Camp for all: a special place for special people

Camping Magazine, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Rush Jessica

Peoples has many memories of special campers and credits each of them with helping her learn important life lessons that will remain with her forever. "When I glance into a mirror and don't like the way I look, I remember Davey, a five-year-old who was so severely burned that he had no nose, no ears, and only stubs for fingers. Davey did nothing but laugh during his entire time at camp. The fire couldn't touch his heart," she says.

Peoples also recalls other campers, like Genya, a young man who had no legs from the thigh down, and whose amazing spirit and determination still inspire her. "After completing the ROPES challenge course one day, Genya decided the terrain was too rough to ride his wheelchair back to the lodge," says Mandy. "Instead he pushed the chair the entire way, walking behind it on the two stubs he has for legs. Rather than complaining, he was boasting about how awesome his ROPES experience was."

The Challenge of Funding

The Camp For All Board and staff work tirelessly to ensure that the camp continues to provide its unique services for many years to come. As a nonprofit organization that does not rely on government or United Way funding, financial support for Camp For All is provided through generous gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations. The camp's annual operating budget is $1.9 million. Fees paid by the organizations that sponsor camp groups cover half of all costs. Camp For All must raise the remaining funds required to provide campers with customized activities. These costs include training for program staff, maintenance of the facilities, and purchase of special equipment and materials.

"When one considers furnishing financial or volunteer support to any organization, one examines the need, the results or benefits being delivered, and the effectiveness of the delivery system," says James Gustafson of Camp For All's Dream Makers Society, a philanthropic group whose members pledge annual support to the camp. "Camp For All meets all three tests with very high marks, and I feel fortunate that my wife and I are able to help. We have confidence in the stewardship that the Camp For All team exhibits."

Future Possibilities

Camp For All's phenomenal success speaks to the great need for meaningful and accessible recreational programs for those with special needs. In fact, the organization finds it increasingly difficult to accommodate the large number of groups that want to attend. Currently, the camp's board of directors is considering new ways to meet the large demand for services. Possibilities being considered include expanding the original camp site, developing a second camp site nearby, and marketing the Camp For All model to nonprofit organizations interested in building similar facilities in other areas.

"The most striking thing about Camp For All is the powerful impact a single week at camp can have on a person's outlook and outcome," says Rock Houstoun, a Camp For All's board member. "It would be a wonderful thing to one day be able to offer this experience to every chronically ill or disabled person, not just in Texas, but across the country. That's my dream."