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Surfers Healing Virginia Beach returns, registration taking place May 1st - May 5th

InterviewByYiorgo

The weekend of August 18th and 19th

Surfers Healing Virginia Beach is taking place at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. It is an incredible, magical surfing event for children with autism and their families to participate in. Everyone is welcome to this freeeventtocomeoutandwitnesstheunfiltered joy and happiness that surfing brings tooneandall.

Theslotsfortheautisticchildrentoparticipate ALWAYS fill up fast so please make sure to go to register on line May 1st-May 5thathttps://www.surfershealingvb.org/

Surfers Healing was founded by Israel “Izzy”andhiswifeDaniellePaskowitzover 27 years ago when their then three year old son Isaiah was diagnosed with autism and surfing was a source of calm and comfort for him. Since then, Surfers Healing offers free surf camps to thousands of children with autism throughout the United States, MexicoandPuertoRico

We are fortunate here in the Hampton Roads Area that Surfers Healing Virginia Beachwasfounded17yearsago Theweekend of August 18th and 19th will be full of surfing for the autistic children, a 5K run and many vendors for everyone attending tohaveagreattimeYoucangetmoreinfoat: https://www.surfershealingvb.org/

Yiorgo: On the phone with us today is Israel“Izzy”Paskowitz.Forthosenotfamiliarwithit,canyoutellusaboutSurfersHealingVirginiaBeach?

Israel “Izzy” Paskowitz: It’s my pleasure.It’swhyI’monthisplanet OurVirginia Beach camp is a two day event, averaging about 220 children per day, per camp It’s grown into a circus vibe, a fun event with many activities and resource booths It’s a beautifulbeach,Ilovethelocation,withthe small, fun waves that we can maximize our effortsinthewaterwiththechildren.It’san interesting dynamic, with an amazing surf community that loves their waves and the surfcontestthatgoeswithit.It’sagreatlocationforsurfingandit’slikeLasVegasonthe beachforallthetourismthatgoeson.

Y:HowdidtheSurfersHealingcampstart inVirginiaBeach?

IP: We have the camp in Virginia Beach because the wife of Paul Vaugh, one of the local surfers that taught a lot of people to surf had passed away years ago, and his wife wanted to donate some money in his memory.Iaskedher,wellcanwecomeoutto VirginiaBeachandspendthemoneylocally? And that’s how autism surfing started in Virginia Beach When you walk up to the camp, there is a billboard with a collage of picturesofPaulridingthewaves.

Y: How can people make contributions, becomevolunteers,etc.?

IP: I would like for people to watch the videosandpicturesatwww.surfershealing org We are always looking for partnerships and donations and after all these years, to maintain what we do, and take us into the next25years.

Y:Tellusaboutyourearlylifegrowingup

IP: I had a very unique experience. My father was a WWII Navy veteran, Stanford educated doctor, and we lived in a camper that sleeps six. We were poor as church micebecausemyfatherjustwantedtotravel aroundtheUnitedStates,MexicoandIsrael to surf There were 11 of us and when you stuff 11 people in a camper that sleeps 6, we were very close to each other I loved it. We are half Mexican, half Jewish and when I was 13 we traveled to New York City in our camper for my Bar mitzvah and celebrated our Jewish traditions on the beach and wherever we were. We didn’t know any different We could see people living in houses, driving fancy cars and we wanted that but everyday was so unique to us We would surf surf, surf but then explore and meetpeople

Y:Youwentontobecomeaprosurfer.

IP: I was a really good surfer And really,