Eve’s heartfelt drive to help keep kids surfing

EVE Alexiadis isn’t sure how she would cope during lockdown if she couldn’t surf the wintry waters of Ocean Grove.
The 21-year-old loves the feeling of leaving any worries on the shoreline and hitting the waves.
It is a feeling she doesn’t want young people missing out on just because they don’t own a wetsuit to keep them warm.
Eve discovered Surf Coast-based charity Ocean Mind while researching a university project and loved its mission to provide therapeutic surf programs for youth experiencing mental health challenges, social isolation and disabilities. It saddened her to think kids were missing out on group programs and access to surf equipment due to pandemic restrictions.
“During this time surfing has been such a relief for me and such a lucky place to be because it can be so stressful everywhere else at the moment,” she says.
“As long as you have got a wetsuit and any kind of board you can be in the water for hours so I thought that was really important.”

Eve faced her own challenges during childhood after being born with a congenital heart condition and undergoing two open heart surgeries by the age of six. Her experiences nurtured a desire to give back and she has been involved with many charities, including an advisory role with Heart Kids. Her latest effort is the Surf Gear Drive, which is now part of the Ocean Mind’s “COVID Season of Giving”.

Eve is asking people on the Bellarine and Surf Coast to simply donate their old wetsuits, springsuits, gloves, booties, hoods and surf hats.
“It’s been such an amazing response – people have been donating their kids’ old wetsuits and businesses have offered to donate brand new wetsuits too.”
Ocean Mind founder and CEO, Rachael Parker, is grateful for Eve’s support during what is a particularly difficult time for teenagers.
“We try wherever possible to give the kids a wetsuit and, as they grow, we take the wetsuit back and give them a bigger wetsuit,” she explains.
“It means young people can still get in the water and have their own equipment without relying on our services completely.”

Rachael says the free program – which caters to young people aged 8-18 – is currently running via online Zoom sessions which are fun and surf-themed.
Ocean Mind relies on donations and is currently fundraising to employ another co-ordinator to meet demand, with more than 70 young people on a waiting list.
“A lot of the kids speak about how in the water they don’t have the worries that are left on the sand,” Rachael says.
“They enter the water and it’s this freeing space that gives them a break from the complexities of life.”
Rachael says community support since the organisation was established in 2016 has been phenomenal.
Eve is confident that same generosity of spirit will help make her Surf Gear Drive a success.
“If one wetsuit gets one kid in the water it will do so much for their mental, physical and general wellbeing.
“So please dig out your old gear and donate.”
Surf gear can be left at Green Room, 64 The Terrace, Ocean Grove or Whiteroom Snow, 114B Surf Coast Highway, Torquay. Financial donations can be made at www.oceanmind.org.au