Patrick and pal
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA, October 8, 2009… Ricochet, (”Rip Curl Ricki,”) the 2nd place overall winner of the 2009 Helen Woodward Surf Dog Surf-a-thon, will be tandem surfing with Patrick Ivison, a 15 year old spinal cord injured adaptive surfer this Sunday, October 11th at 12:00 noon at the Surf City Surf Dog event (surfcitysurfdog.com) at Huntington Dog Beach at the corner of Goldenwest and Pacific Coast Highway.
Ricochet is leading a fundraising campaign for Patrick through her Surfin’ for Paws-abilities program, and this tandem surf demonstration is part of her efforts to raise money. Ricochet will also be competing in the event’s surf dog competition, and will be surfing to raise additional funds for Patrick. All donations go toward Patrick’s new service dog which is giving him more independence, and his intensive physical therapy he receives three times per week.
Check out this video newscast tinyurl.com/y9fb5nx to learn more about Ricochet’s fundraising campaign, as well as footage of Patrick walking as a result of his physical therapy!
Patrick suffered a C4/5 spinal cord injury as a result of an un-insured driver backing a car over him, when he was a child. Patrick was diagnosed quadriplegic, and has used a wheelchair ever since, but is able to surf using an adaptive surfboard. Patrick attends an intense physical therapy program three times a week at Project Walk, which helps him build strength by exercising parts of his body he can’t move or control on his own. Since Patrick started therapy, he has been able to do things he never thought he could!
Ricochet was slated to be a service dog for people with disabilities through “Puppy Prodigies Neo-natal & Early Learning program”. But, because she has a strong drive to chase birds and other small animals, which could be dangerous to a person with a disability, she had to be released from that part of the program. A new fundraising initiative “Surfin’ for Paws-abilities” was carved out for Ricochet, and she went from service dog to SURFice dog, and is now fundraising for charitable causes like spinal cord injured, Patrick Ivison.
Ricochet is seeking donations from individuals, as well as corporate sponsors/donors for the Surf City Surf Dog event to help her reach her fundraising goals for Patrick. Please help Ricochet help Patrick by making a donation at ripcurlricki.com/SurfinforPawsabilities.htm.
TAGS: Helen Woodward Surf Dog Surf-a-thon, Patrick Ivison, Ricochet the dog, Surf City Surf Dog event
