Plastics – the Rise above Plastics (RAP) Program will con- tinue in 2012 to ad- vocate for a cleaner community through recycling and plastic bag initiatives; 3. Beach Access/ Recreational Uses – the Beach Access/ Recreational Uses Program will provide a voice for important coastal issues that affect not only us, as surfers, but the wider Galveston and Texas commu- nity. This Program will focus on issues such as the Open Beaches Act, Galves- ton ordinances which impact surfing, Gal- As we enter the sec- ond year since the forma- tion of the Galveston Chapter of the Sur- frider Foundation, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of 2011. It was an amazing in- augural year for the Galveston Chapter, with a lot of solid groundwork made for the organization to fulfill its mission of being a highly effec- tive grassroots envi- ronmental organiza- tion. 2012 brings with it numerous challenges and opportunities for the Galveston Chap- ter. We have five core programs insti- tuted within the Chapter that will provide a framework for the Chapter to reflect the needs of the coastline and the community it repre- sents. 1. Education – the Education Pro- gram, through activi- ties such as Surf n’ Turf and surf camps, will be focused on teaching people, es- pecially children, about conservation, research, education and grassroots advo- cacy of the coastal environment (and, of course, surfing); 2. Rise Above Surfrider – The Year Ahead SURFRIDER– THE YEAR AHEAD 1-2 MEET YOUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2-4 FORMER EC BIDS FARE- WELL 5 SURF & TURF 6 MARDI GRAS A SUC- CESS 7-8 OCEAN ART 9 CALENDER OF EVENTS 10 Inside this issue: March 2012 Volume 1, Issue 1 On Island Times... The Newsletter for Galveston Surfrider Foundation
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Well, what can I say, what a year! It has been great serving as the first Chair of the Galveston Surfrider Chapter. However, the time has come for me to move on to another adventure and relin-quish my position as Chair of this organization. I feel that this Chapter came at the perfect time for Galveston and that it will only grow with the new (and remaining) members of the Execu-tive Committee and Chapter membership. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to serve this community through Surfrider and to meet all the great people who supported this Chapter over the past year. Over the years as a Galveston resident, surfer, and ocean enthusiast, I was surprised to see that there was not a Surfrider Chapter in Galveston. I feel that I was not alone in that thought, as many people have come out throughout this year to express similar feelings and ensure that this Chapter remains strong. In only one year we have managed to get our name out around the community in a very positive way and will continue to do so for years to come. I look forward to the future of this organi-zation and the impact it will have on Galveston as a sustainable
coastal community.
Thanks,
Nicole Ekstrom
I will keep this short and sweet. It has been a great honor and privilege for me to serve as the vice chair of the Galves-ton Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. In the last year be-ing involved with Surfrider has been a complete joy for me, I have met so many great people and work on many worth-while projects. Galveston really does have one of the best chapters in the organization and that comes both from the fantastic executive committee and an amazing passionate group of members. I have full confidence that what we have accomplished in our first year as a chapter is only the beginning, I look forward to seeing the chapter grow and rack up many more victories in keeping our beaches open and clean. Thank you very much for the opportunity to be apart of something so great. Cody (Beard) Hales
Lisa Nicole
Cody
7
Written by : Courtney Lee
Looking for activism, out-
reach, and surfing all in
one? The Surfrider Foun-
dation Galveston Chapter
might be the organization
for you. Galveston’s
chapter is comprised of
community members, lo-
cal business owners, and
our own Sea Aggie stu-
dents and staff. Within its
first year, they have be-
come very active in the
Galveston community
influencing rising above
plastic, proper beach
maintenance, and open
beach access issues. Re-
cently, Galveston Sur-
frider has branched into
educational outreach
through Galveston Inde-
pendence School Dis-
trict’s 21st Century ACE
after school program. Sur-
frider Galveston has
helped GISD set up an
afterschool club, “Surf
and Turf”, where students
learn about Ocean
Friendly Gardens and
surfing techniques.
To kick off the program,
the organizations joined
forces to clean ten blocks
of beach and then made
ornaments out of the
collected trash. They
learned about the
dangers of plastics
and debris on marine
life and beach visi-
tors. Most impor-
tantly the students
were able to reuse
the material to make
beautiful decorations to
share with their family
during the holiday season.
Thirty students and par-
ents of Galveston came
out on a windy, brisk De-
cember morning to clean
the beach and take a little
back with them.
In January, the organiza-
tions and families of Gal-
veston came back to-
gether to build two garden
beds and a greenhouse at
Weis Middle School. Two
truckloads of dirt, a load
of mulch, lumber, and
twenty students later, the
students will be able to
grow organic vegetables
to cook with and Texas
native plants to attract
butterflies. While prepar-
ing the beds, the students
be-
came
famil-
iar
with
or-
ganic
proc-
esses,
proper
soil
care, watering techniques,
and how to feed chickens
grubs. The students will
utilize a compost system
to fertilize the gardens,
germinate seeds in the
greenhouse, and plant col-
orful plants and tasty
vegetables throughout the
growing season. This ac-
tivity highlighted the im-
portance of sustainable
and ocean friendly gar-
dening to foster the envi-
ronment. Other schools in
Galveston will also incor-
Sand and Surf, Worms and Turf: A New Spin on Surfing and
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Dedicated to the Protection and enjoyment of the World’s Oceans, waves and beaches for all people through conservation, Activism, Research and Education