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Blaze Roche of Huntington Beach kicks up some water as he surfs in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Diane Wenzel, left, of San Clemente and Todd Leone of Laguna Niguel wear their best Christmas attire to the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Tim Sampson of Dana Point, wearing his reindeer antlers and outfit, waits for a wave as he surfs in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Mel Wygal of San Clemente surfs in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Ted Gregorius of Newport Beach holds his son, Dane, 7, as they check out the surf at the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Enzo Ackerman of Mexico surfs during his heat in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Cal Neary of Dana Point checks out the surf before his heat at the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Brett Gregorius, 5, of Newport Beach surfs during his heat in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Diane Wenzel of San Clemente, dressed as a Christmas tree, surfs in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Surfing fans watch the action at the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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A surf board leans against a Christmas tree at the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Diane Wenzel of San Clemente, dressed as a Christmas tree, carries her board as she heads for the water to surf in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Caled Crozier of Encinitas gets some air as he surfs in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Robin Vandekreeke of Sydney, Australia, takes photos of his son surfing in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Blaze Roche of Huntington Beach surfs in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Mel Wygal of San Clemente waits for her heat to begin in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Surfing fans watch the action at the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Santa hats lie on beach chairs at the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Diane Wenzel of San Clemente, dressed as a Christmas tree, stands on her board as she waits to surf a wave in the annual Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest benefiting Surfers Healing, a non-profit that provides the gift of surfing to children with autism, held at Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point on Saturday, November 23, 2019. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
No wonder Santa is so jolly — he surfs.
A charity event drew competitors to Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point Saturday, Nov. 23, some decked out in Santa outfits and others wearing wacky attire in the water. The benefit raises awareness and funds for Surfers Healing, a nonprofit that helps children on the autism spectrum learn to surf.
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The two-day annual event is called the Surfing Santa & Stand Up Paddle Board Contest and is put on by the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. It continues Sunday.
Surfers Healing was started nearly two decades ago by San Juan Capistrano surfer Izzy Paskowitz and wife Danielle, who found out when their son Isaiah was 3 years old that he had autism.
Paskowitz, a former pro surfer, said he dreamed of bonding with his son out in the water, surfing. When he found out his son, now 28, was on the autistic spectrum, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to share his passion with Isaiah.
But when he took him out in the water as a child, the ocean calmed him. And he found it did the same for other children on the autism spectrum.
Surfers Healing holds free surf camps around the world. The nonprofit takes an estimated 5,000 children out to surf each year.
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