10-Years of First Waves

I heard a quote recently that said, “we tend to overestimate what we can do in a year, but underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade.”  The story of First Waves is evidence to the truth in the adage.  The project started in 2014 with an idea to fuse the little-known sport of river surfing with the art of filmmaking to inspire youth to care about our waterways and connect with nature.  While the tenants of the program are still mostly the same 10-years on, I could not have imagined the depth and richness of what it would all become:  A community with shared passions and unique abilities directed at improving lives and the environment.  An organization built and supported over time with those that volunteered their time, sweat, tears, hearts, cheers, smiles, and laughter.  Relationships as hardened as the riverbeds on which they were formed.

There are so many of you that have been essential to bringing First Waves to the youth and communities that were most in need.  Sure, phrases like that are often spoken but everyone that’s close to the program knows exactly how true it is and how much of an impact it has had.  There were times that it was a modicum away from a neat idea of the past.  Instead, you all did what you had to and ensured that the powerful impacts of First Waves and the new projects of the Watersmith Guild lived on through tough times and will kept going, growing, and improving.  This time, I have a feeling we will still underestimate what we can do in another decade.  If we’re right, it will be another decade we can all be extremely proud of.

For all of you that have made 10 years of First Waves possible, I could not be more grateful and inspired.  THANK YOU.

Special thanks to Rishi Sethi and the Malhari Media crew for their work in making this 10-year celebration video.  Over the years, we’ve accrued more video footage than you can imagine and it took some serious effort to compile the story of where we were and where we are today.  It would not have been possible without Rishi’s tireless work in sorting through everything as well as his continual efforts over the years as an educator and filmmaker with the program.