Event Down The Shore Gives People With Disabilities Chance To Surf
By Mike DeNardo
WILDWOOD, N.J. (CBS) - People with spinal cord injuries will be given the opportunity to ride the waves next weekend in Wildwood Crest, with a specially designed surfboard.
Luke Alvarez is a teacher at Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill, but he makes surfboards on the side. He made a special board for people with disabilities to use at the "They Will Surf Again" event on June 21.
"The board is probably 40-percent thicker than a typical board would be, because of the flotation to keep one, possibly two people on the board and be safe," he explains.
MossRehab is sponsoring the event. Former patient Alysse Einbender, in a wheelchair since 2004, says she is taking part:
"For ten years I have not been in the ocean. I haven't figured out who's going to get me down there, who's going to get me in the water and who's going to make sure I get back out of the water afterwards."
The board has small holes to connect handles or rails for the riders to hold onto.
Alvarez's students at Carusi took up a collection to buy a special cover for the surfboard. They donated it to MossRehab Wednesday.