Many people in the adaptive surfing community know Aubin Hooker. He’s often at surf events with Coastal Adaptive Sports with a welcoming face and enthusiastic attitude. But he does more in the area than help at events. He enjoys advocating for the disabled, particularly in regards to beach access, and he fights daily for the protection of the oceans we all enjoy.
In regard to the adaptive surfing events, Aubin raves about the participants. He knows that what occurs on a beach for many is life-giving and life-changing. People who thought their days in the water were over, or perhaps had never been in the ocean, come alive with the thrill that most of us take for granted. These adaptive surfing events serve wonderful people from all over the region and beyond and Aubin wants to be a part of it for as much as he can. His love for the adaptive surfing mission and the people it involves goes deep and motivates much of what he does in other areas of serving as well.
Case in point...the ocean. Though he is also a college English instructor, Aubin serves as Chairman of the Grand Strand’s chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, which fights to keep the ocean and beaches clean and healthy through volunteer work and legal advocacy. They fight for bans on plastic bags, for example, among many other points of concern. Like advocating for the disabled, advocating for the ocean and beaches involves networking, fundraising, coordinating, planning, dreaming, and battling. Aubin will be quick to point out that his organization is a team and each person brings their talents and passions into serving, and that it’s a group of people that love the adventure in their work.
Some of the visible efforts they make are to coordinate service days for volunteers to pick up trash on the beach. On those days, you’ll find Aubin sweating, elbow to elbow with people that love our earth and its blessings like the all-important and beautiful ocean. Plastic, firework material, bottles and cans, fishing components, and miscellaneous trash - all of these clutter and poison the ocean and beaches. Aubin and his team motivate and activate a large number of volunteers by providing well-organized and fun events.
Part of the work Surfrider has done involves advocating for the disabled, bridging Aubin’s two passions together: love of the ocean and love of people blessed by adaptive surfing. Through the organization, he has been a part of pushing for greater beach access for disabled people, such as building Handicapped accessible ramps down to the beach, among many other efforts.
Coastal Adaptive Surf is lucky to have Aubin’s time, talents, passion, and cooperation. If you want to work with people a lot like Aubin, sign up for an event. We’re doing great work because the work is great! Let’s change some lives! (Oh, and if you’re not like Aubin, that’s okay too. Most people aren’t. Just sign up, come out, help out, and trust us, you’ll have fun and want to come back.)