By Julia Train
Twenty-two years ago, Dean Randazzo, also nicknamed the “Jersey Devil,” was at the peak of his surfing career when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
While he was in California, his sponsors covered his health insurance, but he met others who were struggling to make ends meet during his visits to the oncologist and doctors offices.
“I think it struck a chord. One of the guys was like, ‘I’m going to be homeless, I don’t know how I’m going to pay my rent.’” said Jon Baker, Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation president.
When Randazzo came back to the East Coast, he decided that he was going to raise money to help people.
Thus, the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that financially helps individuals battling cancer, was established on Sept. 5, 2001. The inaugural Surf for a Cause event was held five days later in Margate and raised more than $20,000.
The foundation now has two major events in the summer: Surf for a Cause and Paddle for a Cause, which is on June 8 this year.
Paddle for a Cause was designed by Mike May in 2001 to “challenge racers as a reminder that they are helping people struggling with cancer,” according to the DRCF website.
The event is coming up in a few weeks. The all-day event starts at 8 a.m. at Ski Beach in Ventnor, NJ, with Desatnick Real Estate as its presenting sponsor.
It will feature live music, a beer garden, vendors and three courses for those who signed up to participate.
The three courses include the 22.1-mile Around-The-Island course, a 6-mile course and two, shorter, non-competitive “SUPsquatch” courses. The 22.5-mile course kicks off first, goes around Absecon Island and finishes at the same place it began, taking 3-5 hours to complete.
The 6-mile race paddlers are then sent off an hour later, starting at Ski Beach, going around Bader Field and back.
Team SUPsquatch (4-6 per team) and SUPsquatch are the two non-competitive options. Team SUPsquatch paddlers stand on a giant inflatable board and complete a one-mile course.
Teams are sent out and race head-to-head and in years past they’ve had Ventnor Fire Department going against the Dean Randazzo Board.
“That’s a fun event, but it still is competitive at the same time. But I mean, it really gets people motivated to support a great cause and they’re not alone. They’re out there with their family or friends and they can compete as a team,” said Baker.
SUPsquatch is the individual social course where kayaks, paddleboards, outrigger canoes and surf skis can all participate.
On average, the event usually brings in anywhere from 80 to 150 paddlers, each raising at least $200 as their entry fee.
While the minimum is $200, Baker said a lot of the paddlers, especially those who are competing in the 22.5-mile course, raise $4,000 to $6,000. Some even raise over $10,000.
“Each paddler has their own reason for doing that grueling 22.5-mile course. The sentiment amongst all the paddlers is that if people can battle cancer, ‘I can do this 22.5-mile paddle, and at the same time, raise money to help people who are battling cancer,’” said Baker.
The event has raised $100,000 at the most, but the past few years have made about $30,000 to $40000, according to Baker.
Paddlers can still sign up through DRCF’s website.
