Vancouver, Washington—February 28, 2024— Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is hosting its final 2024 winter session of Camp Spark for local youth who are blind and visually impaired. This session of camp will be held from March 1-3 at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp in Rhododendron, OR. This session is specifically tailored for campers ranging in age from 12-15 living in Oregon and provides 1:2 sport instruction for each camper. Attendees vary in socioeconomic status, ethnic background, and level of skills and abilities.
This is the sixth year NWABA has hosted this overnight, comprehensive sports camp for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. This winter session of Camp Spark will offer young campers the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities including snow shoeing, tubing, broomball, and more. NWABA staff will integrate various vocational transition skills for campers to build independence throughout the weekend, including advocacy, leadership, teamwork, meal prep, and cooking. There will also be an onsite Orientation and Mobility Specialist to support children and youth work on orientation to a new environment with the use of their cane.
Camp Spark’s comprehensive program is offered to children, youth and young adults who are blind or visually impaired providing seven sessions throughout the year. The Camp Spark Model uses sports and physical activity as a catalyst to promote independence, life skills, and greater quality of life.
The 2024 schedule offered two previous winter sessions for Camp Spark. Unfortunately, due to the sever ice storms in the Pacific Northwest, the first session scheduled in January was cancelled. NWABA was able to reassign these campers to future winter sessions. The 2024 camp season continues in April with our elite blind soccer & goalballs skills camp, followed by the summer sessions beginning in July.
"We are truly excited to offer these truly transformational programs to children and youth with visual impairments. Camp Spark 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, President/CEO, Billy Henry.
As a nonprofit organization, NWABA relies on generous contributions to fuel life-changing opportunities for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. Donations to support NWABA are accepted by mailing a check to PO BOX 61489, Vancouver, WA, 98666 or making an online gift at www.nwaba.org.
About NWABA:
The mission of Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) is to provide life-changing opportunities through sports and physical activity to individuals who are blind and visually impaired. A group of students who were visually impaired formed the association in 2007 to ensure that people who are blind were participating in sports and physical activity. Today, NWABA is a rapidly expanding 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides more than3,000 children, youth, adults and military veterans with visual impairments tailored programming which improves self-confidence and self-esteem, promotes independence, creates an inclusive community of supporters, and builds the skills necessary to succeed in all areas of life including school and employment.