Letter from the Chair
Hello Ocean Friends,
While the calendar says it’s summer, it sure hasn’t felt like it. Temperatures have been up and down, and I don’t recall a stretch of sunshine that has lasted more than a couple of days. I suppose the silver lining to this weather pattern is the fact we’ve had some motion in the ocean. I recall a couple days I was surprised how good the waves were. I hope you caught a few, and if you haven’t, that you at least have had your toes in the sand.
Although we are doing our best to embrace summer vibes, the chapter has been busy! Surfrider HQ hosted a regional conference on Cape Cod at the start of the summer. Speaking of the Cape, the chapter is supporting the organization of a core group of volunteers that will support our efforts on the Cape and Islands. Stay tuned for future events on the Cape!
The campaigns team has been working diligently as always, representing our interests not only on Beacon Hill, but also at the local municipal level. Finally, we have made an intentional effort to work collaboratively with local groups, as well as other state Surfrider Chapters. It’s been fun and rewarding work.
In closing, I would like to acknowledge a couple people who are near and dear to the Surfrider community here in Massachusetts. First and foremost, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Christine Titterington (and her husband Pat) for serving as the chapter’s Cleanup Coordinator the last several years. Not only is she responsible for organizing dozens of successful beach cleanups across the state, she has also warmly interacted with hundreds of volunteers at our cleanups. She will be sorely missed! We wish Christine and Pat the best of luck with their move!
Congratulations to Surfrider volunteer and Ocean Friendly Restaurant member, Jocelyn Pierce on the reopening of Mayflour in the new location in Essex. I recently stopped in for a scone and an iced coffee (Ok…and a Surfrider Snickerdoodle cookie). I encourage you to do the same!
See you in the water!
-Chris
Upcoming Events
- Cleanup Gear Work Party (https://x.gldn.io/e/GtNGsIY5dBb) – 10:30AM Sunday July 16th in Sudbury, MA. We need some hands for painting, fixing, organizing, and designing to get our beach cleanup gear in good shape for upcoming cleanups in the summer and fall! (Unofficial Bonus: If weather permits and people are interested, some of us might swing over to nearby Walden Pond afterwards for a swim.)
- Surfrider MA Benefit Bake at Flatbread Somerville (https://x.gldn.io/e/VBCHHwDviBb) – 4:00-10:00PM Tuesday August 1st in Somerville, MA. On August 1, Flatbread Somerville will donate $4 of every large flatbread sold and $2 of every small flatbread sold to Surfrider MA. Surfrider MA will also have a table up front with merch and info about upcoming chapter events and our mission. The donation applies to eat in, takeout and delivery, so if you can't make it to the restaurant, consider enjoying flatbreads at home. Come by or order in to support Surfrider MA and enjoy delicious Flatbread pizza!
- IN PERSON Aug Chapter Meeting (https://x.gldn.io/e/DhLSdX55gBb) – 6:30 PM Wednesday August 2nd in Somerville, MA (or remote). Looking forward to seeing you at our next IN PERSON chapter meeting at the Armory in Somerville. A remote option will be available if you want to join but can’t make it in person.
- Volunteers Needed for Sponsored Beach Cleanup on 8/8 – Early Afternoon Tuesday August 8th at Constitution Beach in East Boston. We are looking for a few extra hands who can help us run a corporate-sponsored cleanup! If you might be able to help, please drop a note to ma@surfrider.org.
- Save the Date for STOKEE – Sunday September 10th at Nahant Beach (Permit Pending). Surfrider MA and Big Brother Big Sister of Eastern are planning to get together for the 21st year of Surfing to Offer Kids Environmental Education. This is one of our flagship events and a chance to help some awesome kids safely discover the joy of getting into the water. The more volunteers we have the more kids we can reach…so please consider helping and stay tuned for more information!
- Cleanup with New England Aquarium Dive Club - 10 AM Saturday September 23rd at Nantasket Beach in Hull MA (Permit Pending). We are partnering with our friends and fellow ocean lovers at the New England Aquarium Dive Club for a good ol' fashioned cleanup at Nantasket Beach in Hull! Not only will we help pick up trash, this will be a good opportunity to debate the merits of being on, in, and/or under the water. We'll circulate official signup links and more details once all necessary permits are secured.
Membership
Join Surfrider Massachusetts Today! Your donation makes you a member of the Surfrider Foundation and directly supports our chapter and our efforts to protect what we all love, our ocean, waves, and beaches. To learn more, click here
Campaigns
Chapter volunteers testified in person on Beacon Hill in support of the state plastic bag bill and also submitted written testimony in support of a bottle bill expansion for MA.
We are continuing to advocate for a coast access bill that would reaffirm recreation as a protected public right in privately owned tidelands in MA. If you believe that accessing the coast should be a right for all, and not just the rich and powerful…there will be ongoing opportunities to help raise awareness and support passage of this legislation over the coming months.
The Chapter continues to work regularly with local activists from across the state of MA who are trying to enact ocean friendly policies and laws in their own communities!
We are thrilled to report a recent campaign VICTORY in Fairhaven, MA, which recently passed a single-use plastics reduction bylaw covering plastic bags, polystyrene, and requiring certain disposable items to only be provided upon request.
Thinking about getting something ocean-friendly done in your community? Want to contribute to change bigger than any of us could accomplish as individuals? The Surfrider MA campaigns team is here to help! Reach out to us at campaigns@ma.surfrider.org.
Ocean Friendly Restaurants (OFR)
OFR Mayflour has recently opened a new location in downtown Essex! Learn more on their instagram @mayflour_ or on the web at https://mayflour.co/
OFR Forage was recently featured in OpenTable for their approach to sustainability! Check out the feature.
Connect with Us!
Keep tabs with the latest Surfrider news on our social media channels.
Instagram: @surfriderma
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SurfriderMA
Website: https://massachusetts.surfrider.org/
Email: ma@surfrider.org