My “day job” consists of projects and programs geared to engaging members of a community to participate in regular exercise while inspiring others to do the same. Sometime in the midst of helping connect social networks around exercise and health I feel quite sad that so many people do not have absolute joy in their active choices. If you are reading this you know what I mean!

Counting the days, hours or minutes between your standup paddling adventures and journeys only primes you to crave it more. Gathering with friends or heading out for a solo commune with water, sky, wind and nature – it’s all good. Some of you go even further. You design a goal, a journey or a challenge that can do more than simply inspire others. Often a fundraiser or a goal of raising awareness for a cause is at the root of your endeavor. We’d like to connect with dozens of YOUR great efforts here.

We will list your cause and link to stories and websites. Simply e-mail us what you’d like to share and we’ll do the rest.

We want to add your projects, passion and commitment giving to your community and impacting others across generations. If you or a group you know of has made a difference in the lives of others through their SUP and paddling, please share the story with us.

1. Bring Change2Mind: Elite SUP racer, surfer and trainer (among many other areas of expertise) Suzie Cooney has adopted Bring Change2Mind as a cause she supports. You can easily visit their website to take the pledge and start to bring awareness to the stigma and discrimination of mental illness.

2. Make a Wish Foundation:  Ocean Minded Brand Ambassador, Cynthia Aguilar, a Miami Beach lifeguard, has completed a paddleboard crossing of the Florida Straits from near Cuba to Key West to raise funds and awareness for the Make a Wish Foundation

3. Courage for Cancer – Karmathon: Elder SUP founder and survivor, Judy Shasek, paddled 33 miles in a day of looping the Deschutes River that flows through Bend, Oregon. Supporting and remembering those whose lives are touched by cancer brought together great energy and karma

4. Standup For a Clean Ocean:  SUP Cleanup Organization’s mission is to remove trash and debris that gets left behind or washed up on beaches.  SUP Cleanup can make our coastal environments healthier now and for future generations.

5. Algalita Foundation-Plastic Free Ocean: Morgan Hoesterey was the first woman to cross the Molokai channel on a stand up paddleboard. Not satisfied she then proceeded to cross the channels of all the Hawaiian Islands to bring awareness of the problems with plastics in our ocean supporting the Algalita Foundation.

6. Stand Up for Diabetes: Stand Up for Diabetes is a single day gathering of family and friends to take to the water with their Stand Up Paddle boards and enjoy time together. STAND UP FOR DIABETES By HDX Hydration Mix Hosted by Ryan Maloney, Alison Riddle and Vipe Desai. One of the fiercest epidemics facing our world today is Diabetes. The facts are alarming. Total prevalence of diabetes Total: 25.8 million children and adults in the United States—8.3% of the population

7. Standup for the Cure: Zane Kekoa Schweitzer celebrates winning the distance race in the BOP on a stock board and Breast cancer survivors joined him for a unique free SUP clinic at the BOP

And we hope your story will add to our list. Together we can create a standup network of GOOD.