A show of support for Long Beach’s Surf for All

Surf for All, a Long Beach-based non-profit that organizes surf outings and other events for children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities — as well as war veterans and disadvantaged youth — held its annual fundraiser on May 10 at The Ocean Club in Atlantic Beach.

Hundreds turned out for the event, which raised just over $30,000 to support the organization and its programs, which is now in its 16th year. The organization also honored Surf for All participants Bobby DiVisconti, Shravonie Carlo, Devin Fitzpatrick -Murray, and Angelo Pio Caporaso with “inspiration” awards.

“It’s really inspiring to see the community come out this strong with such a big turnout right before the summer,” said Surf for All co-founder Cliff Skudin. “Big thanks to our local event sponsors, volunteer event coordinators, and everyone who came out to show their support for these kids. We are all in this together and appreciate everyone’s role in Surf for All.”

Cliff and his brother, professional big-wave surfer Will Skudin, founded Surf for All in 2002 with Jim Mulvaney, the father of an autistic son, and former Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, whose son, Ricky, has special needs.

Surf for All works with children and adults with a range of disabilities, as well as those with life-threatening illnesses. Most students ride a board in tandem with instructors, though some are eventually able to navigate the waves on their own with motorized surfboards and other adaptive equipment.

The event featured live music by The Zebulonites and raffle prizes including the grand prize, an all-inclusive trip to Puerto Rico. Weisenberg also signed copies of his book, “For the Love of a Child: My Life, My City & My Mission,” which was published last year.

In 2017, Surf for All launched a new inclusionary adaptive surf camp, sponsored by the Harvey and Ellen Weisenberg Foundation, that is the first of its kind in New York.

The funds will be used to purchase adaptive surfing equipment, support programs and for private and group lessons throughout the summer without any charge to the participants. Surf for All also hosted the first ever Special Olympic trials last summer, and the group will again support local athletes in the U.S. Paralympics Nationals in California. This year, Skudin said that the group will expand its inclusionary surfing camp, and Surf for All recently helped launch a surfing club at the MLK Center.

“We’re going to be able to expand and get more kids surfing and help more community centers and organizations,” Skudin said of the fundraiser. “We’re doing our second year of the inclusionary surf camp — we’re taking kids and having one-on-one aides in the general camp and allowing them to experience the social component of surfing.”

Long Beach is such a unique community and the ocean is such a big part of it,” Skudin added. “And the mission of Surf for All is to get people from all walks or life to experience the healing power of the ocean.”