Hello MWABA,
I hope everyone is having a good start to their spring season! Get ready for an action packed newsletter!
Yoga:
- Yoga is back on Saturday, March 29 at 11:45 AM at Circle Yoga in northwest D.C. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdr6mfScH2GIzvMYlP7EwBFm7azdv5gncvcc1nrQItVmjArIQ/viewform
Tandem Biking:
- Sign up by Tuesday night for our Saturday ride (3/29) from Bethesda to Lake Fairfax to test out our camping trip route! The ride will be 30 miles if we metro back, or otherwise 55 miles, and will have about two miles of dirt trail. Also, sign up here for our April rides: https://forms.gle/a3fC438hzv9aH8m89
- Spread the word! Our tandem captain training is this Thursday from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Eastern Market Metro. Sign up to learn to tandem captain, or if you’re an experienced stoker or captain to help train new captains: https://forms.gle/cFbjLSh7oecYWajB8 Share the attached flyer!
- Sign up by March 31st for our tandem bike camping trip from May 30th-June 1st at Lake Fairfax off the W&OD trail in Reston: https://forms.gle/Js2sSp2hQW8o1FyJ7
- Sign up for our final bike maintenance class on Tuesday, April 1, which will cover shifting gears. The class will be led by Leah Fantle of the Upshift Workshop, and will start at 6:30 PM at R.E.I. in D.C., at 201 M Street Northeast. Spots are filling up fast, but if you’re interested, please sign up at least 48 hours in advance, and we’ll confirm your spot by the Sunday night ahead of the class. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/hWozkHaNv6E3UUZW7
Goalball:
- Come to goalball on March 29, from 10 AM to 1 PM, at 1480 Girard St. NW, DC.
- MWABA is excited to announce a series of upcoming Youth Goalball events. We will be hosting 2 “Try Goalball” practices culminating with a Youth Goalball Tournament. The practices will take place on Saturday, April 12 and Saturday, May 10. The Youth Goalball Tournament will be on Saturday, June 7. All events will be from 10:00-1:00 at the Columbia Heights Community Center in Washington, DC. These events are open to blind and visually impaired youth ages 10-18 in DC, MD, and VA. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the game from adult players on the DC men’s and women’s goalball teams during the two practices. At the May 10 practice, we will form teams for the tournament. This will be a great opportunity for blind and visually impaired youth in the area to participate on a team in a fun and exciting sport designed for them. Please find more information and sign-up here by April 9th: clairep03
April 5th and 9th Outreach Events: https://forms.gle/BbPD3TfzjwCbYaZC6
- MWABA is participating in the George Washington University bike club Bikepalooza event on Saturday, April 5th from 10 AM – 2 PM at Potomac Square. Reach out to Tajuan Farmer at 202-255-2416 or via email at tajuan.farmer if you can help table or if you have any questions.
- Come take part in Love My Largo on Saturday, April 5th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm in Largo, MD. This is a mini–Open streets event where lanes will be closed for pedestrians and cyclists to visit 3 activity hubs along McCormick Drive. MWABA will have a table with information and will offer tandem demonstrations. Come help us table, or just come out and enjoy this event.
- April 9th event at the University of Maryland Bike Week from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
April and May Hikes:
- Our next hike will take place Sunday, April 27 at Catoctin Mountain Park, which is about an hour from DC. We’ll send more logistics info in the next couple of weeks. Sign up here: kevin.andrews94
- SAVE THE DATE: MWABA is participating in the first-ever National Blind Bird-A-Thon on Sunday, May 18 from 9:00am-11:00am, sponsored by Birdability. The DC Bird Alliance will join us to identify bird species through song and sight, while enjoying a spring hike.
Please sign up using this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvjnC69q9BjF-4xjzsXQRbYGjiBwujQwInf-mhygl2tRY-zg/viewform
Also register for the national event using the link below to be in the running for an exciting prize drawing! Please indicate that you are registering as part of an already-organized group or team.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_7kC7U11jWgEuXgGmwz1dwA0s6bB5ycrpy4TnqMpn0Wu5yw/viewform
Check out this FAQ to learn about birding and bird-a-thons:
https://www.birdability.org/blind-birder-birdathon
More information on location and a virtual birding orientation to follow. We can’t wait to get out there and enjoy local birdsong with you!
Mary Flood is writing a book which will be called The Truth About Blindness and Visual Impairment. Mary is including sections in the book on the human eye itself, myths and truths about blindness/visual impairment/blind/visually impaired people, "Do’s and Don’ts" (etiquette and about not making assumptions), famous/well-known people who are/were blind/visually impaired, eye conditions and what causes them, the psychological and spiritual aspects of blindness/visual impairment and vision loss, and stories of not-so-famous people out in our communities who are blind or visually impaired. Mary is looking for help/input from MWABA members. You can share as much as you feel comfortable about your life as a blind/visually impaired person and your vision loss journey (this doesn’t necessarily mean you are losing or have lost your sight over time). She will share the sections on Myths and Truths and Do’s and Don’ts to see if there is anything anyone else wants to add to the lists. She’s asking for your stories by email to camflood1 ASAP.
Thanks and see you out there!
Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes (MWABA)
Sports and fun for everyone! https://gomwaba.org