Surf dog Ricochet the SURFice Dog
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MUTT'AMORPHOSIS

10/3/2013

9 Comments

 
How something bad can be changed into something great!

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Last Sunday, Patti, a good friend and volunteer of Team Ricki offered to transport the surfboard Ricochet uses when she surfs with kids/people with disabilities & wounded warriors to the beach. We were filming a segment for ESPN, and Ricochet was to surf with several individuals.

When Patti went to her car to get the board, she pretty much freaked out… it wasn’t there. She was white as a ghost as she delivered the news to me. She was frantically trying to figure out what could have happened. She and a couple other volunteers jumped in her car to re-trace her path & look for it. They returned about an hour later… no board to be found.

One of the many things I’ve learned on this journey with Ricochet is “things happen for a reason”. And that’s exactly what I told Patti. There was some reason we were no longer meant to use that board. Fortunately for that particular day, one of the camera men had a board we were able to use.

The board that was lost was a 13’ SurfTech soft top board. We need to use a soft/foam board so Ricochet can grip it. SurfTech had very graciously donated the board to us four years ago, so they were the first people I thought of to replace it. I was embarrassed to tell them that we lost the board, but I knew there was nothing else I could say. I was hoping they could donate another board. Unfortunately, they are in pretty bad financial straits so the best they could do was give me a discount, and charge me $595 for an $800 board. I was grateful.

But, I didn’t have an extra $595 lying around. And even though several of Ricochet’s Facebook fans offered to pay for it, my initial reaction was NO! We never take anything for ourselves, and I certainly didn’t want to this time either.

But then, I got a few comments on pictures I posted from the day of surfing. They were from the parents of a couple of the kids…

Gina’s daddy is in Afghanistan, but took the time to comment…

"I'm Gina's dad. Thank you very much for surfing with her again. She loves it! I only wish I could have been there to see it in person."

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And West's mom commenting on one of the pictures of Ricochet surfing with him.
 
"This pic means more than anyone will ever know. When West was first diagnosed with Autism we were faced with so many challenges. One of the hardest ones was that he could not be off the ground. His therapists tried and failed to put him on swings and devices, but he would scream. The lack of control was terrifying. So to see his feet off the ground and him letting Ricochet take control is inspiring. West has come so far."

Those comments made me realize that I had to swallow my pride, and ask for help. Ricochet needed a surfboard to continue her work. To continue her magic. This was about the kids with special needs, people with disabilities, and wounded warriors… not about me.

So, with that I created a fundraiser to raise the $595 to purchase the Surf Tech surfboard. Within ½ hour, $595 was raised!! Ricochet could surf again thanks to these amazing people that came together for the greater good. 

So, in the spirit of allowing what is meant to be… to be, I posted that the $595 goal was met, but if people still wanted to donate & be part of the surfboard initiative, I would allocate the funds to Ricochet’s current fundraiser, “Save a dog, save a warrior”.  Donations continued to come in.

As I write this blog, $3270 has been raised!  $514 is going toward the surfboard, and $2756 is going to the “Save a dog, save a warrior” fundraiser.

Not only did an amazing group of people come together to help purchase a surfboard so kids/people can continue surfing with Ricochet. But, this group of people have now saved the lives of a dog and a warrior!

We only have $1614 left to raise to reach our $10,000 goal for the "Save a dog, save a warrior" campaign, and then a dog will be rescued from a shelter, be trained to be a service dog, and be placed with a veteran with PTSD. Every 65 minutes a veteran commits suicide, but YOU have changed the course for one.
The bad luck of a surfboard flying off a vehicle turned into so much goodness. If Surftech would have just given me a new surfboard, I would have never had the opportunity to ask for help. If I wouldn’t have asked for help, scores of people wouldn’t have donated. If I would have stopped posting at $595, we wouldn’t have raised additional funds. If additional funds weren’t raised, we wouldn’t be able to save the lives of a dog and a veteran.

So, to Patti… thank you for losing our surfboard. To SurfTech… thank you for helping us realize asking for help is ok. To all our donors… thank you for wanting to help even after the goal had been met. To all the parents & family members of those Ricochet surfs with… thank you for trusting my dog.

Next time something bad happens in your life… try and see the potential for goodness. Try and turn your tragedy into triumph. Ricochet taught me how to do this, and I hope this mutt'amorphosis will teach you too.

Judy

If you'd like to donate to the surfboard initiative & have your funds go to the "Save a dog, save a warrior campaign, please click here.

PUPDATE: The pawmazing SurfTech gave us an additional discount on the board, so the total purchase price is $514. The additional $81 was allocated to the "Save a dog, save a warrior" fundraiser.

We created “Team Ricki” stickers that each surfboard donor will receive. A sticker will also go on the surfboard to represent the connection between Ricochet, the board, the donors, and of course those that ride with her.
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DONORS (these donors are also included in the "Save a dog, save a warrior" fundraiser
Sharon G Abee
Kathryn Ardoline
Lynn Asdell
Rebecca Attkisson
Linda Barnes
Mary Barrow
Lynn Barry
Melissa Barthold
Donaly Bass
Leigh Bayer
Belle Roche Estate Jewelry of Encinitas
Katherine Bennett
Kathy Bennett
Judith Best
Elizabeth Bezak
Kristi Blackburn
Karen Bloom
Isabella Blue
Patricia Brandt
Joy Brawner
Debra Brumbaugh
Stefani Bubbi
Burgundy
Laurie Caffenberry
Kathy Cannon
Danielle Carter
Cindy Chavez
Michaela Clayton
Edith Cleveland
Susan Coggan
Kerry Collins
Teresa Connor
Kathryn Contento
Patricia Cook
Daisy, Belle & Twitch
Monica D'Antoni
Jane Davis
Linda Davis
Cheryl Deane
Alice Diech
Linda Dieball
Tina Diedrichsen
Maria Donohue
Dani Dorresteyn
Barbara Ehrlich
Rebecca Elder
Ginger Elliott
Faith Emens
Christie Eppler
Diana Essert
Linda Evans
Joanne Felman
Heather Field
Jennifer Fisher
Flying "B" Animal Transport
Rita Flynn
Mitzi Frank
Alyssa Gallagher
Bradley Gill
Bella Rose Gillum
Vernon Gilmore
Courtney Gordon
Casey Gorman
Danna Grumbles
Kathleen Gunn
Lori Muir-Gutierrez
Janice Halash
Dawn Harris
Pamela Hawkins
Peggy Hayes
Mary Heffington
Judith Henry
Kristina Herpich
Carol Hill
Diane Hill
Janice Hobbs
Rayne Holmes
Pamela Hosch
Patricia Huey
Patti Cakes Huffman
Janelle Hutt
Valerie Imes
Debra Webb Ivy
Lori Jager
Heidi Jennings
Janis Jones
Randi Jurgens
Ingrid Kardynalski
Shelley Keys
Anita Korblik
Kay Ladner
Gabriella Landry
Sylvia Lang
Heather Langley
Jenna Lavaliere
Karen Levitt
Susan Lewis
Kim Lillstrung
Ann Lindahl
Michelle Lingan
Maureen Litterio
Mary Jo Lobao
James Lynch
Marcy, Oreo & Citgo
Sandy Maurer
Dena McCallum
Nancy Michelson
Debbie Milford
Amy Miller
Debra Miller
Karen Mitchell
Donna Mizerek
Pualeilani Monds
Max Moore
Laura Morrison
Steven Mueller
Donald Mullin
MYHRECO
Elyse Napolitano
Barbara Nelson
Emily Nolan
Victoria Orcutt
Dan Palmer
Patricia Peddy
Debbie Pendleton
Ariana Pensy
Tammy Phipps
Justus Pingree
Anne Place
Dawn Pope
Ruth Popek
Kathleen Prazenka
Debbie Puskas
Helene Quick
Michael Rabatin
Laurie Radmer
Kristi Ralph
Olivia Ray
Kristie Reeves
Lillian Lee Reitz
Rescue Me Collars

Leah Richardson
Margarete Richmond
Patricia Riggert
Regina Rizzolo
Mary Roberts
James Robertson
Linda Robertson
Jeannie Rogers
Eric Rojas
Stefanie Rose
Gerry Rosenberg
Donna Ryan
Connie Samuel
Carol Santeramo
Melissa Scarfo
Diane Schneider
Sarah Schuck
Heather Scozzarella
Jerilyn Seer
Cheryl Sheppard
Kylie Shinholt
Lorena Shute
Linda Sidor
Simple Elegance
Lauren Skarnulis
Debra Wohlrab Skinner
Julia Skinner
Alison Smart
Janice Smith
Stefani Smyth
Dawn Sorrento
Fred Stein
Jacqueline Storey
La Donna Storrer
Ramona Rodriguez-Surdez
Cynthia Tadlock
Tonya Taul
Alejandra Tescher
Emily Tester
Laurie Thomas
Susan Thomas
Karen Thumm
Becky Timmons
Tine Enterprises
John Tomlinson
Susan Vopat
Tara TrainorSheran Voss
Kellie Webb
Sandra Weiner
Kathy Whitlinger
Michelle Winschel
Cheryl Wonnell
Lisa Woodburn
Susan Young
Carrie Zirbel
Eva Zoeller
9 Comments
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Surf Dog Ricochet is the only SURFice dog® on the planet who provides canine-assisted surfing, paddling, swimming, playing and therapy to empower
kids with special needs, people with disabilities, wounded warriors & veterans with PTSD... taking them from the battleground to the playground!
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