Local program provides surf camp for children, adults with autism

Neptune Beach, Fla. — Some spectacular kids and adults are going to surf school.

On Tuesday, about 30 people on the autism spectrum and with related disabilities surfed under the Neptune Beach sun through a summer program called HEAL.

“HEAL stands for Helping Enrich Autistic Lives,” HEAL founder Leslie Weed said. “The numbers are 1 in 38. It’s such a large population in our community so we started it to give activities in the summer.”

Weed told Action News Jax that HEAL also provides service dogs, iPads for students and more.

“We have 15 different camps we’ve funded this summer. We’ll have a golf camp, art programs. The list goes on.” Weed said.

“(My teenage son) loves it. It’s his second home. He’d be a fish if he could,” Sara Gomez said about her 13-year-old son, Zac, who surfed Tuesday.

The surfing program wraps up Wednesday.

More than 100 volunteers and lifeguards were in the water to supervise the children.

Action News Jax is a sponsor of this event.

For more information about HEAL, click here.

Cox Media Group