“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
– Winston Churchill
During this season of giving, Voit Real Estate Services would like to recognize Brian Fischer for his lifelong contributions to organizations helping those that are most in need, including Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, and most recently, his work with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) Adaptive Youth Surf program. After serving as a volunteer with the organization for several years, teaching physically challenged kids and adults to surf, Brian enlisted the help of a fellow surfer from the real estate industry to launch Surf for Impact, a surf contest for commercial real estate practitioners that raised nearly $40,000 for CAF in October.
For Brian Fischer, Senior Associate with Voit’s San Diego office, the spirit of giving was instilled in him at a young age. “My mom and dad were both very philanthropic. So, from the time I was in elementary school, I was helping her with Meals on Wheels and Habitat for Humanity — right through high school,” says Fischer. “I think she really wanted me to understand the importance of helping others and to have giving back ingrained in me. We grew up pretty privileged, so checking your privilege every once in a while is extremely important because it allows you to be grateful for who you are and what you have.”
CAF Adaptive Youth Surf Program
Fischer went off to college, and after graduation, he and some surfer buddies became involved in the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) Adaptive Youth Surf program. A lifelong surfer who had also been a surf instructor for a half-dozen years before college, Fischer regularly partners with another volunteer to take children and adults with physical disabilities out to learn to ride the waves and experience the joy of surfing. In addition to the physical issues, many of the program participants also deal with depression. Fischer and his friends feel their greatest rewards come from watching the despair lift as the participants challenge themselves and gain confidence in their abilities, with some gaining enough proficiency to go on to compete in para-surfing events.
Fischer recalls one boy who had a profound impact on him.
“A couple of years ago, this young kid in a wheelchair, with no use of his legs, came to an Adaptive Surf event. He was maybe six or seven years old and looked like he didn’t want to be there. There was no smile on his face, and he looked really down, so I made it my goal to cheer him up.”
“We get him out on the water, and he catches the most waves of anybody for the whole day. And I start seeing this kid laughing and smiling, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody have more fun in my entire life. I saw this spark, this sense of hope, this… I don’t know – this love of life. Something had changed in that hour.”
“As soon as we got out of the water, his mom came up to me and gave me this huge hug. She said she was so appreciative because she hadn’t seen her son like that in such a long time. But for me, it isn’t about the kudos from the parents. It’s because I was able to see this kid go from a frown to a smile in just one wave. It showed the real impact of what surfing can do for people — finding a love of nature and sharing that experience with the people around you. I knew there was something real there, and that was a big moment for me.”
Surf for Impact
In January of 2024, Fischer and his surfing buddy Pierce Watumull, an analyst with real estate consulting firm Alkaline Advisors and a fellow instructor with the Adaptive Youth Surf program, noticed that some of the equipment needed upgrading. They also thought that if they could find a way to raise more funds, they could expand the number of grants the program distributes to underprivileged kids who want to learn to surf.
The pair hit upon the idea of Surf for Impact, a surf contest open only to those involved in the San Diego commercial real estate industry. The event would serve the dual purpose of raising funds for CAF’s Adaptive Youth Surf program while fostering relationships within the CRE industry. “There was a huge learning curve,” says Fischer. “We were talking to consultants, talking to 501(c)(3)s, trying to understand how we were going to do this, then reaching out and finding who surfs in the business.”
They targeted established CRE professionals, those who understood the value of philanthropy and were interested in giving back, and created a database of 75 people who shared their passion for surfing. They lined up CRE-aligned sponsors for the event, and on October 25, 48 surfers came together to compete, raising $39,000 for CAF. “We had all grown up competing in surfing contests, so it was almost a nostalgic event,” says Fischer. “We brought all these people together – some that were older with kids and are well-established in the business, and we made them feel like they were in high school or college again, continuing to do what they love. It was an amazing thing to see.”
The event also featured an appearance by Sarah Bettencourt, a retired U.S. Marine Corps military pilot whose life was transformed by a rare neurological disorder. Bettencourt is now the reigning women’s Para Surf Prone 1 Division World Champion after participating in the CAF Adaptive Youth Surf program, inspiring hundreds of kids with physical challenges to find their passion.
“The event was far more successful than we ever could have imagined,” says Fischer. “We raised $39,000 that was directly given to CAF’s adaptive surf program. We raised awareness for the surf program, so we’re going to continue to do so annually.”
When asked about his commitment to giving back, Fischer had this to say: “It’s all part of the bigger picture. At the end of the day, we know we are fortunate to be able to give back and provide for the less fortunate. Giving back provides you with an intrinsic feeling that you can’t get anywhere else.”