NWABA Updates 2021

Northwest Association for Blind Athletes [NWABA] has had a busy summer returning to more typical summer programming after a very different Summer 2020.  Athletes, volunteers, and staff throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana have enjoyed hiking new trails, the return of tandem biking, and are looking forward to returning to paddleboarding and kayaking this month.  These have been a great opportunity for everyone to return to physical activity, be in community again, and strive for new goals after a very different year.  Events are happening throughout each of our regions and we encourage you to check out our website, www.nwaba.org, and sign up for events in your area!  

Additionally, July 2021 brought the much anticipated return of Camp Spark after a virtual version in Summer 2020.  For the last two weeks in July, campers and staff gathered at Linfield University in McMinnville, OR for our two weeklong summer sessions of Camp Spark.  Under the tutelage of our camp staff, campers spent an intensive week engaging in tandem biking, track and field, goalball, swimming and many more activities.  Additionally, campers had the opportunity to practice a variety of Expanded Core Curriculum skills, including orientation and mobility, on a college campus, a setting that was novel to many campers.  We had a team of orientation and mobility interns from Portland State University who worked with campers and staff alike under the direction of a COMS to facilitate maximum independence in this new setting.  Campers, and staff, were ecstatic to be back in person again, something everyone had been hoping for over the past year.  As campers arrived, they reconnected with old friends and made new ones.  Throughout the week, campers worked with camp staff to set and achieve goals and push themselves further than they thought possible.  We saw campers grow in a variety of ways over the week.  Campers are equipped to take these skills back to their schools and communities and advocate for themselves so they can experience the same benefits as they did at camp in their own communities.  Throughout the week, everyone shared that they were most excited about being back in community with one another and as we wrapped up our time together, everyone was already talking about how much they are looking forward to upcoming sessions of Camp Spark.           

As we look towards the fall, Northwest Association for Blind Athletes provides a variety of ways to support our athletes and the individuals that work with them in addition to our sports outreach events.  Through our Sports Adaptations Library, we provide a growing video resource library, which includes tactile diagrams and adaptations manuals for all of the skills featured in the videos.  The library features a variety of different skills and shows how to break them down into a foundational level and teach them to a students with a visual impairment.  This resource is ever expanding and will continue to grow this year.  Additionally, we have our adaptive equipment lending library, which has over 400 pieces of adaptive equipment available for borrowing by students, teachers, school districts and families to facilitate greater involvement and inclusion in physical education and activity for our athletes.  Like our other services, this is offered at no cost to individuals.  Finally, we offer consultations, primarily on a virtual basis, to assist professionals in creating a fully inclusive physical education and activity experience for students.  For more information about these programs, reach out to Kirsten French at kfrench@nwaba.org or 360-859-3116.

Northwest Association for Blind Athletes is ready to help individuals with visual impairments of all ages and ability levels gain more access to sports and physical activity in order to promote greater independence and quality of life.  Programs and services are available throughout the year; we look forward to hearing from you!