Joey Parton has been an incredible part of our volunteer ohana. He is beyond reliable and does everything with a smile on his face and a positive vibe surrounding him. He has committed his time not just to our Day at the Beach programs but to our smaller clinic programs as well as the Hawai’i Adaptive Surfing Championships!
Joey, we are so grateful for your hard work and dedication to our community and are more than thankful for you!
Here are a few words from Joey himself:
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am Joey Parton! Married to my awesome wife Brandi for 11 years. We have 4 kids, all boys. I love to make the most of where I am…. So here in Hawaii, I have been hiking, surfing, snorkeling/freediving, reading at the beach, and anything else I can get into. If it is outdoors, especially if it has water, I love it.
How and when did you hear about or start with Accessurf?
I first heard about AccesSurf through Mikey Provost. She made an Instagram post about DATB at Publics last year. I didn’t know what AccesSurf was, but it had “surf” in the title. So I watched a video or two about the organization and its mission. Having recently started surfing myself, I saw the smiles of the participants catching waves and I immediately thought about how I felt catching my first wave. It really was magical. I knew that if there was a way for me to help a person who otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience that feeling on their own, I would be there for it. So I came out to Day At The Beach. And it was amazing. I am here for it.
What does AccesSurf mean to you?
To me, AccesSurf means that I can help someone get closer to normal for a day. I can help someone overcome a difficulty. I can help someone reach a goal or do something amazing. AccesSurf brings all this together. And all the friends I have made along the way. I have heard it said that one definition of love is meeting the needs of others. And to me, that is what AccesSurf is.
What is your favorite AccesSurf memory?
My favorite memory with AccesSurf was when the folks from Craig Hospital came to Hawaii for a week. Getting to work closely, in smaller groups, with such amazing people was something I will never forget. Being able to spend time with them, both at the events and back at the camp in the evenings, was so incredible. We were able to share stories, to learn about them, and to learn from them.
Anything you want to share with our AccesSurf ‘ohana?
Working with AccesSurf has been a true blessing. It means so much to participants, volunteers, and the community alike. I can’t wait to see the impact of AccesSurf and the adaptive community continue to grow and change more lives.
