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March 2008

March 31, 2008

Spring Break Surf Lessons - Poirier Family

Yet another picture-perfect surf lesson for a wonderful family visiting us from Montreal, Canada.  The Poirier Family enjoyed prestine surf conditions at our favorite location, "1000 Peaks". 

They sent us these photos from their surf lesson.  Enjoy!

March 16, 2008

Maui Spring Break Surf Lessons

Yet another amazing week of surf lessons! I think we clocked in over 20 hours in the sun and taught 44 people how to surf this week! People are catching on, while catching uncrowded waves...that if you want to learn how to surf in an intimate environment -- they book their lessons with Maui Surfer Girls!

We had some of the most ideal conditions to learn the basics of surfing. It's even a two for one special - as many of our students got quite the whale watching experience sitting on their surfboards! Forget booking a whale watch - come surfing with us.

Here's some of our top photo picks of the week! Former camper, Jenny Noreen's classmates from Gunnison, Colorado surfed many party waves...I showed off my headstand skills too!

Helping_hand


Team_jenny_noreen

March 14, 2008

Maui Surf Schools & Politics - "Recreation VS. Regulation"

Maui County is waging a war against all ocean recreation companies!

The Maui County Parks and Recreation Department is threatening to enact a law that would severely limit ocean recreation schools at Maui county beach parks.  This law, MC10-102, would not only limit hours of operation, cap off students/class, but cut out over half of all permitted surf,scuba, kayak, kite and windsurfing schools!  This law threatens the survival of small businesses and employees, who keep our visitors and locals safe as they learn a new water sport!

Maui Surfer Girls is not going down without a fight!  Many of our supporters have written letters to Mayor Tavares in testimony of our program.  And today, my letter to the editor of the Maui News was published.

Check it out:  The Maui News Letter to the Editor - 3/13/08 

If you've been touched by our surf camp programming or surf school, we'd appreciate any testimony in our behalf!  Please email the Director of Parks and Recreation, Tamara Horcajo at Tamara.Horcajo@co.maui.hi.us 

Much Mahalo for your support!

March 03, 2008

The Will Smith Foundation

On June 3, 2007 the world lost a special soul:  Will Smith, an eight year old boy from South Texas.

How was Will connected to Maui Surfer Girls, one might ask?  I was the unfortunate witness to the horrendous head-on collision that took poor Will's life.  If it had happened 15 minutes earlier, the collision might've taken my life too, as I was unloading surfboards for my lesson at Ukumehame Beach Park only feet from the collision.

Just recently I was teaching down there - actually the first time at Ukumehame Beach Park in three months due to bad weather.  I walked over to Will's road-side memorial to meet a beautiful woman hanging lei's on his cross.  I told her that I was a witness to the collision and with tears in her eyes, she told me that she was in that crash -- Will was her son.  My heart broke and I gave her a big hug. 

After our fateful meeting, I told her that I'd host a surf day for Will around the year anniversary of his death - to honor and celebrate Will's life at the Park.  A few days later Susan, Will's mom, took a surf  lesson from me at the Park.  And in the many months of lessons, I have never taught in such spectacular conditions:  whales were breaching, there were beautiful uncrowded waves peeling in, and the wind was so still that the windmills weren't turning.  I could not believe it!  Susan said that Will was orchestrating all this beauty for her to enjoy and help her heal through this unfortunate tragedy. We were both silent in awe after this realization.

Susan has a heart of gold, where Will obviously got it from, and I was so impressed with her strength to transform her loss through the new foundation she created in Will's honor.  Please check out their site and donate to her cause!  As Maui Surfer Girls will do through donating surf lessons to a surf day in Will's honor. 

With much aloha to Susan Moulton and The Will Smith Foundation

And thank you for your plug on Maui Surfer Girls:   http://www.thewillsmithfoundation.org/?inc=5&news_id=12253