Category
Life Rolls On
Baker Street Beach in Wildwood, NJ came alive with summer fun, community spirit, and a wave of volunteer enthusiasm on August 4! Over 150 doctors, therapists, nurses and staff from Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation joined more than 500 more volunteers to help over 100 persons with disabilities of all ages ride the waves at Life Rolls On – They Will Surf Again. This is a free, one-day event that provides persons with disabilities the chance to surf and enjoy a day at the beach. Since 2012, Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation has served as the presenting sponsor of They Will Surf Again, the flagship program of Life Rolls On. Life Rolls On is a nonprofit that serves as a resource and advocate for people who have been affected by spinal cord injury and other disabilities.
Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation has sent more than 800 volunteers to They Will Surf Again throughout the years, helping persons with disabilities get up and down the beach using special beach wheelchairs, get in and out of wetsuits, and assist surfers in the water as they ride the waves. "We're incredibly thankful to have Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation as a sponsor and to provide so many volunteers who are trained to assist our surfers." says Jesse Billauer, founder of Life Rolls On and 3x adaptive surfing world champion. "To have actual therapists and rehab specialists, who are trained to properly interact with and assist persons with disabilities, intermingled with our other volunteers who surf and are comfortable in the water, means proper techniques are used. That assures safety, comfort and dignity for the surfers." But hands-on expertise isn't all that Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation brings to They Will Surf Again.
Since 2015, they have partnered with local surfboard shaper and NJ middle school teacher Luke Alvarez – owner of Generic Brand Surfboards – to create surfboards designed specifically for surfers with disabilities. Working with input from therapists and surfers who have participated in They Will Surf Again events, the boards have large proportions, making them extremely stable and capable of carrying the weight of two riders (a surfer and volunteer) when necessary. The board decks feature thick pads for comfort and grip, and attachment points for adjustable hand straps. Alvarez has also used the boards to teach his students at Carusi Middle School in Cherry Hill, NJ about the importance of accessibility and inclusiveness. Students - some of whom have disabilities themselves designed the inspirational artwork laminated onto the boards. These unique surfboards are one-of-a kind works of art and symbols of inclusiveness and have been displayed at institutions, such as Philadelphia Museum of Art and the New Jersey Surfing Hall of Fame.