Creating Special Days for Kids with Special Needs :: Press

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Ride a Wave Press Kit

This document includes the following media resources:

· Ride a Wave Fact Sheet · FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions · Quotes from Participants, Parents, Organizations, and Volunteers · Images of a typical Ride a Wave Beach Camp

High-resolution JPEG images of all pictures in the press kit are available electronically at: http://www.rideawave.org/files/ride_a_wave_pics.zip.

To schedule an interview or get additional information, please contact Rocky Snyder (831.252.7625 / [email protected]) or visit our website (www.rideawave.org).

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Fact Sheet

· Mission: Ride a Wave gives children with special needs the chance to feel the thrill of riding a wave and experience a safe, fun-filled day at the beach, whether they are physically, developmentally or economically challenged.

· Origin: Ride a Wave (RAW) was founded by Danny Cortazzo, fireman, paramedic, former champion tandem surfer, and lifeguard. Cortazzo was hit by a car in Australia in 1990 and had a near death experience. Cortazzo said “I realized how fortunate I was to be so connected with the beach and ocean. It also made me aware of how many people will never get the opportunity to experience the joy of feeling the rush of catching a wave. I shared these feelings with my best friends, and we decided to try to help give people with special needs this opportunity.” In 1992, Cortazzo founded the Malibu Board Riders in Southern California to help children dealing with cancer at Ronald McDonald's Camp Good Times get in the water to surf and boogie board.

Cortazzo started Ride a Wave in 1998 after moving to Santa Cruz. Ride a Wave is a program under the auspices of the Santa Clara Firefighters Foundation, a California 501(C)(3) non-profit (Tax ID 27-0002499).

· Services Offered: Since its inception in 1998, Ride a Wave has helped over 2,500 kids get in the water and have a life changing day by offering a full day of beach activities including: tandem surfing, bodyboarding, and swimming, beach games, lifesaving demonstrations, kayaking, and marine biology. Our specialized equipment and expertise even allows us to get children with restricted mobility and other severe physical challenges into the water safely.

Snacks and a hot lunch are given to every participant and volunteer courtesy of our sponsors. An award’s ceremony is held at the end of each camp, where each child is given an official Ride a Wave T-shirt, a video of the days activities, and a goodie bag.

· Communities Served: Ride a Wave helps kids faced with life challenges such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, blindness, quadriplegia, autism, cancer, burns, as well as those from low-income or broken homes.

Each year, RAW holds between nine and eleven events during the summer that allow over 500 individuals with special needs the chance to enjoy the beach and ocean. Please visit the Community - Organizations section on our website (www.rideawave.org) to see the groups with which we partner.

Regionally, Ride a Wave provides services to children with special needs in Santa Cruz, CA and the outlying San Francisco Bay Area. However, we’ve had children with special needs travel from every state in the US and as far as from Russia, Canada, Italy, and France to attend our camps. The organization also mentors a group in Southern California.

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Ride a Wave safe?

Safety is Ride a Wave's top priority. Founded by a firefighter, paramedic, former champion tandem surfer and lifeguard (all one person!), safety is built into Ride a Wave's DNA. The organization has had ZERO beach injuries since its inception in 1998 – despite serving over 2,500 kids with special needs, some of them with severely restricted mobility and other physical or medical challenges. Safety is addressed at all levels:

· Safety Staff A minimum of 1 lifeguard is on staff for all events with radio contact to emergency services. A minimum of 1 Paramedic and an average of 4 EMTs are on staff for all events with radio contact to emergency services. All volunteers must attend an orientation and beach or water training before being certified to participate in any event for that season.

· Beach Safety Each participant is paired with a Beach Buddy volunteer who ensures that the child’s needs are met for the entire day. The volunteer also makes sure that information regarding any special condition is passed along when the child partakes in any activity.

· Water Safety No child is allowed in the water without a wetsuit, life vest and helmet. When boogie boarding, each child is paired with a RAW volunteer who helps the child catch the wave and holds on to the participant’s life vest the entire time. When surfing the participant is paired with an expert tandem surfer who holds them while surfing. They are escorted by 4 surfers on rescue boards, two on each side, who paddle or surf on their knees next to the pair to ensure that the participating child is safe at all times. We also have a surfboard with a specially designed chair for paraplegic and quadriplegic participants.

2. How does a child get to participate in one of Ride a Wave’s Beach Camps?

Participants are usually part of an existing group that has established a relationship with Ride a Wave. New groups are accommodated based on availability in the schedule. If an individual child with special needs wants to participate, we try to accommodate them by trying to find an opening with a group with similar needs. The best way for a parent or caregiver to get their child involved is to contact our organization or get involved with one of the groups we take to the beach.

More information regarding attending a camp can be found on our website in the Get Involved – Participate section of our website (www.rideawave.org) or by phoning (831) 239-3672.

3. Is there a charge for Ride a Wave’s services?

No child, family or organization is charged to attend a Ride a Wave beach camp.

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

4. What type of impact has Ride a Wave made?

In recognition for the outstanding community service Ride a Wave provides, founder Danny Cortazzo has been:

· honored with a prestigious Jefferson Award by the San Francisco Chronicle in June 2006 · named a Community Hero by the United Way of Santa Cruz County in 2004 · selected 2003 Firefighter of the Year by the Santa Clara City Firefighters · recognized as a Team Clif Hot Seat Athlete in 2003

Please also view Quotes pages 6-11 to see how the program has touched the lives of children with special needs, their families, the organizations who serve them, and Ride a Wave volunteers.

5. How do I volunteer for Ride a Wave? Are there any special requirements?

Anyone can volunteer for Ride a Wave. It’s not necessary to know how to surf to make a big impact in the program! All that’s needed is a desire to make a difference in the life of a child with special needs. Our volunteers range from grade-school children to senior citizens. Volunteers are as diverse as the community from which they come, including students, firefighters, tech and business professionals, doctors, nurses, EMTs, lifeguards, marine scientists, contractors, real estate agents, pro surfers, authors, actors, and more.

All volunteers must attend an orientation meeting prior to the season. There are certain physical requirements for each of the water venues (surfing, escort, body board and kayak). For those who are not comfortable in the water or who do not meet those physical requirements, we pair them with each child as a land-based beach buddy that assists the children all day long. We also always need more assistance with setup, teardown, and other organizational duties.

More information on volunteering can be found in the Get Involved – Volunteer section on our website (www.rideawave.org) or by phoning (831) 239-3672.

6. How is Ride a Wave funded?

Ride a Wave receives no public funding and is supported by donations from individuals and businesses in the community. Since no one gets paid in our organization, 100% of all donations go into the program.

In addition to financial sponsorship, businesses also donate products and services that help the program run. For example, O’Neill’s provides wetsuits for all kids, Pleasure Pizza and Chili’s of Capitola provide hot lunches for all participants and volunteers, Newman’s Own, Trader Joes, and Clif provide snacks, and more. View the Learn More – Sponsors section of our website (www.rideawave.org) for a full listing of our generous sponsors.

We also hold several fundraisers each season, such as surf movies, to generate additional funds. The response from our community has been incredible, and every year we have been able to provide the children with a more memorable experience.

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

7. Are bilingual services available?

Some of our volunteers are bilingual. If we know that we have a participant that is not English speaking we try to coordinate a beach buddy that speaks the necessary language

8. Does Ride a Wave provide services to teenagers or adults?

Our primary focus is on children with special needs; however, many of the groups we serve have teenage participants. One of the groups we serve, Shared Adventures, is comprised primarily of adults.

9. What is the privacy policy of this organization?

We do not pass on information about the participants or our volunteers to any outside organizations. We contact our volunteers via e-mail or they can stay updated about events on our website.

10. What are Ride a Wave’s biggest challenges?

The organization faces the following constraints:

· Our biggest challenge is not being able to serve all those who wish to participate in the program. We are limited locally by beach time. Cowells is the best option in Santa Cruz to run safe beach camps. Being respectful to other surfers, we can not take over the entire break. As we are limited by tides, the number of suitable mornings in the summer restricts our potential capacity. Running additional events would also require more volunteers.

· Administration of beach camp logistics are always challenging. A great deal of information needs to be collected and disseminated to make sure the properly sized gear is secured for each child. Communicating with volunteers to ensure we have the proper number for each station is also a challenge. New web services are needed to facilitate these processes, as well as assist in online fundraising.

· The organization lacks funds to grow the program in other areas. We have been successful in mentoring programs in San Diego and with an annual one day event in Malibu. However, we have received interest from many other communities worldwide who wish to start similar programs in their area to support their local needs. Extra funding would give us the ability to branch out and help other communities start organizations that host similar beach events.

· Since the organization is 100% volunteer-run, time is always a challenge. Many behind-the-scenes tasks such as, procuring insurance, fundraising, writing thank you letters to donors, and more are done by people with “real” full-time jobs and responsibilities. Because of that, some duties are not always as timely or run as efficiently as they could be. Additional web services, such as those to handle online donations and automate thank you letters are needed. With adequate funding, a part-time administrator would be invaluable.

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Quotes from Participants, Parents, and Organizations

"You all have given these kids and their parents, some of them for the first time, not only huge smiles, but hope and confidence that they can in fact try and succeed at new experiences.”

"You treated these children with dignity and respect, and for the day they were celebrated for their greatness! This experience in so many ways has changed our lives. Though I can’t possibly ever say enough, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

- Balance Foundation -

"What these people do... It's amazing. It really is a gift."

- Saskia, RAW Participant's Sister -

"Cowabunga!!!"

- Hunter, RAW Participant -

"Waves are big! Cool. It looks like fun, not scary!"

- Tony, RAW Participant -

"When Max gets onto the beach it’s all good. As soon as he feels the sand the smiles begin. And when he touches the water and tastes the kelp, he starts laughing out loud with joy and excitement. I get choked up at Ride a Wave to see so many volunteers willingly and eagerly helping my son and others like him get across the sand and into the water."

- Marion, RAW Participant's Mother -

"All of your efforts touched the lives of our kids in ways that we never could have imagined."

"Mikey came to the camp frightened and insecure. His self-confidence increased tremendously after his day on the beach with RAW. He has decided that he can be a friend to others and that he is not weird and different."

"Justin has returned to the beach upon his insistence. He now owns a wetsuit and wishes to learn to boogie board. Most importantly you taught him how to take risks!"

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

"Franci has been in special education since day one, and this was one of her first experiences whereby she was treated like a normal kid."

"Brett has a very rate syndrome. He has only slept one hour a night since birth. After his day on the beach with RAW and for three days following he slept for 10-11 hours nightly. This is truly a miracle!"

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your time and energy."

- Pediatric Therapy Center -

"I would like to thank you for a truly spectacular day on the beach. The generosity and patience of you and your crew provided all with a safe and fun day filled with many new experiences."

"Kelly had the time of her life. She kept talking the whole way home about how exciting it was to ride the boogie boards."

"These surfers help everyone look past the burn. Now, you get to be just a child having a wonderful experience."

"Thank you for giving the children of the AARFB life long memories."

- Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation -

"I like the speed, and because it's so fun."

- Marissa, RAW Participant -

“I was scared stiff, but she went out there. She was just so big and brave and rode the wave in and was just delighted. It thrills me to see her doing the things that normal kids can do. She can be independent and really accomplish something.”

- Camilla (Marissa’s mom) -

"“Yesterday MY SON SURFED!!! None of the other stuff matters. THANK YOU for the opportunity and experience! Our future has hope.”

- Shannon, RAW Participant’s Mom -

“It was scary the first time. It was cool and a little windy, but it was fun.”

- Laura, RAW Participant -

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

"Thank you to big hearted Ride-A-Wave volunteers.”

- Jacob's Heart -

"By the time I went boogie boarding later with Dennis, irrefutable total delight swept over my heart."

"Giddy with joyous happiness was I standing on the surfboard, dear ocean surrounding me. Fear vanished, destroyed by mother nature's goodness. Definitely dream come true for me."

"Unsatiated need for ocean fulfilled at least for this day."

- Hari, RAW Participant -

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Quotes from Volunteers

"Ride a Wave gives me a great sense of community. I typically go home charged, feeling like I played hard and also like I gave something back to the world."

"I’ve always thought that I was meant to help others play and enjoy their lives in a healthy way. The people in the Ride Wave tribe are the kind of people I want to surround myself with. We get to establish the foundation for the kind of friendships that help make healthy supportive communities."

- Dave, RAW Volunteer -

"Ride a Wave nourishes my soul. It is immensely rewarding to share the joy I receive from the ocean with those who might not otherwise get a chance to experience it."

- Max, RAW Volunteer -

"Raw is about community, love, and commitment. People from all walks of life come together and give their blood, sweat and tears all summer long to make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities and their families."

"There's nothing I'd rather help someone with more than surfing. Because the ocean has been one of the most positive forces of growth, challenge, and empowerment in my life, and I'd like to share that with the world. Because secretly, I think I might be having more fun than anyone else on the planet when I am volunteering with ride a wave!"

- Johnny, RAW Volunteer -

"We may help out, but it's actually purely selfish. Look at those volunteer smiles. They're every bit as bright as the smiles on all our kids."

- Kathy, RAW Volunteer -

"This is the very best surfing that I do."

- Fritz, RAW Volunteer -

"It's very satisfying to get to see the immediate and direct impact that my efforts help bring. I know that it's not just merely fun for them to ride waves. It's so much more meaningful than that. They get to be embraced and declared legitimate by their brothers

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

and sisters in the tribe of those who ride waves. Deep down we all know what's up. They are SUPPOSED TO BE out there with us every bit as much as we are out there."

- Christian, RAW Volunteer -

"Seeing them smile, lying there on the front of the board, they're surfing. It is a wonderful experience and gift to be able give."

- Zeuff, RAW Volunteer -

"You see the smile on a child's face when they do catch that wave or they do that accomplishment that they never thought they'd be able to do. That's worth, that's worth more than anything."

"There's a lot of emphasis on people surfing large waves like Mavericks. But when I look at a child and the courage it takes to go out on the ocean with someone they don't know and catch a wave at Cowells, and they have a physical or developmental disability, that accomplishment is much more impressive than someone taking off on a giant wave at Mavericks."

"The transformation you see in these kids is amazing. They want to go, but they're so scared of the water. You tell them you'll never let go of them. By the end of the day some of the kids just want to be in the water. It erases their disability."

"A lot of teachers who deal with children who have some developmental needs, they come back and say it's changed their students' perspective on life. 'I just realized, hey, I went surfing! I can do this!'"

"The ocean's huge, and a lot of the kids you see down here are -- some of them have never been to the beach before, let alone been in the water. And for them, the idea of going out surfing is sometimes just beyond comprehension."

"I can tell you all about it, and it won't do it justice. When you see the kids' faces and their parents' faces, it just says it all."

- Danny, RAW Founder -

"Every tiny little step these kids take can open up a whole new world for them. It can give them the confidence and stoke for the day, forgetting even that they have special needs."

" It's amazing how much emphasis they place on safety. The volunteers get briefings from nurses and paramedics so we know exactly what we're in for. The kids are in extremely good hands."

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

"Everyone goes away from the day feeling elated. I tend to have more faith in human beings at the end of these days - more faith that the world can be a good place."

- Brooke, RAW Volunteer -

"Every time I show up for a Ride A Wave camp, I can't help but feel lucky to be a part of such an incredible organization."

"Being a part of Ride A Wave has changed my life. I now set my summer calendar around Ride A Wave camps to make sure I don't miss a single day. I've never met or worked with a more incredible group of people. To be able to do that, and play with some amazing kids at the beach… Well, life doesn't get much better than that in my book!"

- Brooks, RAW Volunteer -

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Images from a Typical Ride a Wave Beach Camp

Here is a small sampling of pictures from a typical Ride a Wave beach camp. High-resolution JPEG images in a zip file are available at: www.rideawave.org/files/ride_a_wave_pics.zip.

Additional pictures can be found in the View the Action section on our website (www.rideawave.org). Contact us if you’d like to get high-resolution copies of those images. Please note that all photos included in the press kit are copyright Boots McGhee Photography (www.bootsite.net).

Lifeguard Demonstration Beach Stretching Rambo Relay Obstacle Course

Getting Suited Up Ready to Surf

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Bodyboarding

Kayaking

Rocky Snyder 831.252.7625 [email protected]

Tandem Surfing

Lunchtime Ride a Wave Awards Ceremony