By MADDY VITALE
The annual Chip Miller Surf Fest brought more than 150 surfers out to the 7th Street surfing beach in Ocean City on Friday to help raise funds and awareness for Amyloidosis research.
Miller, who raised his family in Ocean City, was diagnosed in 2004 with Amyloidosis, a rare disease which occurs when an abnormal protein, called amyloid, builds up in one or more organs causing a malfunction. A few months later, he passed away.
For 19 years, his son, Lance Miller, of Ocean City, has held the Surf Fest in honor of his father.
“I do this in memory of my dad. He was my best friend. That will never change,” Miller said, in between chatting with Surf Fest participants and spectators. “Ultimately, I hope he is looking down and smiling.”
Surf Fest featured dozens of categories and awards for kids, adults, families, novices and experts.
Some surfers, such as Becks Wilson, of Cape May, were fairly new to the sport of surfing. After all, he’s just 10. Holding his board, he eagerly waited for his heat to begin.
“Surfing means a lot to me,” Becks said. “It’s my favorite sport. I like competing very much.”
Zoe Herishen, 16, of Wildwood Crest, and buddy, Sophia Whelan, 17, of Ocean City, are no newbies when it comes to surfing. They are at the top of their game as frequent winners of surfing contests at the Jersey Shore and across the country.
The two athletes chatted and waited for their heat to start.
“This is my favorite surf contest. I love it,” Zoe said.
Whelan said, “I love it, too. I’ve been doing it ever since I was little. I still have the first T-shirt I got when I competed in my first Surf Fest.”
Surf fest was one of three events taking place throughout Friday and Saturday to raise funds for the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation.
From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, participants can enjoy full access at the OC Waterpark during the “Slide for Amyloidosis.” That event will be followed by the third event, Taste of Ocean City, at the water park, where attendees can enjoy food samples from some of the area’s eateries.
Miller said the fundraising goal of all three events combined is about $20,000.
“Taste of Ocean City has really taken off,” he noted. “It has become an awesome and essential event for us.”
But despite the importance of fundraising, awareness is key, he said.
“It’s not just about the money,” Miller emphasized. “It’s about raising awareness about what the disease is.”
Miller credits his family for supporting him with the foundation. His daughter, Ella, 14, and his wife, Michele, were on their way to Surf Fest on Friday afternoon.
“They are huge supporters. Obviously, my mom still misses my dad very much. That will never change for all of us. But they are happy that we continue to hold Surf Fest,” he said. “I think it is important to continue Surf Fest to spread awareness of a disease that not too many people know about.”
The event was a family affair for Ocean City residents Dana and Josh Linthicum. Their daughter, Keira, 11, was also with them gearing up to surf with her dad.
“I like when I catch the waves and ride them all the way to the beach,” Keira said.
Dana Linthicum added that both Keira and her dad share the love of the sport.
“It is something they do together,” she noted. “We love this surf event because it is so family-friendly. It isn’t as competitive, and it is perfect for us casual surfers.”
This year, as the Ocean City Beach Patrol celebrates 125 years of history in the resort, it is also partnering with events such as Surf Fest.
The beach patrol set up a tent to give CPR lessons to Surf Fest participants. In return, the participants received certificates, EMS Capt. Amanda Grau explained.
“Every single person should know CPR,” she said. “This is just part of our community outreach. We are happy to do it.”
For more information about the 19th annual Chip Miller Surf Fest visit https://chipmiller.org/events/19th-annual-chip-miller-surf-fest/
