Surfing fun for all

The Ocean Grove Disabled Surfers Association is searching for volunteers to put smiles on dials for its last event of the summer on Sunday.
The event was a chance for people with any disability to experience the rush of riding a wave, said association vice president Dave Renton.
“We get a buzz out of helping people that have never surfed before,” he said.
“Most of them haven’t been able to enter salt water or participate in water sports their whole life.”
About 150 volunteers had registered for the event by Monday afternoon, to help about 80 participants hang ten, Dave said.
“Last time we had about 230 volunteers – we’d really like to have that number again.
“We need big numbers to run our program – we have twenty volunteers looking after one person at a time in the water.”
The association was also searching for volunteers to get participants ready and help out with cooking on the beach, Dave said.
The club has special-needs amenities and specialised amphibious wheelchairs to help adults and children alike enjoy the surf.
“We’ve got one of the best beach accesses in Victoria,” Dave Renton said.
The association’s specialised beach wheelchairs were available for use along the Bellarine and Surf Coast for free at any time, by arrangement, he added.
Dave urged locals to register as volunteers and help create unforgettable experiences for people with disabilities by emailing dsaogsmiles@gmail.com.