Surfing Santas bring good vibes, raise autism awareness in O.C.

Nov. 24--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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