Geoffrey the Giraffe isn’t the only famous character getting his feet wet at Skudin Surf at American Dream. Back in 2022, it was Cuppy’s turn!
Cuppy, the beloved mascot of Dunkin’, traded in his usual coffee run for something a little more adventurous: his very first surfing experience.
As part of a special outing with Surf For All and the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, Cuppy made his way into the wave pool at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, ready to see what surfing was all about.
And he wasn’t going it alone.
His good friend Sprinkle, the colorful donut character, was there on the sidelines, cheering him on and making sure Cuppy had plenty of encouragement. Every good surfer needs a support crew, and Cuppy certainly had one!
Once it was time to hit the water, Cuppy climbed onto the surfboard and gave it his best shot. Getting a mascot into a wetsuit and onto a surfboard is one thing, but actually getting him up and riding a wave is another. Fortunately, Cuppy was up for the challenge!
With Cole, one of the Skudin Surf wave pool employees, inside the costume, Cuppy managed to do something pretty impressive for his first time on a board. He stood up and rode a wave! Not a bad debut for someone more accustomed to coffee cups and donuts than surfboards.
Meanwhile, Sprinkle was keeping an eye on things from the sidelines, providing plenty of encouragement for his friend. The two made quite the team, bringing a little extra personality and plenty of laughs to the wave pool.
While Cuppy and Sprinkle certainly brought plenty of smiles to the day, there was a much bigger story behind the outing.
The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, powered by Dunkin’ and its franchisees, partners, employees and guests, is dedicated to bringing the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. Through grants and community partnerships, the foundation supports organizations that create meaningful experiences and opportunities for children and their families.
One of those organizations is Surf For All.
In 2022, Surf For All received a $25,000 grant from the New York chapter of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. The grant supported Surf For All’s mission of giving children with medical needs the opportunity to experience the joy of surfing in a safe environment, alongside trained support staff.
For Surf For All, surfing is about much more than standing on a board. It’s about giving kids the opportunity to try something new, build confidence, connect with others and experience the freedom and excitement that comes with being in the water.
The outing at American Dream was a great opportunity to bring that mission to life. Kids got to enjoy a day of surfing at the indoor wave pool, with the Surf For All and Skudin Surf teams helping make the experience possible. Having Cuppy and Sprinkle join in added another layer of excitement, giving the kids some familiar faces to spend the day with.
It’s partnerships like this that help Surf For All continue to expand its reach and create opportunities for more children and families. The support from the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation helps make these experiences possible, while reminding everyone that sometimes the most meaningful thing you can give a child is the chance to simply have fun.
Cuppy might be known for serving up coffee and donuts, but after this experience, he can officially add surfer to his resume. And with Sprinkle cheering him on, he had everything he needed for a successful first day in the water.
Between the kids enjoying their time in the wave pool, the mascots making everyone smile and the Surf For All team doing what they do best, it was one of those days that brought together everything we love about these outings.
Not a bad way to spend the day. Now the question is, when does Sprinkle get his turn?
For this shoot, I wanted to capture the action from two different perspectives. I was actually in the wave pool with my Sony A9 inside a SeaFrogs underwater housing, getting right into the action and capturing Cuppy’s first surfing experience from the water.
I also brought a assistant, who handled the long-lens coverage from the sidelines. He was shooting with my Sony A1 mounted on a tripod and paired with Sony’s 200-600mm lens. That gave us a second perspective, allowing us to capture the wider moments and tighter shots of Cuppy riding the waves without having to be right in the middle of the action.
Between the underwater camera and the long lens, we were able to capture Cuppy’s surfing debut from both sides of the wave pool.
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