Hello MWABA,
Join us for Tandem Biking, Goalball, Blind Athletes Day, Hiking, Oktoberfest Party, and more!
Tandem Biking
· Sign up by Tuesday night at 8 p.m. for our Thursday night Eastern Market ride and our Friday night Bethesda ride: https://forms.gle/YAdsEQbKSpZABg2Y7 Note that our October Bethesda rides will start at 5:30 PM. Pairs can start as early as 5 from both Eastern Market and Bethesda.
· Sign up by October 15th for the Cider Ride on November 7th and by October 31st for a 50-mile ride that MWABA is organizing on November 14th. https://forms.gle/nZQRsmqR53YEzpJx8
· Email mwaba.inc if you’d like to buy one or more MWABA jerseys.
Goalball
· Come to Goalball practice on October 10th from 10 AM to 1 PM at 1480 Girard St. NW, DC.
Blind Athletes Day – 10/17
· MWABA is co-sponsoring the Blind Athletes Day at the Columbia Heights Community Center (1480 Girard St. NW, DC) on October 17th from 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sign up here: mwaba.inc if you’re a tandem captain interested in riding from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
· Get ready for an exciting day of sports, connection, and athletic empowerment! A celebration designed to bring our community together through movement and shared experiences. Whether you are an experienced athlete, trying out adaptive sports for the first time, or looking to discover new resources and make lasting connections, this day is for you!
· Schedule:
o 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Arrival & Welcome
o 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Tandem Biking & Goalball
o 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch & Networking
o 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Soccer & Tennis
o 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Cricket & Self-Defense Workshop
o 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Socializing & Snack Time
· Jump into the games, cheer on fellow athletes, or set up a table to share your organization’s mission with our attendees. We can’t wait to see you on the field and in the gym for an unforgettable day!
Hike
· Our next MWABA hike will take place on Sunday, October 25th, at Great Falls in Virginia. We’ll depart from the McLean metro station (on the Silver line) at 9:30 AM. Sign up here: mwaba.inc.
Oktoberfest Party in November!
· Join MWABA for Oktoberfest in Vienna on Sunday, November 1st at 3:00 pm. At 5:00, you can show off your strength in a beer stein holding contest. We’ll serve bratwurst with German sides and dessert, along with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. please bring your favorite German beer to share, another beverage that you enjoy, or a $10 contribution to MWABA. Please sign up here if you plan to attend: https://forms.gle/q41XNg2g6gNxAMQa9
Sign Up for a 5K or 10K Turkey Trot
· Bishop Events and the 2026 South Run organizers will be teaming with MWABA this Thanksgiving for their 5K and 10K foot races. Proceeds from this year’s event will be gifted to MWABA. Let’s show our appreciation with a strong showing from MWABA. Start training now to run/walk, or plan to come out and cheer on our runners. The races will be held on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday November 26th. The start and finish lines will be at the South Run RecCenter, 7550 Reservation Dr. in Springfield VA. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/fS5cPkni2Az8NaZA8 if you’re interested in running or walking with MWABA, or if you can help drive people to the race. Please don’t register until we have paired you with a partner. After we pair participants, you will need to register at: Events for September 2026 – Bishops Events, LLC The 5k costs $30 until 11/15, and the 10k costs $45 until 11/15.
Other Activities
· CAF grants – The Challenged Athletes Foundation grant opens September 28th and closes November 13th. mwaba.inc if you’re interested in applying and if you have questions or need assistance.
· National Portrait Gallery Tour: You’re invited to an educator-guided free gallery tour on 10/18 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. geared towards blind and low-vision visitors. The gallery talk will explore select portraits in the America’s Presidents exhibition, including tactile reproductions of President Abraham Lincoln’s face masks. Sign up here: Portrait InSight: Verbal Description Tour Tickets, Sunday, October 18 • 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Eventbrite
· Trouble Defense provides adaptive firearm safety and range instruction for blind and low-vision adults in the DC area. #1 Blind Firearm Training Academy in USA | Recognized by NFB
· EZRE (alberto.destarac
· Braille Rally October 24th at the Winery at Bull Run. The MG Car Club of Washington D.C. will conduct its traditional "Braille Rally" for visually impaired students and adults. This event consists of pairing a visually impaired navigator, who uses braille (or large print or other alternative instructions) to navigate, with the driver of a classic MG sports car or other classic car, over a route at the Manassas Battlefield. The drive is punctuated by questions about the Battlefield, the Civil War, and other "trivia" items. There is no cost to participate. It starts and finishes at the Winery at Bull Run (which is immediately adjacent to the Battlefield) and lunch is provided after completion of the drive. They also welcome visually impaired students and community members who want to attend but do NOT want to participate in the driving portion of the event. If you are hesitant to do the road going part but would like to come out to experience the vintage cars (including sitting in one for a photo opportunity, or going for a short ride inside the vineyard) and have lunch, you are invited to attend. This event is oriented toward both students and adults. Parents are welcome as well. There is no online sign up – if you would like to attend just email Tom Renda (thomasdrenda) or call/text (410-804-7017) with the number of people in your party and your preference for braille or other instructions for the driving portion of the event. They can help with travel to and from the event. And if you know of anyone who might like to attend, please forward this message to them. The Braille Rally is more enjoyable when they have robust participation.
If you have news or an activity you would like to submit to be included in an upcoming newsletter, please send it to: mwaba.inc.
Thanks and see you out there!
Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes (MWABA)
Sports and fun for everyone! https://gomwaba.org