________________ LoNG BeACH _______________ your HEALTH body / mind / fitness
and JUNE 29, 2023
Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach with a focus on:
MEN’S
looK INsIdE YoUR HEAlTH
Men’s Health
Vol. 34 No. 27
Tobin named state judge
Arts fair is back, colorfully
Page 4
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JUNE 29 - JUlY 5, 2023
$1.00
A board for special surfers
BENJAMIN METzgER Is a fixture in Long Beach’s music scene, teaching and performing around the city. He’s known to many by his real name, but perhaps to even more by his stage name, Benoir.
H.S. student leads cross-Atlantic effort to create ‘inclusive’ ride Surf for All has (started) this amazing journey.” Klein detailed one fun Brandon Klein, 17, had an encounter in particular. “When I idea — one that would not only was volunteering for Surf for impact his own community, but All, I met this young girl, and I also attract international atten- had to act as a chair for her,” he tion. recounted. “She was so excited Klein works as a volunteer for by surfing that she didn’t want to Surf for All, a nonstop, but as a group profit Long Beach of volunteers, we organization dedicatwere tired. I wanted ed to helping young to see how we could people with disabilimake this experities learn to surf. ence more comfortWhile helping to able for all of us, bring joy to the proespecially her.” gram’s participants, Klein did some Klein, a lifelong resiresearch, and found dent of the city, was the British organizaled on a journey that tion Cerebra, which resulted in the cre- dR. Ross HEAd helps children with ation of a one-of-a- Cerebra Innovation brain conditions, kind surfboard that Centre and has designed will likely bring i n n ov a t ive s u r f smiles to young surfb o a rd s. A t f i r s t ers’ faces for years to come. glance, he was astonished. He Klein debuted and demon- asked Cerebra if Surf for All strated the new board at a news could buy the boards. But Cereconference in front of the Sku- bra had only made only one overdin Surf shop on the boardwalk seas, as a project. Nonetheless, last Friday. they offered Klein the blueprints “I’ve volunteered almost my for it. whole life,” Klein said. “I’ve lived “When we received the call, it here, I’ve grown up here, and I was amazing to know that our wanted to volunteer for some- work had been seen so far away,” thing I love to do. Obviously, volunteering for something like Continued on page 12
By sEAN KENNEdY Intern
I
t was a real privilege to support this ambitious project.
Courtesy Ben Metzger
A life full of music continues
‘Benoir’ Metzger has helped shape arts in L.B. By BRENdAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com
Music has always been a major part of Long Beach’s arts scene. For years there have been concerts on the beach, at restaurants and in Kennedy Plaza. Benjamin Metzger has long been central to that scene. Metzger, who also goes by the stage name Benoir, is the musical director of Arts in the Plaza, and gives lessons
in a music room in his first apartment that he calls Studio Noir. His life revolves around music, and he has shared his passion at every opportunity. “I’ve been playing music my whole life,” Metzger said. “I love music so much. My family listened to a lot of great music when I was growing up on vinyl, and even eight-track.” Metzger, 49, was born in Patchogue. When he was 3, his father, William, died, leav-
ing him with his mother, Bernice, and his sister, Carolyn, who’s 11 years older. He said it was tough on his mother to raise the family herself, but his sister acted as his “second mother” growing up. The family eventually moved to Coram, and ultimately ended up in Farmingville. He attended school in Sachem, where he first dabbled with instruments, even if it wasn’t the way he initialContinued on page 10