Sayulita’s 11th Annual Surf-A-Thon is happening tomorrow, Saturday April 28th from 9:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. at the main break beach. You do not want to miss this fun-filled family event! The community of Sayulita will come together to SUP, surf and boogie-board in order to raise money for Costa Verde International School.
The Sayulita Surf-A-Thon is a community-wide surf party which helps to raise funds for Colegio Costa Verde International School's scholarship program. This program is vitally important because it helps the school to be able to grant more scholarships to students and their families, giving more of Sayulita’s community the opportunity to attend the school. Chris Sullivan, director of CVIS, tells me about the school and why there is a need for the Surf-A-Thon fundraiser. “These [fundraising] events have grown yearly to meet the needs of an ever growing student population. More money is always needed for local scholarships. There are about 190 students that attend CVIS and 38% of those students rely on these scholarships.”
Nikki Bhattacharya is not only a parent of multiple children that attend CVIS, but she is also the woman in charge of organizing fundraisers for the school. She talks about the importance of the Surf-a-Thon and her history in putting it on:“Money will be used for school scholarships—making sure that the number of local children on scholarships at CVIS remains strong. The mix of international and local students at CVIS is what makes it so special, and we want to preserve that. The only way to maintain that mix is through fundraising. Our focus as a green school in Sayulita is a perfect connection with our love for the ocean; spending a beach day with our community is a wonderful way to honor our relationship with the earth. This is the 11thyear that the event has run. Last year we raised over $20,000 USD towards the scholarship fund. This year we hope to raise as much, but are still less than half way there. Please support our efforts.”
We need YOU to make this fundraiser as successful and fun as possible! There are many ways you can get involved in the Sayulita Surf-A-Thon:
First, if you like to surf, SUP, or boogie board, you can sign-up to participate.
This event is open to all ages, skill levels, and abilities! The Surf-A-Thon is not a competition—it is just a chance for you to get in the water and have some fun for as long as you can. Please visit the Sayulita Surf-A-Thon website to sign-up and create your own custom fundraising page. Next, get your family, friends, and favorite Sayulita businesses to sponsor you and donate toward the cause. Let’s see who can raise the most money for CVIS!
Luke Ackerman, a 9thgrader, has attended CVIS since he was in kindergarten. Luke is participating in this year’s Surf-A-Thon and is actively helping to raise funds for the school. “I have been surfing since I was seven years old and have participated in the Surf-A-Thon since I first came to the school…I believe that this event is important because it is a fun way of helping to raise money for the school, and I get to be at the beach with my friends.”
Additionally, if you can’t physically participate in the event, that’s okay—another way you can help is to visit the website and donate to your favorite surfer or team. Remember, they are surfing/SUPing/Boogie-boarding for a great cause; any amount helps make a difference.
Finally, all are welcome to join us on the beach to watch the fun! There will be a party afterwards on Sayulita’s main beach from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Included will be a raffle, prizes, and of course, tacos! All those who participate in the Surf-A-Thon will also receive a special goodie bag.
A big thank you goes out to our local businesses and community members who are helping to sponsor this event: Ramos Shapes, Sayulita JR SUP team, Dina Horo and Darren Eudaly, HOBIE, TOES ON THE NOES, Hurley, and LITIGOO.
We can’t wait to see you tomorrow at Sayulita’s main beach and to have some fun for a great cause. Surf’s up Sayulita!
Written By: Aanya Sheikh-Taheri
Photos By: Laura Bermudez (6th grade Spanish teacher at CVIS)