Waves of accomplishment

On July 13, families from across Long Island headed to the beach on Riverside Boulevard to enjoy a thrilling day of sun and surf courtesy of Surfer’s Way, a not-for-profit organization based in Long Beach that teaches children with special needs how to surf.
During the first of three surfing events this season, about 200 parents gathered last Wednesday to watch their children catch waves with surf instructors. After emerging from the ocean with glistening smiles and a great sense of accomplishment, kids received the warm congratulations of their proud parents and rewarded themselves with snacks and drinks provided by local businesses.
For the past four years, Zuckerman and the Surfer’s Way staff have worked to provide kids who are diagnosed with physical and communicative disabilities, such as autism, with a fun and exhilarating experience on these surf outings.
To help these first-time surfers overcome their fear of the water, Zuckerman and his volunteers help the kids hang ten on 12-foot tandem surfboards – which are designed to accommodate one adult and one child at a time – and tear through some massive waves together.
Through the generous donations of local families and corporate sponsors, the members of Surfer’s Way continue to teach kids with special needs how to ride the waves so that they may experience a wild adventure and discover their true potential.
“I hope that I can give a child and a parent a few minutes of happiness in their lives,” said Surfer’s Way founder and certified surf instructor, Elliot Zuckerman. “This is happy time, there’s food, surfing, and parents can watch their kids do things that they never thought that they would be doing in a million years.”
Check out next week’s issue for expanded coverage of last Wednesday’s outing. For more information about Surfer’s Way, or to register for upcoming events, visit www.surfersway.org for more information.