MONTAUK, NY — California-based non-profit A Walk On Water (AWOW), a family of waterman sharing the therapeutic powers of the ocean with those in need, has joined forces with The Montauk Beach House (TMBH) to bring their services to the east coast for the first time. During the weekend of September 26-27, Eastern Long Island families with special needs children have been invited to participate in a weekend of confidence-building surf therapy at Ditch Plains Beach. A fundraiser on the evening of September 26th hosted at TMBH will bring together a community of local vendors in support of AWOW’s continued efforts.
“As soon as I heard about AWOW and realized what a special and unique organization it was, I knew it was something that we needed to share with the East End,” said Walt Lindveld, Creative Director of The Montauk Beach House. “The local support has been overwhelmingly positive in making AWOW’s first trip to the east coast a reality.”
Through local charitable organization Long Island Communities of Practice (LICoP) and Whalebone Media, the call to families has been put out. Parents and siblings will have the opportunity to experience the transformative properties that the ocean can provide through a weekend in the water with AWOW (supported by CoreysWave instructors), with the goal of instilling a sense of confidence, accomplishment and joy in the participants. Coffee, breakfast and lunch will be provided at the beach throughout the weekend via generous sponsorship from Left Hand Coffee, Happy Bowls and Ditch Witch.
“A Walk On Water has always prided itself on working closely with the local community, its businesses and its surfers,” said Pat Notaro III, Founder and President of AWOW. “We’re stepping into Montauk’s back yard for the first time and have been overwhelmed by the love and generosity we’ve received from this unique beach community. This event is just the beginning of our investment in AWOW’s east coast presence.”
Saturday’s fundraiser, entitled Community Collaboration II and produced by Grandma’s House: Parties with a Purpose, will include live music from Kevin Angiulo and Dan Bailey Tribe with DJ sets by Nicky Paul from St. Lucia and Cole Ramstad amidst a local market with installations by Live In Color, La Mision Surf, SatlyVisionz, Martine and Juan, Girltauk, FIN Montauk, James Katsipis, Whalebone Creative, Ingrid Silva, Alexander Reinwald and Artbya with delicious and organic drink mixers being provided by The Montauk Juice Factory.
“The community has shown up in a big way to support these families,” said Larry Siedlick, Owner of The Montauk Beach House. “Through our partnership with LICoP, we’ve been able to bring families together to create an experience that not only benefits the child, but that works to create stronger bonds between parents and siblings through surfing. It’s important for us to utilize the strengths of our local community to be able to truly make a difference in other people’s lives.”
The fundraising event will take place from 4:00PM-9:00PM on Saturday, September 26th at The Montauk Beach House with 20% of art and specialty cocktail sales going to support AWOW’s continued efforts. For more information, please visit https://thembh.com/event-directory/.
About The Montauk Beach House
The Montauk Beach House (TheMBH) is a 33-room boutique hotel, event space and social gathering place located in the seaside town of Montauk, NY. With an active daytime environment and a chill-out-by-the-firepit-with-friends vibe at night, TheMBH, which includes an outdoor bar and grill, is just a block from the waves and sand of the Atlantic Ocean beaches, and steps from downtown. This year the summer season is filled with special events and unique offerings, from morning meditation sessions to poolside DJ sets to al fresco film screenings. The Beach House is the perfect escape for visitors looking to unplug or plug in. www.thembh.com / @thembh
About A WALK ON WATER
A WALK ON WATER is a family of watermen sharing the therapeutic powers of the ocean with those in need. AWOW’s primary goal is providing relief to families of children with special needs through “surf therapy” (water therapy through guided surf instruction). Surfing is used as a tool to build self-confidence and provides therapy via repetitive wave motion. Children experience the true “stoke” of surfing and a sense of accomplishment as family and friends cheer them on from the beach. Brothers, sisters (and even parents!) participate together, helping to solidify a sometimes strained bond between siblings. AWOW surf events focus on both the athletes and their families, who are treated to a well-deserved day of relaxation, healthy meals and support.
