Anna Johnson: Volunteer Spotlight
Volunteers are the lifeblood of NWABA and Anna Johnson keeps that lifeblood flowing.
From driving athletes to piloting tandem bikes, volunteering at Paralympics experiences to helping with administrative work, Anna has offered her services for just about every position at NWABA. If a task needs to be done, Anna is up for it.
“Anna is there for everything!” says NWABA Board member Jamie Dotson. “She is a self-starter and she can run with any task given to her. I have been amazed at the number of hours she has contributed to NWABA.”
The NWABA auction has been a special focus for Anna. “She has served on the auction committee helping us to hold the auction together with set up to tear down,” says Jamie. “She has been pro-active in soliciting donations that brought in much needed income for the organization over the years. She even donated her own hand-made quilts for the auction! “
Anna most recently was involved with the National Goalball Championships held in Vancouver in June. Before the tournament, she provided transportation from the airport to hotels for athletes and referees. She volunteered about 25 hours at the tournament and recruited family and friends to help.
“It was very rewarding to see how happy the players were to get those athletic opportunities. They all worked hard to get there. They played their best and it showed,” she said. “Many blind and visually impaired people don’t get the chance to participate in a team sport or sports in general. To see how happy it makes people and to excel at a sport like that is just amazing. I love to be a part of that.”
Along with all her volunteer work for NWABA, Anna is an apparel design major at the Art Institute of Portland and works in a coffee shop. Thank you, Anna, for all you do for NWABA!