Success in Sacramento

On June 21, 2005, South Orange County Chapter activist Ed Schlegel presented a surfboard with hundreds of signatures to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urging him to protect San Onofre State Beach and Trestles Beach from the proposed Foothill-South Toll Road.

Without hesitation, when I was asked who should present the board to the Governor, Ed Schlegel was my man. This was the person whom for well over a year has helped gather signatures, the guy whom I never heard complain about volunteering his time, the guy who called numerous legislators to help set up meetings for our Sacramento trip and has always remained positive throughout our Friends of the Foothills Campaign.

Of course I realize that he hasn’t done it all alone and we wouldn’t be here without activists such as Wendy Morris and Jerry Collamer who have been spending endless hours volunteering their weekends at Trestles and community events, as well as the countless other activists and staff, all contributing at different levels.

Sure, Ed presented the board, but he presented it on behalf of the 40,000 members of the Surfrider Foundation and 60 chapters. When he spoke to the Governor he spoke for all of us and that’s the power of our grassroots movement- we speak in a unified voice. We’re effective because we achieve national victories on local levels through this integrated and nationally coordinated direct action campaign driven manner.

I left Sacramento the next day with a renewed excitement about our Friends of the Foothills Campaign. I had walked the halls of the state capitol with some old friends as well as made some new ones. We came from different organizations- some paid staff and some volunteers, but we all shared a common objective in true grassroots fashion- to protect San Onofre State Beach and the Yosemite of surfing: Trestles.

There will be plenty of more trips, community outreach, campaign planning meetings (in fact we have one on Monday night) and a host of other things to do, but as Martin Luther King, Jr. said; “A final victory is an accumulation of many short-term encounters.” Thank you to everyone who participated in this encounter toward final victory.

Sincerely,

Edward Mazzarella

Director of Chapters

Comments

[Rob Beedie]

Now motivate Virginians and transplanted Carolinians to organize to overturn the ridiculous laws placed on surfers throughout the Virginia Coasts.

Take Croatan a well known break for instance. It was discussed in detail well before Surfrider had any chapters and the very home of its first chapter. In fact Surfrider officials walked the very beach that is restricted now because of indifference and deal making policies.

Many times local chapters fail because the issues don't seem all that important. If overcrowding and lack of access seem not very important than lack of increased membership and expansion should catch some attention.

It is great that some areas are opening up but what exactly is the overall net gain.

Win a "big one" in Virginia and watch your
membership grow extensively throughout the East Coast.

Shelve all of the excuses and organize a plan of attack and win, just win.

East Coast Surfing Championships are held in an area that actually outside of making money off of the industry really thinks surfing is a joke. They show their respect for surfers in general and local residents by placing restrictions that are but a joke to other coastal areas.

Surfers can drive 100 to 150 miles north or south and find a much more plesant reception. The landowners on the Virginia Coast twist the laws to satisfy their own personal agenda and needs.

To many surfers escaping to the Outer Banks is the solution and sometimes it may appear that it is.

Protecting the right to surf in Virginia and opening beaches that have been closed and restricted unjustly should be of top priority because winning this fight will only protect the beloved Outer Banks from greed's destruction.

National support is needed to win this fight. A well planned and guidance will assist in victory.

Maybe an educational conference will your best leaders could help come up with some improved solutions concerning Virginia Beach
Surfing Laws.

I challenge SR to do just one thing. Catch
a redeye flight out roundtrip ($250.00) and spend three days and take the same tour that Tom Pratte took before the birth of expansion for Surfrider. Walk in his shoes,
listen to his vision, here his promises which were sincere,very sincere indeed. Than pick 100 surfers at random and ask just a few questions and listen intently and you will discover answers to many questions that are asked in your board rooms.

Let's expand Surfrider to 100,000 plus members. Are you interested, if so I can probably have a plane ticket prepaid and sent to you within the week.

Let me close with extending a sincere thanks to all of you for representing surfers so well by winning your latest victories. I recognize the value of your work and all of your victories.

I challenge each of you to teach others
"how it is done". Many want to learn and are eager to apply what ever you are willing to teach.

Just consider the positive results that may come from sharing one's knowledge.

Everyone will benefit ;especially, the traveling surfer who arrives during an epic
swell.

Everyone wins.