Making a difference in the lives of young teenage boys growing up without a positive role model is nothing new to members of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship. In fact, Brett Morey, Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle and Founder of Surfers Unite has been involved with the 100 Wave Challenge for Boys to Men Mentoring for the past four years. Brett leads the charge on the Degree 33 Surfboards team and has involved a half dozen Rotaractors and Rotarians in District 5340 as a result. Rodger Dougherty of Club 33 (RC of San Diego) has been participating in the 100 Wave Challenge since the inaugural year in 2010. A Lifetime Member of Surfers Unite and Senior Director of Public Affairs for Kaiser Permanente, Rodger has also been a huge financial supporter of the annual fundraiser for Boys to Men Mentoring. Talk about dedication, Rodger even completed the 100 Wave Challenge solo while on the East coast on business a couple years ago.
Brett, Rodger, former pro-surfer Damien Hobgood and a handful of others in the surf community have been working diligently with the Boys to Men Mentoring crew to adjust the traditional single-day event at Mission Beach with 230 surfers into a format that increases safety for all participants. In fact, after evaluating County Health guidelines and various options the committee created a two month window where teams of surfers raise money, pick their crew, their beach and their challenge to surf their hearts out for at-risk youth.
Rotarian Ernie Hahn of Club 33 created a golf tournament years ago and Caddyhack continues to gain traction as another major annual fundraiser for Boys to Men Mentoring, generating more than $163,000 for the local non-profit organization. Ernie not only lined up 22 local bands to entertain attendees but secured Goldfish as the headliner, an electronic duo from South Africa. Absolutely amazing!
Boys to Men Mentoring Foundation is a non-profit which reaches the hearts and lives of young teenage boys who need mentoring, accountability and a positive male role model in their young lives.
Below are some alarming statistics demonstrating the devastating effects of fatherlessness on a teenager’s life:
- 85% of youths in prisons grew up in a fatherless home.
- 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.
- 80% of rapists with displaced anger come from fatherless homes.
- 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.
- Gang membership increased from 50,000 in 1975 to 1,150,000 in 2008.
- 90% of homeless children are from fatherless homes.
- 85% of children with behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes.
- 90% of adolescent repeat arsonists live with only their mother.
The Boys to Men Mentoring Foundation has over 30 chapters around the globe putting circle groups together in public schools, equipping these young men with a positive male who can share their story, their personal connection and keep these boys accountable for their decisions, encourage them on their journey and mentor them towards a path of personal responsibility.