The Ocean City Surf Club (OCSC) is all about the surf, whether it be promoting the sport or the health of the waves.
The group was established in 2014 and focuses not only on giving back to the surfing community but also to the Delmarva community. This year marks the seventh anniversary of the organization and its support for the area.
The goals of OCSC have always been geared towards environmental health and giving back to the community, but they have evolved over time. One of these changing goals is education. Environmental and Scholarship Chair and OCSC founding member Effie Cox feels it is important to try to stop environmental problems before they happen, especially through teaching the youth.
The OCSC provides various charity and service work targeted towards the younger generations including funding to K-12 schools for projects, after-school programs, educational lectures and scholarships for high school students. These efforts help to instill environmental stewardship at a younger age so they can grow into more environmentally friendly habits, and Cox sees they are receptive to it.
“I see there are a lot of kids we started working with- or I have- that started in elementary school, and I see them now in college going forward,” Cox said. “Some of them now are doing their own programs. But I’ve watched a lot of them grow up and evolve and change the way they think.”
Cox is proud of the work she is doing, and she hopes the message of stopping problems at the source continues to spread.
“I feel like I’m achieving what I’m trying to do and it’s going to have a lasting effect,” Cox said.
For more information, please visit ocsurfclub.org and oceancity.green.
###
The Green Team is a committee within the Town of Ocean City. This group consists of individuals that are focused on protecting the resources of the community. They also work to gather information on the specific actions outlined in the Sustainable Maryland Certified Program to get Ocean City Certified Sustainable! To learn more about their efforts, including the Litter Free OC campaign, please visit: www.oceancity.green.