Vicky Enriquez, 6, of Palmdale — with her mom, Galia, and Best Day Foundation volunteers — was among the more than 40 special-needs children and young adults participating in Sunday’s festivities at Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara. The day was filled with water sport activities that included body-boarding, kayaking, tandem surfing, paddleboarding and a beach obstacle course. 
For 6-year-old Vicky Enriquez of Palmdale, this was her second Best Day Foundation day at the beach, and this time she went surfing and kayaking. 
Grins and excited shrieks brightened the otherwise gray day at Leadbetter Beach. 
Enthusiastic volunteers, family members and friends greet surfers coming ashore. 
Piece of cake. 
More than 40 children and young adults with special needs, some 130 volunteers and countless family members and friends turned out for the sixth annual Best Day Foundation event at Leadbetter Beach. 
Body-boarding buddies.
With the help of about 130 volunteers, more than 40 children and young adults with special needs enjoyed water sport activities and played in the waves during an adventure day at Santa Barbara’s Leadbetter Beach on Sunday.
The sixth annual event was hosted by the volunteer Santa Barbara Chapter of Best Day Foundation. Participants ages 4 to 24 experienced a day filled with activities like body-boarding, kayaking, tandem surfing, paddleboarding and a beach obstacle course.
Some of the participants have autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, blindness, cancer, and other developmental and physical challenges.
“She has a severe form of epilepsy,” Galia Enriquez of Palmdale said of her 6-year-old daughter, Vicky. “Today, I have a happy day because she enjoys all of the activities.”
It was Vicky’s second time participating in Santa Barbara’s Best Day beach event, and on Sunday she went kayaking and surfing.
From shore, Vicky’s mother watched and cheered. Enriquez captured her daughter’s surf session through the lens of her phone camera.
“She feels independent and welcome with everyone here,” Enriquez said of her daughter. “She enjoys being part of this event. Many times, the special-needs kids feel apart, and everyone looks at how they walk or talk.
“With activities like this, they are involved and feel like part of society.”
The Best Day Foundation focuses on the positive attributes of what children and young adults who live with special needs are capable of doing, with the help of certified lifeguards, registered nurses and adaptive equipment. Volunteers spend time as a “beach buddy,” and are paired with participants to help them make the most of their day.
“We are letting kids who have special needs not be defined by their special need, and let them show their abilities and not just disabilities,” said Jen Gamez-Sparrow, a registered nurse and co-chairwoman of the Santa Barbara event.
“The families, volunteers and participants can build relationships and get exposed to something different.”
The skies may have been gray, but the grins and shrieks of excitement brightened the day at the beach.
Just off the break, Anthony Gin of Santa Barbara raised his arms in victory as he watched his 5-year-old son, James, surf a wave.
“He doesn’t want to get out of the water,” Gin said of his son, who has autism. “He goes to the beach, but he doesn’t do water sports. It was an opportunity to introduce him to it. He has been in the surf, but not out in the ocean.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.