Northwest Association of Blind Athletes convenes in McMinnville

Courtesy NWABA##Athlete and supporter participate in tandem cycling at Linfield University.

Linfield University is host to Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) and  Camp Spark, in its second session July 25-30. Campers will participate in a variety of sports and recreational activities such as goalball (a sport specifically developed for individuals with visual impairments), fitness, beep baseball, tandem cycling, yoga, track & field, and numerous others. 

This is the sixth year that NWABA has offered a summer camp for youth who are blind and visually impaired. The two one-week summer sessions at Linfield will provide 1:2 sports instruction to a total of 59 campers ranging in age from 9-15 who live in Oregon and Washington. Youth who participate in Camp Spark vary in socioeconomic status, ethnic backgrounds, and level of skills and abilities. NWABA offers Camp Spark free of charge to youth and their families.  

"Our Board of Directors is extremely excited to offer these truly transformational programs to children and youth with visual impairments. Camp reaches far beyond participating in sports, and acts as a catalyst to help campers gain the confidence, self-esteem, friendships, and independence they need to achieve success in all areas of life,” said founder and president Billy Henry.

Camp Spark is partially funded by donors, foundations, state grants, and corporate partners; however, additional support is critically needed to deliver a successful camp, according to Henry. Donations to support Camp Spark can be made online at  www.nwaba.org/donate or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 61489, Vancouver, WA, 98666. For more information on Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, contact Alyssa Baldwin at 1-360-768-5647,  media@nwaba.org, or visit  www.nwaba.org .