Hi all,

As part of my work I am organising a "come and try" day for people with disabilities to have a go at windsurfing.

We are booked in to do the event with Sandy Beach Cafe at Sandringham with Mike Myers on Monday 29th April from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

It would be really great to have some volunteers to help out on the day, ideally so that we could have 1:1 assistance where needed. Registrations for the event have just opened but the types of disabilities of participants could include aspergers, intellectual disability, acquired brain injury, hearing or vision impairments, mental illness or mobility impairments. Participants will generally be young people between the ages of 10 and 25.

You don't need to be an advanced windsurfer or qualified instructor to help out, just to have some general knowledge of how to windsurf.

There will also be some stand up paddling happening so help there will also be appreciated.

If you are interested in helping out please feel free to call me on my work number (9298 8819) or email me at work: [email protected], or send a PM if that suits.

Cheers,
Peter

Great idea! Running it past the boss

I just messaged you Pete.
I'm in!

I'll help if I can Peter but may be OS.

Hi Pete,

I am keen to help, just waiting for my boss to approve my leave for the day. I have the working with children check card needed in order to work with the minors. I can also arrange some more kids rigs from WV if needed.

Let me know the numbers of kids expected.

Cheers, Jez.

Good work guys - I'm sure there will be plenty of rewarding smiles on the day.

Hi Peter,

What a great idea. I would love to help out but with the new baby being only 3 weeks old and work being so busy I don't have any spare time or leave.
I notice Jerzy is going to try an help from WV. He is great BBQ cook, may be one of the best. Plus the WV kids club rigs will help too.

pedro e said...
Thanks Stephen and congratulations on the new baby! - not my idea though - Dan Poynton has done two of these, one at Inverloch and one at Cowes. Unfortunately I couldn't get to either but apparently a heap of fun was had by all. Much credit to Dan! So I borrowed the idea...

Snags sound great Jez and glad that you can make it! I don't eat meat either so might bring some "not dogs".

It will also be good to support Mike's cafe as he has been generous in supporting this event.

Just hoping now that we get plenty of participants registering...

Hmmm... Didn't think about the cafe... perhaps we should give the BBQ a miss and give Mike a chance to redeem some money on lunch? Easy either way.

drift said...

It kinda makes you realise that for some, a great day out might not be pulling off a forward loop or a killer planing gybe, it might just be to simply get in the water, or sail ten metres unassisted. Little victories mean a lot....

Thats what the sport is about regardless isn't it? I got into the sport to have fun on the water, it doesn't matter what I'm doing or how I'm doing it, whether i'm cruising in 20+ knot winds or wading in the shallows on a still day.

It's great what you guys are doing for the disability impaired society. I would love to help out if I was down that way or if one was organised in QLD.

I have lived with an person who has a disability and it is very hard for them to fit in and participate in anything these days, due to people fears something may go wrong. I have seen the depression associated with this and it makes me proud that people are willing to put themselves forward to help out those who really deserve it.

Congrats everyone involved and have a great day.

Hey Pete, whats going on with Monday?

Would have been nice to have known before the weekend so I could updated my boss and not waste my leave.