Janet Elway has been selected to be the 2015 recipient of the Invisible Disabilities Association’s Volunteer Award. Janet has been chosen based upon her lifelong long passionate volunteerism with multiple charities serving people impacted by illness, disability and abuse while living daily with chronic illness herself.
Janet was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in and around the water. She began competitive swimming at the age of five and by age sixteen she was nationally ranked. At eighteen, Janet broke the World Student Games record and was awarded a scholarship to Stanford University to further pursue her swimming. During her freshman year at Stanford she led her team to an NCAA title by breaking a collegiate record. Shoulder surgery and the United States boycott kept her from the 1980 Olympics although she was ranked 4th in the world.
Janet enjoys time with her four young adult children and helping numerous charitable organizations including many who share her passion for helping children. Janet is the founder of Janet’s Camp, a signature fundraising program for the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver which provides scholarships for economically disadvantaged children to attend YMCA summer camps. In addition, she serves on the YMCA Board of Trustees, the Advisory Committee for Adam’s Camp, and is an Honorary Member of the Kempe Children’s Foundation. Janet is also listed in the Y-USA National Honor Roll of Donors.
Janet’s award was presented at the 2015 Awards Gala on October 23rd, 2015.