Surfers, Community Show Heart, Raise $3,000 to Benefit Autism

OCNJ Daily

The Heart of Surfing event, held Saturday afternoon on the 7^th St Beach, was the most successful yet both in participation, and fundraising to aid children with autism. The event, now in its third year, included a conventional surfing contest and surfing sessions for special needs individuals. Volunteers assisted the special needs participants in catching waves, standing on the boards, and sometimes riding tandem.

2016 HOS Event Organizers from left - Dennis Siteman, Cindy Fertsch, Bob Fertsch According to event co-founder and organizer Cindy Fertsch. The Heart of Surfing attracted more than 25 surfers with special needs, (double last year’s number) and raised approximately $3,000 which is also double the amount of last year.

Ron Curcio with Heart of Surfing Student “The event has grown and the reason is the generosity of our surfing community and our sponsors, said Fertsch. She and husband Bob founded the event after seeing the positive impact surfing has on their autistic son, Jamie. They founded Heart of Surfing, which also uses skateboarding as “therapy” for the challenged individuals.

Volunteers Paul and Ron helping out Each participant received a special pendant in the shape of a puzzle piece, the symbol of autism research. “This year we had a wide range of special needs participants and we had a beautiful day out here,” Fertsch said. The three major surf shops in town, Heritage, 7^th St. Surf Shop and Surfers Supplies played a major role, donating the use of surfboards, wetsuits and other needed equipment, organizers said. Other businesses in town donated food, coffee, pizza, prizes and a variety of goods and services. The contest was run by a local Ocean City-based surfing club, No Passports Needed, or NPN, which also provided some of the volunteers. NPN member Willie Fannon, who is also founder of Ocean City NJ Surf School worked the microphone for the contest as emcee. Other sponsors included Ocean City NJ Surf School, Ocean City Surf Café, Brian Wynn Surfboards, Grace and Glory Yoga, Glazed Over, Copiers Plus, Noble Food Services, Dunkin Donuts, Romanelli’s restaurant, Shore Local Newsmagazine, Ward’s Pastries, Beau Ridge Photography, Joe 3 Photography, Red’s Jersey Mexico Café, and Think Ink Screen Printing.