My name is Marri Murdoch. I am from a small town in Minnesota. My hobbies include anything that involves nature such as runs/walks down to the beach with my dog, yoga, anything adventurous or even painting landscapes when I’m at home. I really started getting into painting when I lost my vision as a way to challenge myself, encouraging my vision to come back.
I found Access Surf when I called the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled searching for activities to participate in within my fellow blind community.
To me Access Surf is not just about safely accessing the ocean; it’s about bringing the community together and empowering individuals to accomplish/experience things they may not have thought possible!
My favorite memory to date is when I went to Kualoa Regional Park DATB in July and was paired with Paola. She was made aware of my vision loss and truly catered to my needs by making sure I did every activity. Instead of being filled with anxiety of clumsily moving around to each activity I found comfort in being safely guided along and had THE BEST time during all of my activities. I really enjoyed SUP as I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it with limited vision, but I did and it was AWESOME! My second favorite memory was last month’s DATB when I got to surf for the first time. Catching my first wave was the most liberating feeling and made me want to come back for even more! All of the staff and participants are always very kind and welcoming, making every event a relaxed and joyful experience. These are truly experiences that I will never forget!
I am seeking to bring that same sense of feeling at home in a community, providing a sense of connection through fun activities with the nonprofit I’m currently building for the blind, Travel Visions Aloha.
