Today, Wednesday, June 20, is a holiday for surfers.
Surfrider Foundation CEO Jim Moriarty wants you to take the day off for International Surfing Day (ISD), a global event now in its 8th year uniting surfers from around the world to celebrate the sport of surfing while raising awareness for the sustainability of ocean resources.
"... you have my permission to skip work, I'll even write your sick note,” Moriarty wrote on the Surfrider Foundation’s Facebook page. In the sick note, Moriarty suggests to your boss that you “spend the entire day on the beach.”
Personally granting the employee “permission to call in sick on June 20th and go surfing,” Moriarty also recommends that the boss, too, “take this day off and go surfing.”
The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit that’s dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches. International Surfing Day began in 2005 with only just a small handful of local observances in the United States and has since exploded to more than 200 events in 30 countries worldwide.
In addition to catching some waves, surfers around the globe are encouraged to take some time to give back to beaches and oceans. Surfrider Foundation chapters, along with various other organizations and groups, will host beach cleanups, dune restorations, surf clinics, coastal restoration events, and other fun surf-themed activities worldwide.
In 2011, International Surfing Day participants collected more than 5,000 bags of trash worldwide.
Here in San Mateo County, the local chapter is celebrating ISD by encouraging people “to celebrate surfing however they see fit,” said Sarah Damron, Central California regional manager for the Surfrider Foundation.
The "Open Martins Beach" rally posted in the ISD events section for San Mateo County Chapter is “not happening at this time,” said Damron. The rally was to raise awareness about the closure of Martins Beach to the public since 2008 when a Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist bought it.
“At this point in time I am unaware of any organized activity [in San Mateo County] for ISD since the activity that was planned has been postponed,” said Damron.
The Santa Cruz County chapter is hosting a beach clean-up, food, music, and surfing at Moran Lake Beach. A beach clean-up is also planned at Baker Beach in San Francisco as part of that chapter's line-up of ISD activities.
Also as part of this year’s celebration, said Damron, Surfrider Foundation, SMElive.com and TransWorld SURF are collaborating on something new. They are hosting a special ISD web-a-thon that will stream live on www.intlsurfingday.com.
“We’ll be streaming eight hours of interviews, movies and music, featuring today’s hottest pro surfers, celebrities and bands,” said Damron. “Our goal for the day is to help the Surfrider Foundation secure 2,000 new members.”
Download your International Surfing Day sick note here.
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