2023 Leadership Program
During 2023, The OisF and FLOW Leadership Academy had the unique privilege of meeting monthly with 40+ girls middle-school aged girls from Monmouth County as a part of The OisF + FLOW Leadership Program.
The Program - led by FLOW Leadership Academy and Brighde Dougherty, a certified MindBody Therapy Practitioner, coach and leadership educator - taught our Riders the practical tools required to lead themselves with confidence, and helped to refine their natural ability to be leaders within their communities.
Brighde developed a curriculum specifically for our Riders, with a focus on developing each girl’s unique leadership style and teaching the skills and self-empowerment tools needed to build the confidence, trust and resilience that the girls need to not only lead themselves, but to lead others within our community at large.
Paying it forward and “being a ripple” is a cornerstone of our mission at The OisF. As such, our Riders were prompted to create, develop and implement their own service projects over the course of the summer and fall of 2023.
Below is a list of the various service projects completed by the OisF Riders that were a part of this Program. Each one of these projects proved to our Riders that - together - they can create a plan, take action and make a positive impact in the world. These projects also served as a potent reminder that their power resides in their ability to lead with their heart and in their conscious capacity to give back!
A huge thank you to Erin Augustine, Elisha Costigan, Amy Dube, Alexis Feldman, Megan Kohl and Kara Murphy - an outstanding group of women in the community who volunteered countless hours to help the girls implement these service projects - these women were incredible mentors and examples of leadership to us all.
Please see below to learn more about all of the AMAZING service projects completed by the Riders in 2023, and all of the RIPPLES that these girls created in our community:
- Park Clean Up and Fun Run
To illuminate the importance of togetherness, “giving back to the community and giving back yourself”, Riders in our leadership program organized a park clean up followed by a short fun run at Green Acres Park in Brielle, New Jersey.
- Books By The Beach
Riders donated their time reading books to kids on the beach. Reading stories like, Mop Rides The Waves of Life by Jaimal Yogis, these girls aimed to inspire their little audience members how to practice mindfulness tools in life through the lessons that can be taught through surfing.
- Clothing Drive Fundraiser
Riders organized a clothing drive and raised $730.00 for The Jersey Shore Rescue Mission, an outreach ministry that provides food, shelter and addiction recovery programs for our homeless community in Asbury Park.
- School Supply Collection
Riders collected school supplies and donated all items to 180 Turning Lives Around to help local families prepare for the upcoming school year. 180 Turning Lives Around is a Monmouth County-based nonprofit organization that empowers survivors and families affected by domestic violence and sexual assault to find the courage and strength to turn their lives around.
- Winter Coat Collection
Riders organized various drop off sites for members of our local community to contribute gently used and new coats. All items will be donated to The Providence House, an Ocean County-based nonprofit organization that offers an array of services to domestic violence victims and their families.
- Youth Book Collection
This group of Riders organized drop-off sites and collected new and used children’s and young adult books. All books were donated to 180 Turning Lives Around.
- Green Acres Park Kids Scavenger Hunt
Our riders organized a family friendly, fun filled scavenger hunt at Green Acres Park in Brielle. Participants were charged $8.00 and prize winners received gift cards to local ice-cream parlors. All the proceeds from this event were used to stock local bathrooms with feminine hygiene products. This effort was especially notable in its capacity to fill a need by providing access to products and for starting a conversation about women’s health and equality.
- Lemons For Smiles
Riders set up a lemonade stand and raised $1,450.00 to purchase supplies for “Unicorn Boxes”. These supplies were donated to Liv Like A Unicorn, a NJ Pediatric Cancer Foundation that provides financial assistance and boxes of surprises delivered to kids fighting cancer.
- Surfers Save The Sea
Riders organized an ocean sweep in Manasquan, New Jersey. This unique idea was created by our Riders to encourage our local surf community to do our part to clean up the ocean. The project also aimed to bring awareness to the health of our oceans and its overall impact on the health of our planet.
- Park Buckets
This service project was organized to encourage our local community to get outside and play! Buckets were filled with sports equipment and children’s play items and then set up at local parks for free, public use.
- Give Your Clothes A Second Chance
OisF Riders organized a clothing drive to support The Madonna House, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to serving infants, children and women in need with clothing and other important items for free.
- The OisF Food Drive
To raise awareness around food insecurity in New Jersey, Riders set up a table at Brielle Day and collected a curated list of food items to be donated to our Manasquan Food Pantry, a local food pantry that currently serves 300+ local families in need.
- Paws For The Cause
Because our OisF riders believe that all animals deserve to be loved and cared for, our Rider Leadership Program participants in this particular group organized a pet supply collection. All items were donated to the Jersey Shore Animal Center, a local nonprofit organization with a mission to rescue, care for and rehome unwanted, abused, abandoned and sick animals.
- Surf Therapy Program For Survivors Volunteer Childcare
One of our OisF Riders provided free childcare for a mother who participated in The OisF's Surf Therapy Program for Survivors. This Rider enthusiastically and generously gave her time and efforts, providing games and fun activities for the child. Her genuine kindness allowed the surf therapy participant the opportunity to benefit fully from the therapeutic surfing experience and community The OisF offered.
