20 Apr SAND Camp Quality Learn to Surf Day
The crew from Soul Arch Media often donate time and services to local community events, but few are as heartwarming as the ones organized by SAND, and their latest was no exception.
Last Sunday April 18, surfing fundraising group SAND held a Learn to Surf day for Camp Quality, so Caz from Soul Arch went down to lend a hand. Apart from the 44 kids diagnosed with cancer and their families who were treated to a day down a Greenmount learning to surf, making sandcastles, BBQing and generally having a blast, an all-star cast of helpers including Kelly Slater, Steph Gilmore, Rasta, Rabbit, Luke Egan, Luke Munro, standup paddler Jamie Mitchell and ironwoman Hayley Bateup joined the SAND team to push groms into waves and spread the stoke. Some of the kids looked so small and frail on land that they looked like a brisk breeze could snap them, yet when they hit the surf the smiles were blinding and the positive energy was contagious. Not a frown in sight, and while no one pulled off a rodeo-clown you could still tell the kids were benefiting from such first-class coaches – Slater seemed to be taking particular care in making sure each kid under his tutelage got longer rides than anyone else, while Steph seemed to be imparting how to mimic her trademark grin.
The SAND team also used the occasion to hand over to Camp Quality a cheque for $8,500 raised at a recent golf day commemorating late SAND founder and event mastermind Denis Callinan, who was no doubt looking down on the day proud as punch.
A massive shoutout to Walking On Water surf school for donating boards and their full squad of instructors on a SUNDAY! Way to go guys. Also big thumbs up to the cast of local volunteers and supporters who made it all happen. The Camp Quality tagline is Laughter Is the Best Medicine, but I am sure all the kids would agree surfing comes a close second! Warm fuzzies all-round.
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