Meet Pat Prior Sorrells

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pat Prior Sorrells. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Pat Prior , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

My purpose found me! My children had some challenges, which meant that the path that I thought they would take in life had to be abandoned for something very different and, as it turns out very wonderful! I researched resources, volunteered, and supported them so they could succeed in life. During this process, I found that I could do more to help others with similar or more challenging situations. That beginning has enabled me, along with the help of many dedicated people, to provide opportunities for thousands to discover life.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am President and CEO of Camp For All, a barrier-free camp that transforms the world for children and adults with challenging illnesses, disabilities, or special needs. We serve thousands of campers throughout the year. The impact that Camp For All has on our campers and their families or caregivers is palpable. You just need to come to Camp to see the growth in self-confidence and hope in the campers. Being surrounded by others with the same challenges helps campers to realize they are not alone. We collaborate with more than 65 non-profits to deliver our mission in an environment with a barrier-free culture. However, the need for the
Camp For All experience has grown tremendously. Therefore, we are working on an exciting goal of building a second Camp For All to double the impact.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Love of the Mission
Whether for-profit or nonprofit, you have to have a heart for what you do and be dedicated to how you can move an organization forward. The focus should always be the Mission.

Creative and Inspirational Leadership
You can’t be successful on your own. Openly work with others and be innovative in potential solutions. If something doesn’t work, admit it, learn from it and move forward. Always invest in building your team, helping them to succeed individually, and giving them the recognition they deserve.

Strong Communicator
I could have sworn I was going to be on Broadway! I am totally comfortable on stage and love sharing the stories of campers and Camp For All. In real life, my stage varies in size from committee meetings to Board meetings to galas. Regardless of the venue, I make it a priority to listen to others and communicate thoughtfully. Speaking from the heart is the key to connecting with others and genuinely expressing your organization’s mission.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

A leader should go all in on their strengths while investing time and effort into improving in other areas. That being said, realizing when you need help and engaging others with skills you don’t have is essential.

Over time, my areas of expertise have expanded. But, as an organization grows, so do the challenges. A good example is when we had dam issues at the lake at Camp For All. The earthen dam was leaking, and the concrete barrier was old. Engineering is not my area of expertise! Not only did we pay professionals, but I also engaged one of our Board members, an engineer, to guide me and ensure we were making the right decisions for Camp For All.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Daniel Ortiz Photography

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