Northwest Association for Blind Athletes held its 7th Dinner & Auction in Boise, Idaho this past weekend and raised more than $180,000 in support of our mission and programs for children, youth, and adults who are blind or visually impaired across Idaho.
The event was presented by Alturas; a long time supporter of NWABA. More than 200 guests were welcomed at The Boise Center where they were served a delicious three-course dinner and had the opportunity to bid on over 50 silent auction items; from tickets to local sporting events to travel & adventure packages, an assortment of wining & dining packages and more. The crowd was electric as Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Jennifer Drean, with Gem State Eyecare, commanded the audience, along with auctioneer, Jim Jungers, who diligently coaxed the audience to open their wallets and bid on a wide array of live auction packages. The highest bidders walked away with unique auction items such as exotic trips to Tuscany, Africa, Scotland and the Mexican Riviera, one-of-a-kind wine collections, as well as sports packages including a NASCAR race experience and Boise State Football travel, and others. NWABA exclusive experiences such as Dinner in Dark and Next Year’s Best Seats were also in demand.
However, the crowd grew silent as they listened to the personal stories from three athletes⎯Krystal White, Walter Elias and Deann Solis⎯whose lives changed drastically due to the support and opportunities provided by NWABA.
NWABA has seen extensive growth in Idaho since 2012, beginning with on-going program expansion and most recently, a new office opening in Boise. We are looking forward to making 2022/23 our best year yet to expand services and scale our vision.