Things to Do This Weekend: Give Back with Surfers, Artists, Musicians

By land and by sea, the south shore of Aquidneck Island offers Middletowners lots of ways to have fun this weekend while helping out several good causes.

Surfers, fishing enthusiasts, and non-SCUBA divers are helping out through a spear-fishing benefit tournament in Newport on Saturday, a special weekend-long surf camp for Providence youths looking to escape gang life, and a longboard surf competition Sunday to benefit the Potter League for Animals.

On land, the Newport Yachting Club sets the stage for the weekend-long Newport Arts Festival to benefit Looking Upwards, Inc., a Middletown-based service provider for persons with disabilities and back in Middletown Saturday night, two local bands take the stage at the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) lodge, also to benefit the MAGIC foundation following the day's earlier spear fishing event.

Lots of great options to fit into one weekend, so plan ahead...

Goal: To help families with children who have chronic and/or critical disorders, syndromes and diseases that affect growth.

Event #1: The Annual Hannah Grace Spearfishing Tournament.

The tournament is Saturday, Aug. 28, from 11 am to 3 pm at King's Beach off Ocean Drive in Newport.

Event #2: Live Music Event / Annual Hannah Grace Fundraiser

Following the spear-fishing tournament, enjoy live music starting at 6 pm Saturday night at the Middletown Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Hall featuring local bands "Milkbread" and "The Age."

Why these two events are important:

The MAGIC Foundation is a national non-profit organization created to provide support services for the families of children afflicted with a wide variety of chronic and/or critical disorders, syndromes and diseases that affect a child's growth. Their vision is to reduce the emotional and physical trauma caused by growth disorders, resulting in healthier, happier children and consequently adults.

MAGIC stands for Major Aspects of Growth In Children and is made up of over 25,000 families whose children have growth hormone deficiency or other medical conditions, which affect their growth.

Click here to learn more.

Goal: To help Aquidneck Islanders and Newport County area residents with developmental disabilities and help provide assistance to their families.

Event: The fourth annual Newport Arts Festival features artists, world-acclaimed musicians and lots of family fun throughout the weekend at the Newport Yachting Center to benefit Middletown's Looking Upwards, Inc.

Why it's important: The Middletown-based nonprofit agency Looking Upwards produces the festival annually as a cornerstone to its fundraising efforts to help support its programs and services. Founded in 1978, Looking Upwards is a private, nonprofit agency offering that serves more than 500 adults with developmental disabilities and children with special healthcare needs.

Click here to learn more.

Goal: To raise money to help support Aquidneck Island's only animal shelter.

Event: The First Annual Elemental Longboard Jam at Second Beach was postponed from Aug. 22 (due to lack of waves) and will take place this Sunday, August 29th at Sachuest Point's Second Beach.

The timing couldn't be more perfect as the hurricane swell from Danielle will be hitting this Sunday the 29th!

Sign-ups at beach begin at 9 a.m. and the contest will begin at 10 a.m. sharp. The entry fee/donation is $20 per division. Prize Packs have been donated from sponsors, including: Elemental Surf & Skate, Quicksilver, Quicksilver Edition, Roxy, Smith Sunglasses, Sector 9 Skateboards. Lunch for contestants shall be provided by Aquidneck Pizza. An After-Party also will be held (TBA).

Contest Divisions:

• Stand Up Paddle (all ages and both sexes)
• Nose Riding Contest (duct tape 36 inches from nose of board)
• Grom Girls (13 & Under)
• Grom Boys (13 & Under)
• Jr Men (14-19)
• Jr Woman (15-19)
• Woman (20 & ^)
• Men (20 & ^)
• Ladies Masters (50 ^)
• Mens Masters (50^)

Why it's important: All proceeds benefit the Potter League for Animals, Aquidneck Island's only animal shelter for homeless, discarded or lost animals currently housing more than 120 domestic dogs, cats, small mammals and reptiles. The Potter League seeks to make a difference in the lives of animals by promoting the humane treatment of all animals and providing shelter and care for lost or unwanted companion animals. Through community education and the fostering of relationships between people and animals, the Potter League seeks to enhance the animals' future while enriching humans' experience.

For more information: Call (401) 846-2280 or (401) 846-4421 or visit
elementalsurfjam@gmail.com.

Additionally, it's worthy to note that area surfers are holding a special surf camp over the weekend at Second Beach for urban youths looking to leave gang life.  A number of local surfers and other townspeople of all ages have volunteered to help out, provide lunch, gear and equipment, and assist the new surf students in the water.

Surf Camp instructors encourage local surfers to give the out-of-town students a warm welcome and perhaps even some good pointers while they're out there sharing the waves during what should be a great weekend for surf, thanks to Hurricane Danielle.