Surfer Dog Fundraises for Quadraplegic Adaptive Surfer
September 9, 2009 by Paris and John
Filed under Dog News
In San Diego, a local golden retriever nicknamed “Rip Curl Ricki” (AKA Ricochet on land) recently surfed tandem with Patrick Ivison, a 15-year-old spinal cord injured adaptive surfer. Although Ricochet has surfed tandem with other dogs, this was a first: surfing tandem with Patrick, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a childhood accident. Diagnosed quadriplegic, Patrick is able to surf using an adaptive surfboard.
Although Patrick has excelled in both school and adaptive sports, he recently decided that having a service dog would help him achieve more independence as he approaches his college years. Paws’itive Teams, a local non-profit organization that places service dogs with people with disabilities, heard of Patrick’s story and matched him with a golden retriever named Kona. Patrick also participates in an intense physical therapy program funded through Help Patrick Walk to help the teen build strength by exercising parts of his body he can’t move.
The costs of training a service dog along with his specialized physical therapy are steep…which is where Ricochet’s surfing and fundraising skills come in.
Ricochet has long participated in surfing fundraisers and will be competing in the Surf City Surf Dog contest in Huntington Beach, California on October 11, 2009 where Patrick is an official beneficiary. All proceeds donated to Ricochet through fundraising efforts will go directly to Paws’itive Teams and Help Patrick Walk for the sole purpose of easing the financial burden on Patrick and his family.
Video:
For More Information:
- visit www.ripcurlricki.com
- visit www.pawsteams.org
- visit www.helppatrickwalk.org
- visit www.ripcurlricki.com/SurfinforPawsabilities.htm
Photos courtesy Diane Edmonds
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