Program expansion in Idaho is making a fast impression across the state’s southwestern region and keeps moving forward. To date, NWABA has provided life-changing opportunities to 57 athletes with visual impairments through sports and physical activity since July 2022. Twenty-three events have brought together 30 Boise community members dedicated to championing the organization’s mission and promoting equity within public and private sports spaces.
As efforts to foster the momentum of expanding the organization’s reach continue, our Idaho team is forging new relationships with fellow community organizations. Partnerships with the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) and Boise Adaptive Snowsport Education (BASE) are just two examples of working with other established organizations to combine best practices and skills to reach additional athletes looking to participate in sports and physical activity. These partnerships allow NWABA to facilitate continued education, create new pathways for advocacy, and expand opportunities for and with individuals who are blind and visually impaired.
This Spring, NWABA is a Boise State University (BSU) Service-Learning Project partner and will be hosting students from BSU who will complete volunteer hours to learn sports adaptations specific to visual impairment. Looking beyond Boise, programs have expanded into peripheral areas to include Nampa and Meridian. Outreach efforts begin later this month as team members survey Mountain Home, Twin Falls, and Pocatello, recruiting athletes looking to get active, build community, and become part of NWABA.