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Billabong Camp Helps Teach Wounded Iraq Vets and Amputees at Surf Camp in Pismo Beach
Sep. 14, 2009
By Justin
Billabong Camps Helps Teach Wounded Iraq Vets and Amputees at Surf Camp in Pismo Beach
Billabong
Camps headed up to Pismo Beach Labor Day weekend to team up Operation
Comfort to put on one incredible surf clinic. Operation Comfort is an
organization that brings surfing and other adaptive sports to wounded
veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of these vets are missing
limbs from explosions and gun fire, others badly burned, and many
suffering from some sort of post-traumatic stress.
The
weekend kicked off with a ‘meet & greet', and was followed by 3
amazing days of surf and hanging out in perfect weather. None of the
soldiers had surfed before, and most never even considered surfing to
ever be a part of their life before this weekend. We spent three epic
days teaching over a dozen wounded soldiers to surf and also showing
them they could do it on their own, which was the biggest satisfaction
for all. By the end of the first day, every soldier was frothing and
couldn't wait until the next morning. Cheers and shouts of joy were
heard all down the beach and in the water all day long as the soldiers
caught waves to shore.
Rodney
Roller, the founder of the event is a hot surfer (and an amputee
himself) who contacted Billabong four years ago to ask for our help. We
have been coming up in force ever since. This year the team was headed
up by Josh Harper who not only spent the most water time with the
amputees but drove the bus all the way there and back as well as
helping out on Aloha Friday and the film première. Van Curaza the
Billabong Camp Operator in Pismo organized the daily surf clinics.
Billabong surf star Adam Replogle, team rider Walt Cerny and big wave
legend Richard Schmidt (who runs the Billabong Surf Camp in Santa Cruz)
were among the volunteers bringing a lot of expertise and star wattage
to the event, along with Steve Clark and Jim Kempton.
"We are so grateful for this generosity" says
Janis Roznowski, the great lady who heads up Operation Comfort and
brings the score of vets out from San Antonio Rehabilitation Hospital
every year. "Billabong never asks for anything, and provides so much
hope, help and happiness to these veterans."
Actually all
Billabong does is supply wetsuits, tents, goody bags and surf
instructors - hardly a big sacrifice compared to these men who are
missing limbs in the service of their country. And ask any Bong member
who has volunteered before (Mike Wallace, Chris Heffner, Blake Pettit,
Mike Enos or Jason Jackson) and they will tell you we get as much
pleasure out of the effort as anyone.
The weekend included a Vets private showing of Fly in the Champagne, and some great dinners with the troops.
A
big thanks to Poncho's Surf Shop, all the big hearted sponsors and good
people of Pismo Beach. The Bong is proud to be a part of this.
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