- November 25, 2024
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The Flagler Surf Club started when Joe Eddy had a desire to rebuild the surf community in Flagler County.
“(It) seemed like it was falling apart compared to when I was a kid,” he said. “I wanted to bring all the families and kids back together as a whole.”
One year later, Flagler Surf Club is 150 members strong and is a constant presence in Flagler Beach.
“To be able to go into a second year with the support I have is just amazing,” said Eddy, who ran the club the first year by himself. “I started the club thinking I would have 25 members, and we would have a good time. But to end the year with 150 was overwhelming. It makes me proud — proud of our community.”
Members range in age, ability and location. There are some people in the club who aren’t even interested in surfing but want to be a part of something.
“When you step over that dune on the sand, you can leave the world behind, even if it’s just for a day,” Eddy said.
The club's No. 1 goal is to get families together.
“Most days, dad is running one direction, mom one way and the kids another. Our desire is to see a family be together and enjoy the ocean," he he said.
In addition to the club's weekly Sunday surf sessions and occasional contests, the group also participates in regular beach cleanups and charity projects around the county.
“So many people think that a surfer is just some young bum on a board in the water, but it’s not,” Eddy said. “It’s a lifestyle. You care about the ocean, care about the community, you give back. Surfers have such big hearts.”
One charity the club held last year was Wave for Soldiers, where members collected supplies and wrote letters to ship to soldiers in Afghanistan. The club sent out 24 boxes of goodies to friends and family members of the club and the community who were stationed overseas with the military.
For more information, go to www.flaglersurfclub.com or search for “Flagler SurfClub" on Facebook.
