Paddle for Prevention at Gulf Place new date July 13

GULF PLACE
update

Get ready!!! This Saturday is one of our favorite events of the year at #GulfPlace30A!

Join us for the 4th Annual Paddle for Prevention on June 8th at the Gulf Place Beach Access!

Paddle for Prevention is an event to expose people to paddle boarding and show how therapeutic the water can be. Paddle out with the community, connect with others, and embrace the healing qualities of the Gulf.

Try paddle boarding for the first time or paddle for the cause!

8:30 Registration Starts (but can come at anytime throughout event)
9:00 - 9:15 Opening Ceremony
9:15 - 10:45 Open Paddle - Learn to stand up paddle board and join us in the Gulf of Mexico for a peaceful paddle to raise awareness and connect with others.
10:45 - 11:00 Honor Ceremony - Release rose petals in the water for a loved one lost, for strength for yourself, and to honor someone in your life that may be struggling with mental illness.
11:00 - 12:00 Grande SUP Race - Teams of 6 will race each other on the inflatable grande stand up paddle board for a fun interactive race. There will be a grand prize winner. This is for teams and sponsors who register. Cost is $300 ($50 per person). This is a fun finale for spectators also to close the event.
12:00 - 2:00 After Party at Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar with food & drink specials and live music. Raffle winners will also be announced.

Boards will be provided by YOLO Board & Adventure 30A. Participants are encouraged to bring their own boards too.

Register online at AFSP.org/paddle2019 and start fundraising today!

Any registrant who raises $100 or more will receive a free Paddle for Prevention t-shirt. We will have information tables setup on the beach, top sponsor tents and a great raffle for a chance to win amazing prizes.

Paddle to Raise Awareness, Paddle to Break the Stigma, Paddle in Honor of a Loved One, Paddle to Save Lives, Paddle to Fight Suicide!

Join the event here and help spread the word:

UPDATE: Due to weather the paddle portion of this event is rescheduled for July 13th. The Party portion will still take place on Saturday, June 8th from 11am-2pm at Red Fish Taco.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Florida Panhandle Chapter announces the new date of its event, Paddle for Prevention. Due to inclement weather on the originally scheduled date, the 4th annual event will be moved to July 13 from 9:00am to 12:00pm at the Gulf Place Beach Access in Santa Rosa Beach, FL in an effort raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. This event is for all levels of experience from first time paddlers to experts. Boards will be provided by YOLO Board and Adventure 30A. Participants are also welcome to bring their own boards as well to enjoy a day of fun on the water.

Registration starts at 8:30am and the Opening Ceremony will start at 9:00am. The beach access is located at 4451 W Co Hwy 30 A, just west of Ed Walline Beach Access at the intersection of Hwy 393 and 30A.

“We wanted to keep the momentum moving forward on the original day and transitioned into ‘Party’ for Prevention,” says Amanda Abbott, Paddle for Prevention Chair. “Jim Richard and his team at Red Fish Taco were so generous to open up their event space to us last minute and we were able to raise over $17,000 so far and are looking forward to the rescheduled paddle date in July.”

The Open Paddle portion of the event will run from 9:15am to 10:45am. Registration for the Open Paddle is $20 and participants are encouraged to fundraise. Any participant who raises $100 or more will receive a free shirt! Participants that are new to paddle boarding can work with the YOLO team to learn the basics and enjoy a peaceful paddle to raise awareness and connect with others. The Memorial Rose Petal Ceremony will follow from 10:45am to 11:00am to honor loved ones lost.

“Amanda has done an amazing job rallying the community together for this cause,” says Jessica Roberts, Chapter Chair. “We are now looking to double the original goal and hope to raise $20,000 as well as continuing to raise awareness and break the stigma around mental health issues and suicide prevention.”

The event will wrap up with the Grande SUP Race. This is a great opportunity for local businesses to sign up as a team and represent their company on the water. All six team members will be on one large oversized inflatable board for a fun interactive race. Team registration is $300, each team member will receive a shirt, and the winning team receives a grand prize package which includes a 3-night stay from Platinum Sponsor, ResortQuest Real Estate.

Participants can still register online for Paddle for Prevention at AFSP.org/Paddle2019 (All information and fundraising totals from pre-registered participants will transfer to new date. No need to register again. Continued fundraising is encouraged.)

All funds raised help to continue the AFSP Florida Panhandle Chapter’s mission to provide the community mental health and suicide prevention resources, education, and advocacy.

For more information, contact Amanda Abbott at Amanda@PaddleForPreventionAFSP.com or visit facebook.com/AFSPFloridaPanhandle/