{"id":2623,"date":"2017-08-25T10:54:53","date_gmt":"2017-08-25T14:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulletinbag.com\/blog\/?p=2623"},"modified":"2025-05-29T12:19:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T16:19:14","slug":"special-surfers-summer-stoke-people-special-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulletinbag.com\/blog\/special-surfers-summer-stoke-people-special-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Special Surfers: Summer Stoke for Special People"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Special Surfers’ founder, Nanci Boutet, with Jennifer Christensen and kids<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the third Tuesday in June, July, and August, a huge group of amazing people from all over New England\u2014and beyond–converge on Gooches Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine to share in a magical evening of surfing, support, and love with Special Surfers.<\/p>\n

Special Surfers is a nonprofit that provides an opportunity for kids and young adults with special needs (emotional, mental, or physical) to surf in the summer.\u00a0 There is no cost to participants or their families, and all equipment and instruction is provided.<\/p>\n

Bulletin Brands staff member Jennifer Christensen has been participating in the event with her son, Jack, since 2012. Jack has Down syndrome, and Special Surfers is a highlight of his summer. While there are many people with Down syndrome surfing, there are literally hundreds of special surfers with many different types of disabilities that participate.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Suzette Bergeron, owner of Bulletin Brands, has a nephew with autism who surfed this August with the program for the first time, and loved it! He can\u2019t wait to hit the waves next June!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Suzette’s nephew, Bryce, with his surf buddies!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In fact, Suzette was born with a physical disability. Growing up with few\u2014if any\u2014programs for kids with disabilities, she can only imagine what it would have felt like to be given the opportunity to surf. \u00a0\u00a0This is one of many reasons Suzette personally feels connected to the organization.<\/p>\n

So, when Special Surfers\u2019 founder Nanci Boutet posted a need for surfboard donations on Facebook, it didn\u2019t take long for us to decide to support the organization at the next level. That\u2019s right, Bulletin Brands bought a surfboard!<\/p>\n

Once the 11\u2019 (yes, that\u2019s eleven FEET) board arrived, Jennifer, Suzette, and their kids had a party to decorate the longboard. The kids took artistic license with their designs, meant to shower the rider with stoke!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Shaka!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The board made its debut at August\u2019s Special Surfers and was tested out by our own Jack Christensen, who gave it two thumbs up. According to Nanci, this board\u2019s long length is an important addition to the group\u2019s toolkit and will be a key part of the event for years to come.<\/p>\n

To learn more, or to donate money, wetsuits, or surfboards to Special Surfers so they can continue their mission, please visit their website. To get some virtual stoke of your own, like Special Surfers on Facebook.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Suzette with Jennifer and her kids<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And if your travels take you to Kennebunkport, Maine on a warm Tuesday afternoon in June, July, or August, come and check this event out for yourself. See if you can spot the Bulletin Brands board. Or, better yet, volunteer your time. You don\u2019t need to be a surfer, and you don\u2019t even need to get wet. You just need enthusiasm, love, and a desire to impact lives!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On the third Tuesday in June, July, and August, a huge group of amazing people from all over New England\u2014and beyond–converge on Gooches Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine to share in a magical evening of surfing, support, and love with Special Surfers. Special Surfers is a nonprofit that provides an opportunity for kids and young adults […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[210],"tags":[29],"yoast_head":"\nSpecial Surfers: Summer Stoke for Special People - Bulletin Bag<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For three nights every summer, Special Surfers converges on Kennebunkport, ME so that kids and young adults with special needs can learn to surf.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bulletinbag.com\/blog\/special-surfers-summer-stoke-people-special-needs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Special Surfers: Summer Stoke for Special People - 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