Special Surfers started in 2003 with Nanci Boutet taking three kids on the autism spectrum out surfing. The effort evolved into a nonprofit organization that now helps more than 300 people with disabilities surf each summer. Hundreds of volunteers descend on Gooch’s Beach in Kennebunk on the third Tuesday of June, July, and August for Special Surfers nights. “I would like every kid to feel like they fit in somewhere,” Boutet says. “Society is hard enough when you have special needs, and Maine doesn’t exactly have the best recreation programs for people with special needs. Once you see what having fun does for these people—kids, adults, family, and friends—you’re hooked.” There is no cost, and all the equipment is provided, including boards with chairs for those who have difficulty with mobility. Boutet, who also founded Aquaholics Surf Shop in Kennebunk, says what she loves most about Special Surfers is the joy it brings to people who face hurdles and struggles every day by allowing them to feel limitless for a few hours. “When they are in the water with us, they are all just a bunch of surfers,” Boutet says. “Imagine surfing or seeing your child or friend surf when you never would have dreamed it was possible?”