camp For All. “There are multiple ways to do every activity. They can do everything in a wheelchair if they want to. They have choices, whereas in the real world they do not.”
Doctors Bob Zeller and Paul Gerson along with Larry Neuhaus, whose child died from cancer, started Camp For All. They saw the benefit Camp Periwinkle — started by Gerson — provided to kids with cancer and wanted to expand that reach to kids with any challenges all year long. By collaborating with nonprofits that served specific special needs populations, they were able to consider how to make every aspect of the Camp For All grounds accessible and the programming universal.
Eight-foot wide sidewalks mean two friends in wheelchairs can roll side by side. All bathrooms are large and accessible, not just one designated stall. Integrated speakers aid those with hearing impairments and ample shaded covers allow those with skin challenges to participate in outdoor activities. All the campers’ medical and dietary needs are provided for while they are there. If you can think of a challenge, Camp For All has taken it into consideration.
“They get to just live life for that week,” says Sorrells.
Year-round, kids and adults find freedom at Camp For All in classic camp offerings like canoeing, sports, and archery as well as creative spaces like the beauty spa, recording studio, and Camp News Network. Themed camps are planned around age group, interests, and specific needs.
Sorrells has story after story of campers having a transformative experience at Camp For All. She credits their barrier-free language in addition to the facilities for the impact. One child with epilepsy assumed she would have to go home after having a seizure at camp and was thrilled to have a counselor tell her “let’s go to archery” instead.
“They have the opportunity to grow in self-confidence,” says Sorrells. “When they’re surrounded by everyone in the same situation, they realize they’re not alone and find hope in that.”
Camp For All brings that same hope into hospitals with their Camp For All 2U program. Driven by volunteers, they transform hospitals in Houston and Austin into a camp for a week for kids who can’t make it out to the campsite.
“Campers come out of their hospital rooms or ‘come to camp’ when they come in for treatment,” says Sorrells. “We bring real canoes and real bows and arrows. We see kids get back into life. They make friends instead of sitting in a hospital room all day. It’s a wonderful program.”
This year, Camp For All had to cancel all camps for the summer for the health of their campers and staff. They hope to reopen for fall events in September. In the meantime, they’ve been posting virtual activities on Facebook and YouTube with behind-the-scene looks at camp, nature lessons, and more.
“There’s all kinds of activities and they’re all free,” says Sorrells. “We do ‘energizers’ every morning after breakfast, which is a fun song we do all the hand motions to. It’s a lot of fun.”
Sorrells says she can’t wait for campers to be back, but their safety is the highest priority. While camps are already mostly full through the end of the year, you can still support Camp For All’s emergency fund and learn more about their mission at www.campforall.org.
