Dozens Paddle the Navesink for a Purpose

Dozens of luminous paddle boards graced the sands of Victory Park in Rumson, while surfer-types and young girls gathered round and were asked to say a prayer before they participated in Sunday’s event. 

The event, “Shore Paddle With A Purpose,” was a five-mile paddleboard and kayak ride along the Navesink River to help bring awareness and benefit Mercy Center’s Sisters Academy in Asbury Park.

In a way, the event was the perfect choice accompanying the classic saying “Up the Creek Without A Paddle.” Usually referenced as being in a “difficult situation with no simple solution,” the ride up the river was a symbolic representation of the Sisters Academy’s message that their young girls were and are able to come out of those difficult situations.

“It’s an opportunity for girls in rough positions to be educated. They are not only educated, but they are taught all other variables of life,” said Diane Meserlin, a co-minister at the academy. “There are opportunities out there for them and they shouldn’t feel like they are stuck in that circle.”

This was the first annual paddle event and was started by Ariane Yazdan Director of Donor and Public Relations at Mercy Center and Jennifer Sidun. Sidun—fit and lean, looking like she belonged on the shores of California—had not only been a fitness trainer at the Sisters Academy for many years, but was involved in the paddle community. She decided to use the sport of paddling as a way to raise money.

“This event isn’t just important for young women, but everyone in the community.” said Sidun.

Paddlers came from the tri-state area, including Manhattan and some even came as far as Delaware. A paddle demonstration for the kids was held by SummerTime Surf School from Belmar. Sponsors like Surf Taco and Mcloone’s Restaurant came out to support a school whose values were always in support of those less fortunate.

Based off the teachings of Sister Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland in the mid 1800’s, the mission of the school is, according to their beliefs, “to provide emergency support and assistance for the economically disadvantaged with an emphasis on quality education for the less fortunate.” The school opened in 1997 with just one fifth grade class. Over the next four years it turned into a middle school reaching its maximum of 60 students from 5th through 8th grades.

“I graduated in 2002, the second graduating class for the school. My time there at a point was changing, it was elevating, it was different,” said Martine Pier who was in attendance. “I was able to grow as a young lady and now I graduated college and am getting my masters.”

Nadine Alexis’s experience from attending Sisters Academy not only got her into a top Monmouth County high school, but brought her all the way to the halls of the hospital.

“It was very helpful for me because it allowed me to get into one of the top schools in Monmouth County, which was the academy of Allied Health and Science in Neptune,” said Alexis who was also in attendance. “It opened a lot of doors for me because the school was health-based, so I wanted to be a doctor and now I know a lot of information, so college wasn’t such a big deal. I’m getting ready to take the MCATS and to get into med school.”

Co-minister Diane Meserlin, again, wanted to make sure that “Shore Paddle With A Purpose” wanted to reiterate the fact that this event was important for not only the girls who have had success, but to other young girls just entering the school.

“Basically, the way to try to stop the circle of poverty is to educate the female, and that is basically the mission statement of the school. To educate them and let them know what their self worth is and to expose them to things outside of their environment and what the opportunities there are for them in life.”