Ocean City Hosts Family Surf Fest on Saturday

The Chip Miller Charitable Foundation is proud to announce it is 10th annual Surf Fest on Saturday, July 27, at the Seventh Street surfing beach, in Ocean City.  

All are welcome to celebrate the milestone 10th anniversary.

This year, the Surf Fest will add a special Memorial Celebration for Gilby McMurray. Gilby was the six-year-old son of local surfer Steve McMurray. Similar to Chip and Lance, Steve and Bilby shared a tremendous father/son bond. Earlier this spring, Gilby’s passing affected many.   

The Chip Miller Surf & Turf event was started as a family event for the local community. It is important to the organization to return to its roots on this milestone. We are focusing on the reason — family — why this event was started. In addition to hosting the community-wide surf contest, this year’s event will continue to raise money and awareness for the rare but deadly Amyloidosis. It is this widely-misunderstood disease that claimed the life of the event’s namesake, Chip Miller, in 2004.

Chip's son, Lance Miller, said the following: "The Chip Miller Surf Fest started off small, like any new event. Through the years we’ve been very fortunate to have such strong local support. Watching this event mature year over year has been a true triumph and provides my family and me with the utmost joy knowing my father is still making an impact even ten years after his passing. We’re eager to continue this growth pattern for years to come and to spread the word about this terrible disease

‘The Chip’ as it’s known to the locals, has become well-known because of the outpouring of support from the community, the surf and auto industries, and countless others. These supporters contribute their services and products for autograph sessions, giveaways, event support, after-party raffle prizes, and silent auctions. 

All event proceeds are donated to the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation, whose mission is to empower people with the knowledge and understanding of Amyloidosis for earlier detection, to ensure a better quality of life for those afflicted with the disease, and to support science in finding the cure.

Registration for this year’s Surf event will be pre-registration only — available online at our website. Check-in for the surf event will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday at Seventh Street Beach.  A ‘first come-first serve’ alternate list will be provided at that time (to take the place of any registered ‘no shows’).

Fees are $35 for the first division entered, and $10 for each additional division. First heats hit the water at 8 a.m. sharp. Registration is $35 for first division entered and $10 for each additional division entered. The Surf & After Party combo ticket is $60. Tickets to the after-party only will be $35.

This year’s after-party will once again be held at Greate Bay Country Club in Somers Point, NJ, and begins at 6 p.m. Entry is $35 and includes an all-you-can-eat buffet and a chance to win a very special door prize. In addition to incredible food, live entertainment, surf movies, and drink specials, there will be an amazing selection of raffle prizes and items to bid on in the silent auction. 

For further information and registration please go to http://www.chipmiller.org or contact Nick Bricker at themush@comcast.net or 609-231-1562

The 2013 Chip Miller Surf & Turf presented by The Jeff Quintin Real Estate Team, Copiers Plus, Admiral Auto Group, Reich Asset Management and Yards Brewing.

ABOUT CHIP MILLER:

In December 2003, Chip Miller was diagnosed with a little-known disease called Amyloidosis. Sadly, due to complications from the disease, the world lost and incredibly special human being on March 25, 2004.

Had Chip and his doctors been aware of the symptoms of Amyloidosis when they first presented, this legend might still be with us today.

ABOUT AMYLOIDOSIS:

Amyloidosis occurs when abnormal protein, called amyloid, builds up in one or more organs to cause a malfunction. As an abnormal protein, amyloid originates in bone marrow. The heart, kidneys, nervous system and gastrointestinal tract are most often affected by the disease. Signs and symptoms depend on the affected organs.  The wide range of symptoms makes Amyloidosis challenging to diagnose.

— News release from the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation