Sometimes the little would-be Eddies just aren’t ready to go.

Not a problem, says Lee Ellis, lifelong surfer, former beachboy and one of the original volunteers behind Surf4HUGS.

Now in its 15th year, the annual event provides a safe and fun opportunity for seriously ill children to catch a few waves — many for the first time — with a cadre of surf-loving volunteers like Ellis on hand to provide instruction, assistance and encouragement.

“Some of them don’t want to go at first, and we don’t force them,” Ellis said. “We let them watch. Slowly we’ll talk to them and see if they want to try one small wave. Once they do that, they’re like, ‘Hey, that was fun!’”

Surf4HUGS was founded in 2004 by Brett and Dee Thomas and their children Torrey and Leila. Brett and Dee had been looking for an opportunity to teach the kids the value of community service. Torrey and Leila came up with the idea of sharing the family love of surfing with children who might otherwise have little opportunity to enjoy the ocean. The family found a willing community partner in HUGS (Help, Understanding and Group Support), a local nonprofit that supports parents of seriously ill children.

When it came time to organize the first event, the Thomases turned to longtime friend Ellis for help.

Ellis, a Radford High School graduate, studied hotel management at Kapiolani Community College before becoming a beachboy in Waikiki, teaching wide-eyed, zinc oxide-covered tourists how to surf.

“It was the best job in the world,” Ellis said. “I loved the freedom and being able to meet people from all over the world. I still have close relationships to this day with people I met from New Zealand, Australia, France, all over the world.”

Ellis was transitioning from beachboy to Honolulu police officer around the time the Thomases came calling and was happy to get on board.

Each year, Ellis uses his relationship with vendors on the beach to ensure smooth operations and a welcoming environment for the families. He also trains volunteers, provides on-sand instruction to the participants and escorts younger kids into the water.

Like everyone else, Ellis (whose own son Kainalu is an experienced surfer at just 4 years old) enjoys the reactions of the kids as they set aside their health concerns for a few hours of uninhibited play. But more than that, he takes special pleasure in watching their parents.

“My favorite thing is to watch the families when they see their kid doing something brand new, something they maybe never thought he or she could do,” he said. “You see them out there with their cameras taking video, and they’re so proud and happy. That’s what gets me.”

These days the events attract upward of 60 kids and about as many volunteers. Boards and rash guards are donated by Koa Board Sports, freshly cooked food by Rainbow Drive-In and drinks by Coca-Cola Hawaii. Many of Ellis’ colleagues from the Honolulu Police Department also volunteer.

“I love the whole event and what it stands for,” Ellis said. “I’ve run into friends from high school who come because their kids are ill and they’re receiving help from HUGS. An event like this brings people together.”

This year’s Surf4HUGS is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Kuhio Beach. For more information, visit hugshawaii.org.

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.