Inspired by the life, passion and dream of surfer Philippe Chagas, Market of Choice CEO Rick Wright launched Dream in January 2022. Market of Choice Dream lifts up those who aspire to reach pinnacles in sports, the arts, and the culinary world, through sponsorship.
Dream provides recipients the opportunity and time needed to hone their skills, attain growth goals and care for themselves and their family. It also allows them to focus and improve their odds of success in their Dream year while improving their position for years to come. Dream provides financial and marketing support, as well as access to additional sponsors through Market of Choice’s network of suppliers, for one person for one year.
It all started with Philippe Chagas
“We’ve awarded our first year of Dream to Philippe, who is dedicated to helping us improve the program,” says Rick Wright. “Philippe was my surf instructor, helping me improve my skills in pursuit of a personal dream. As I learned Philippe’s story, where he came from, the path that led to where he is and his mission to attain the highest levels of his sport, I was inspired to help him and others like him accomplish their dreams. Like so many others, Philippe works hard to realize his dream, and it’s often the seemingly small things that get in the way.”
Through Phillipe, Rick understands the hurdles that often get in the way of attaining one’s personal goals. Rick wanted to create a way to remove some of the barriers to help free up time to focus on training and competing, so Philippe could also spend quality time with his family.
A Dream year is a start for potential recipients. A committed work ethic, clear goals and a plan to achieve them are critical to staying on their path. A strong foundation in the recipient’s pursuit, such as prior competition, study and achievements, are all necessary factors in defining future Market of Choice Dream recipients. Market of Choice will choose one new person to participate in Dream each year, with the search focused on Oregon recipients beginning in 2023, starting with local community members and Market of Choice teammates.
About Philippe Chagas
Philippe Chagas grew up in Brazil, surfing alongside his father and then-professional surfer João Santana. He enrolled in surf school at the age of 7. His natural abilities, drive and passion for surfing shined as he captured surf competition titles close to home. Once he reached professional status, he set his sights on becoming one of the surf world’s elite athletes.
At the age of 20, Philippe moved to California where he met surfing coach Pedro Robalinho, who suggested he move to Hawaii to train with other professionals. Upon moving to Maui in 2018, Philippe quickly fell in love with the world-class waves and surf culture, which reminded him of home. In 2020, the pandemic put competitions on hold, but he kept training anyway.
Philippe’s goal for 2022 is to enter the Challenger Series and compete in the North America region. We hope to help him get there, through the sponsorship and support of Dream and our partner supporters.
Follow Philippe’s Dream
Follow #mocdream for more about Philippe and his progress toward accomplishing his dream. Along the way, Philippe will share the food for the way he lives and how it impacts his training. Look for these products at your Market of Choice and give them a try yourself!
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