RISE Raffle!

Monday, February 2, to Friday, April 10, 2026

100 percent of all proceeds will support RISE's youth programs: SHORE CORPS, a service learning program for high school students, focused on environmental stewardship, food justice, community planning, and civic engagement; LIVING CLASSROOM, a pre-K to sixth-grade STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program that brings the great outdoors into the classroom, utilizing the natural shoreline for hands-on experiential learning; ENVIRONMENTOR, a science research mentorship for high school students to conduct authentic environmental research on Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway shoreline.

RAFFLE TICKETS: $25 each or $100 for five (5)

DRAWING: Friday, April 10, 2026, 10:00 a.m. (EDT)

PRIZES:

1. Vino By the Sea Gift Card + Specially Selected Bottle
2. Skudin Surf Week of Half-Day Surf Camp
3. Kennedy’s $100 Gift Card
4. JetBlue 2 Round-Trip Travel Certificates between any JetBlue-served cities

Thanks to Vino By the Sea, Skudin Surf, Kennedy's, and JetBlue for their generosity!

CLICK HERE to purchase your lucky chance at winning! Check the box for Add note/comment and type Raffle!

A Taste of Natural Healing

Monday, February 9, 10:00 am to 10:30 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Alexandra G. Taggart, certified instructor of Dragon's Way Qigong®, leads a FREE weekly thirty-minute class. The Four Energy Gates is a practice to awaken the body's energy flow. Think almost like an acupuncture treatment, but you are the practitioner! Each week we will share tidbits of the concepts behind traditional Chinese medicine and enjoy the benefits of group practice.

Zumba!

Monday, February 9, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

LaDeidre Smith from Rockaway YMCA will lead a FREE Zumba class, while Ann Fosteris is away. Participate in an aerobic fitness workout method that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance. All are welcome!

Chair Movement with Weights

Tuesday, February 17, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Christine Walker, formerly from the YMCA, is a breath facilitator, licensed massage therapist, and certified yoga instructor. She will teach a FREE class on chair movement with weights, and you will be seated and standing. All are welcome!

MasterFitness Complete™

Monday, March 2, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Ann Fosteris teaches a FREE exercise class. She embraces making a positive impact and living a wholesome lifestyle, which includes staying active and maintaining a healthy weight. Join neighbors of all ages and fitness levels. You will feel good and look great in no time.

Core on the Floor

Monday, March 2, 11:45 am to 12:15 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Jamaica Bay Community Cleanup

Saturday, March 21, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Dubos Point, De Costa Avenue & Beach 65th Street

Join RISE for a cleanup along Jamaica Bay. Local residents and visitors (adults and children) are encouraged to participate in this stewardship event. We will be clearing the area of all litter. As appreciative citizens of the Rockaways, we need to do our part to keep the bay clean for us and for all the wildlife.

Students may receive community service hours for their efforts. Registration is encouraged. This event will happen rain or shine!

Special thanks to National Sea Grant Marine Debris Community Action Coalition.

Spring Migration Bird Walk

Saturday, April 4, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692

Join RISE and the NYC Plover Project for a FREE guided birding tour along the Rockaway shoreline! Explore the beach with expert guides and discover a wide variety of coastal birds while learning about their habitats and conservation.

Please dress warmly and bring a water bottle. Binoculars will be provided first come, first served, though you may bring your own.

Registration is highly recommended. In case of inclement weather and other changes, we will be communicating via e-mail.

Community Dune Planting

Saturday, April 11, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 44th Street & the Boardwalk

Join RISE for a community planting of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan. To strengthen our natural protective buffer of dunes, we are establishing native grasses and shrubs along the east end of the Rockaways.

Adults and children are welcome to participate, and students may receive community service hours for their efforts!

Please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged.

Special thanks to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Tree Giveaway

Saturday, April 18, 9:00 am to 11:00 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692

RISE is excited to partner with New York Restoration Project to host a FREE tree giveaway! Registration will be required, as supplies are limited. Please check back soon for the registration link and event details.

20th Annual Earth Day Rockaway

Saturday, May 2, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Enjoy a day of fun in the Rockaways with FREE activities and programs for children of all ages!

This year's event includes live music, face painting, free giveaways, cooking demonstrations, plantings, fire safety, water testing, and arts and crafts!

All activities are intended to raise awareness of the natural resources along the Rockaway shoreline and to learn how to appreciate and conserve Earth's resources.

Community Dune Planting

Saturday, May 9, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 44th Street & the Boardwalk

Join RISE for a community volunteer day, culminating in a celebration of the land and the water.

We will be cleaning the shoreline and planting native plants and shrubs as part of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan, to create a natural protective buffer of dunes along the east end of the Rockaways.

All are welcome to participate, and students may receive community service hours for their efforts! Please dress accordingly.

Special thanks to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Mother's Day Foraging Tour with "Wildman" Steve Brill

Sunday, May 10, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Join RISE for a FREE Mother's Day foraging tour with America's go-to guy for foraging, "Wildman" Steve Brill.

We will be exploring Arverne East Nature Preserve, which has an abundance of wild plants and wildlife. The sandy soil of the Rockaways is poor, limiting tree and grass growth, but it benefits other species that can take advantage of the sun and nutrient-poor soil. Wild greens grow great here, and there are dozens of species that thrive. Field garlic is a very tasty relative of onions and garlic.

Registration is required.