VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (GLAHS) and Team Red White and Blue will be hosting the Second Annual Waves of Valor Surf Camp for Veterans. This year, Waves of Valor will take place on four different days: June 21 and Aug. 9 in Santa Monica through Team RWB Los Angeles, and July 19 and Sept. 27 in Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach through Team RWB Orange County.
The aim of Waves of Valor is to assist Veteran patients in their reintegration into society through team building and social interaction. Surf camp participants include GLAHS patients who may have conditions ranging from Traumatic Brain Injury, hemiparesis, Post Traumatic Stress, and Substance Use Disorder. Team RWB volunteers provide Veteran patients with an opportunity to learn how to surf through professional surfers, members of the community, and fellow Veterans.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with Team RWB to offer these surf camps to our patients,” Director of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Donna Beiter said. “This partnership is an excellent example of utilizing community resources to further GLAHS’s Patient Centered Care philosophy of providing a positive healthcare experience in a healing environment. These surf camps are some of our most popular events and each year we look forward to them almost as much as our patient.”
These events will boast an attendance of 100 volunteers and patients per surf session.
“Team RWB is extremely excited to partner with the VA again this year to host the Waves of Valor surf camps,” Team RWB Director of Operations JJ Pinter said. “Events like this really embody our mission to help connect Veterans to their communities through physical and social activity-and are wonderful ways for both organizations to give back. We are really excited that several Veterans who attended the camp last year will be back as coaches this year, and are grateful to the VA for their support and teamwork in this great event!”
In 2015, the organizations plans on hosting a Regional Surf Camp where Veterans from across the country will come to Los Angeles for a three-day surf camp. Team RWB and GLA are looking forward to getting Veterans out into their communities through surf camp and other events.
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System is one of the largest, most comprehensive health care systems within the Department of Veterans Affairs. GLAHS consists of three ambulatory care centers, a tertiary care facility, and nine community based outpatient clinics. GLAHS serves Veterans residing throughout five counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. There are 1.4 million Veterans in the GLAHS service area. Visit us on the web at www.losangeles.va.gov for additional information.