Raise a glass and support Waves

LANCASTER — Friday will be an evening of “Waves, Brave and Brew,” an opportunity to raise a glass and support an innovative program helping veterans.

The event is to raise money for the Antelope Valley Desert Divers and the WAVES Project, a nonprofit organization that provides free scuba training for veterans with service connected disabilities.

The event is from 5-9 p.m. at Bravery Brewing, 42705 8th St. West in Lancaster.

Bravery Brewing has a beer made specially for the event, Under the Waves IPA and 100% of its sales on Friday will be donated to the project.

Members of AV Desert Divers

visited the brewery earlier this month to take part in the process of making this special brew, which uses a blend of hops, for which a portion of the sales support veterans organizations, AV Desert Divers President Jeff Carlon said.

In addition to the beer sales, the event will feature a boutique of donated items to raise money in support of the program.

Cravin’ Crab Cakes and Monster Donuts food trucks will be on site with their tasty offerings and the Bombshell Betty ladies will join in the fun.

Veterans who have completed the WAVES Project training will also be on hand to talk about the program and their experiences.

Once certified, many have participated in efforts such as underwater mapping of Lake Mead, Carlon said.

Antelope Valley Desert Divers became an affiliate of the WAVES Project after Carlon learned about them at a scuba show and thought it would be a good way for the local organization to reach out to area veterans and extend the project’s reach beyond its home base in Temecula.

The WAVES Project provides scuba training for qualified veterans and a “dive buddy,” both free of charge. Training is adapted to meet individual students’ needs and provides therapeutic benefits for many who go through the program, according to the project.

Desert Divers club members are instructors, dive master and support team for the lessons offered here.

“I’m so honored to be part of it,” Carlon said.

The AV Desert Divers led its first course under the project in November, certifying one veteran and their dive buddy. The next course is scheduled to begin Saturday at the Oasis Pool in Palmdale, with seven participants expected, including some from the Valley.

Fundraisers are necessary to help cover the costs of providing lessons. It averages about $350 per person for certification, with funding needed for the pool and equipment rentals, Carlon said.

Bravery Brewing, with their focus on veterans and veterans services, was a natural fit for fundraising, Desert Divers member Tina Carlon said.