Anya Edelman, a sophomore at the University of Arizona, brought her energy and spirit full circle as a summer program staff member.
YOU’RE THE REASON our campers smile through their challenges, find courage in community, and experience joy without limits. This newsletter is a window into the lives you’ve touched. Thank you for making Camp For All a place where healing and hope thrive!
They once arrived with wide eyes, unsure of what to expect. Now, years later, they return with confidence, compassion, and a deep sense of purpose.
This summer, several former campers, including alumni from The Joy School and The Parish School, two schools in Houston for children with learning differences, came full circle. They stepped into new roles as Camp For All staff members, counselors, and mentors, giving back to the place that helped shape who they are.
Camp For All summer staff member Anya Edelman remembers her early days at Camp For Joy as transformative. “Camp For All is a place where I could truly be myself without fearing that my learning disabilities would hinder my opportunities for fun,” she said. “Coming back as a staff member is my way of giving the same gifts to others.”
Former Camp For All campers Matthew Garcia, Alonso Limas, and Dean Wincentsen are counselors with Social hosted by The Parish School where children and teens ages 8-16 who struggle with social competencies learn and practice Social Thinking. Each of them brings a unique energy and perspective, shaped by their own experiences growing up with challenges. Now, they’re serving in leadership roles, guiding campers with empathy, patience, and a deep understanding of what it means to be seen and supported.
Their returns are more than symbolic. They’re powerful reminders of the lasting impact Camp has on its campers. “Anya, Matt, Alonso, and Dean are all living proof of our mission,” said Camp Director Allen McBride. “They’ve grown into confident, compassionate leaders, and we were so proud to have them back.”
None of this would be possible without your generous support. Your contributions ensure that Camp For All remains a place where barriers are removed, the possibilities for discovering life are endless, and talented former campers like Anya, Matthew, Alonso, and Dean are committed to paying it forward.
Top: Hosted in partnership with McLane Children’s Hospital, Baylor Scott & White, Dreamcatcher campers found joy, strength, and each other at Camp For All. Dreamcatcher is a Camp for children with cancer and blood disorders.
From left to right: Dean Wincentsen, Matthew Garcia, and Alonso Limas — students at the University of Houston, University of Texas-San Antonio, and University of St. Thomas, respectively — turned their challenges into purpose, leading campers with heart and hope this summer.
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2. Click the “Find Your Camp” button in the navigation bar
3. Select the category or categories that apply to you or your loved one
4. Contact the organization directly to sign up
“Camp For All is more than a Camp. It’s a place where our child is celebrated,” shared one parent. “Seeing her come home with confidence, joy, and new friendships is one of the greatest gifts we could ask for.”
Date Camp Need
Sept. 5-7 Texas Neurofibromatosis Neurofibromatosis family camp
THE QUICKEST WAY TO FIND YOUR CAMP, JUST SCAN
Partner
Texas Neurofibromatosis Foundation Family Camp
Sept. 5-7 Arrow Child & Family Ministries Foster care ministry
Sept. 12-14 Be An Angel Families with children with any disability
Arrow Child & Family Ministries
Be An Angel Fund
Sept. 17-18 CSA Sleepaway Camp Students with speech, language, and learning differences Capitol School of Austin
Sept. 19-21 Periwinkle Family Camp Pediatric cancer patients and their families The Periwinkle Foundation
Sept. 19-21 Periwinkle YOLO Teens and siblings with life-threatening illnesses The Periwinkle Foundation
Sept. 26-28 Camp Love Without Limits Kids and young adults with burns and limb differences Shriners Children’s Texas
Sept. 25-28 Camp Ellellbee Families with members with skeletal dysplasia GutMonkey, Inc. or achondroplasia
Oct. 1-3 Bridge Prep Children with learning differences
Bridge Preparatory Academy
Oct. 3-5 Periwinkle Long-term Periwinkle Alumni: Adults who are long-term The Periwinkle Foundation Survivors Retreat survivors of pediatric cancer
Oct. 3-5 Easter Seals - Camp Coleman Integrating new service dogs into veteran
Easter Seals of Greater Houston and military families
Oct. 8-9 HUB School Young adults with learning differences
The HUB Houston
Oct. 9-10 Gryphon’s Nest Students with social and learning differences Gateway Academy
Oct. 10-12 Pump It Up Current patients ages 8-12 from Texas Children’s Hospital Heart Center Texas Children’s Hospital Heart Center
Oct. 16-17 Monarch Butterfly, Individuals with neurological differences
The Monarch School and Institute Bridge, and Life
Oct. 17-19 Safe Haven/Kaleidoscope Foster and adoptive families & families
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church with special needs
Oct.19 Camp LIFE Day Camp Youth with any disability and their siblings
Oct. 24-26 Family Resilience Retreat Patients with pediatric brain cancer
Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University
Texas Children’s Hospital
Oct. 31 - Nov. 2 Friendship Circle Retreat Family retreat for kids and teens with a disability Friendship Circle of Houston within the Jewish Community
Nov. 7-9 Bumblebee Family Camp Families with children with a food allergy Bumblebee Family Camp
Nov. 7-9 DeafBlind Family Camp Families with children who are deaf/blind
DeafBlind Camp of Texas
Nov. 14-16 Easter Seals Family Camp Families with children served by Easter Seals Easter Seals of Greater Houston
Please refer to www.campforall.org for schedule updates.
Successful Summer for Camp For All 2U!
Camp For All 2U brought the transformative power of Camp to five hospitals this summer with our Partners MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children’s Hospital. From adaptive activities like hallway canoeing to making mouth-watering s’mores, your donations enabled us to deliver the Camp For All experience to 197 children right where they were. Thank you for showing our campers that Camp truly has no boundaries!
Camp For All Program Manager Abigail Wright (second from the left, with campers from Higher Ground) was named one of Washington County’s “20 Rising Stars Under 40” by the Brenham Banner-Press in June 2025. Her passion and innovation continue to help elevate the Camp mission.
Full-circle success stories, fueled by you
Every time I enter the gates of Camp For All, I’m reminded of the incredible power of our mission to transform the world for children and adults with challenging illnesses, disabilities, or special needs in a beautiful and safe environment.
This edition of our newsletter highlights something truly special: The people who keep coming back to Camp For All. It brings joy to my heart when we see former campers become counselors and volunteers. That kind of loyalty doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a culture built on love, inclusion, and purpose. And that culture exists because of you.
Your generosity creates a ripple effect. You help build a place where people grow in self-confidence, connect with others with the same challenges, and then return with the goal of giving back. In doing so, they help create life-changing opportunities for our campers, who get to feel seen, celebrated, and empowered.
Your support builds relationships. It inspires service. It creates memories that have a lifetime impact. Most importantly, it gives our campers a chance to experience life without limits.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for believing in our mission. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. And thank you for helping us build a barrier-free legacy that continues to grow, year after year. We couldn’t do it without you.
Sincerely,
PAT PRIOR SORRELLS President and CEO
Follow us! Visit www.campforall.org or call 713-686-5666 for more information about donating, participating, or volunteering!
Camp For All Board of Directors
CHAIR
Julie Taetz
Jim Avioli
Laurie Baker
Amy L. Carbone
Beth Clarke
Bob Davis
Harry Elkins
Marcella Foreman
Ashley Frysinger
Bob Funk
Philip Gallegos
Amanda M. Gyeszly
Sarah Hastings
Kim Hurst
Alex Jessett
Ally Kelly
Alexis Leiser
Michael Lewis
Elizabeth Logan
Yésely Love
Laurie Maddox
Stephanie Magers
Matt Mogas
Nick Ndah
Paul Palmer
Stacie Pitts
Joshua Samuels, M.D.
Susie Smith
Martha White
EX OFFICIO
Camille Boudreaux
Jack Maddox
Pat Prior Sorrells
EMERITUS
Paul Gerson, M.D.
Laurence B. Neuhaus
Robert S. Zeller, M.D.
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Pat Prior Sorrells
GENERAL COUNSEL
Gary W. Miller
Camp For All Fall 2025
When asked about her favorite part of Camp For All, one camper beamed and said, “All of it!”
Above: Dr. Sandra Lee, aka “Dr. Pimple Popper,” brought her signature spark to Camp, teaming up with Discovery campers for a day full of unforgettable fun at Star Place.
Bottom: For 14 years, Sam and Peter Wismer’s passion to serve others has helped Camp For All feel like home for thousands of campers.
Camp For All and our nonprofit Partners are looking for passionate volunteers to help create life-changing experiences for campers of all abilities. Whether you’re leading activities or bringing energy to every moment, your time can make a lasting impact. Please contact Volunteer Supervisor Beth Deans at volunteer@campforall.org for more information.
Every dollar donated to Camp For All creates life-changing experiences for children and adults with challenging illnesses, disabilities, or special needs.
Your gift of any size will help support our professional staff and fund budget needs like:
•$28 could become a 100-pack of batteries for flashlights, toys, games, and digital cameras.
•$5,870 would provide a new high-tech cleaning system to help protect our medically vulnerable campers.
•$25,000 would result in transformational improvements to our adaptive high ropes course.
Thanks to donors like you, Camp For All can cover more than half the cost of Camp for every single camper. www.campforall.org/donate
For the past 14 years, twin brothers Sam and Peter Wismer have been a constant source of support and strength at Camp For All. Their journey has been driven by deep personal connections, and today, their legacy as counselors continues to shape the lives of our campers.
Sam and Peter’s passion for service is rooted in family. More than 20 years ago, their parents relocated from Vancouver, Canada to Houston so their older brother Jacob could have access to higher quality education for learning challenges associated with autism. Jacob attended The Monarch School, a Camp For All Partner.
Peter said, “Being at Camp For All puts the stresses of everyday life in perspective and brings into focus what is truly important: helping others. Working with our campers, we see them overcome the same challenges Jacob did at that age. Playing a part in those pivotal moments is priceless, and it’s the reason we keep coming back.”
From leading activities to cheering on campers, the Wismer twins do it all at Camp Social with our Partner, The Parish School. Their experience is more than just instrumental. It’s transformative. “They bring this incredible energy and optimism,” said a fellow Social volunteer. “They make our campers feel confident in themselves.”
Sam and Peter’s story is a powerful reminder that your long-term support and generosity create lasting change far beyond the moment of giving. “Volunteering at Camp For All for 14 years has enabled us to see donors’ gifts turn into real impact, from new spaces to unforgettable moments of growth for campers, many of which have returned as counselors themselves,” they said.
In addition, Peter serves on the Camp For All Advisory Board and was Co-chair of the Emerging Leaders in 2020-2021.
As Camp For All celebrates another year of memories, the Wismer brothers stand as shining examples of what it means to give back — not just with time, but with heart.
