Santa Cruz surf culture is so loved by locals that many became teary in yesterday’s ceremony, which honored and pledged to protect it—on a global level.

Coastal organizations, local surf lovers and legends, and politicians met above the famous break at Steamers Lane yesterday, for Santa Cruz’s WSR dedication, along with dozens of locals, old surf memorabilia and a fleet of “Woodies” glistening in the sun.

The World Surfing Reserve was founded in 2009, by a group of international surfers, environmentalists and scientists, led by Save the Wave and NSR Aurstralia. Its mission is one of extreme foresight, aiming to protect the world’s best breaks at all costs. Afterall, incubating and embracing surf culture aids the coastal regions environmentally as well as economically, a point that Santa Cruz city council member John Leopold made in a speech at Pleasure Point earlier in the day.

Santa Cruz is the fourth World Surfing Reserve on the globe, alongside: Malibu, U.S. Ericeira, Portugal; and Manly Beach, Australia.

read more at santacruz.patch.com

Harry Mayo, an original member of the Santa Cruz Surfing Club of 1936, has been working hard to keep the doors open at the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. Ian McRae, owner of Hula’s restaurant on Cathcart Street in downtown Santa Cruz, handed Harry a check for $860 for the museum from a Sunday brunch fundraiser back in March.

“Ian serves great food and a nice check to many worthy causes in and around town,” says Boots McGhee.

Boys & Girls Club gets $1,000

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz recently received a check for $1,000 from Wells Fargo Foundation. Michelle Bassi with Wells Fargo Bank presented the check to the club recently.

The funds given to the Boys & Girls Club will be used to help with the updating their Education and Technology Department. The Boys & Girls Club currently has two sites serving over 1,400 youth in Santa Cruz County.

LIFE in New York

“LIFE: A Journey Through Time,” multimedia production by Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom, set to the music of Philip Glass, will receive its New York premiere at the Lincoln Center June 10 under the baton of Marin Alsop. The occasion is a gala to launch the World Science Festival, and to honor the distinguished biologist Dr. E.O. Wilson, who will be celebrating his 80th birthday that evening.

Cleanup at Camp Harmon

Last month, five members of the Surf City Kiwanis Club of Santa Cruz: Darwin Hoogenson, Lou Schlumbrecht, Don O’Brien, Jim Riss and Paul Crawford, along with Doug Patrick of the county Commission on Disabilities, spent more than 50 hours on improvements to Easter Seals’ Camp Harmon in Boulder Creek.The crew painted bookcases and storage units in the various camper cabins and enclosed the camp’s stage area and disabled access ramps with plywood sheeting to improve accessibility to the stage.

Over the years, the Kiwanis Club of Surf City, Santa Cruz has sponsored numerous work parties at Camp Harmon, supplying not only all the materials and paint, but more importantly the labor, all as part of Kiwanis’ goal of making the children of our community “Priority one.” As part of its Youth Services programs, Surf City Kiwanis Club also sponsors Boy Scout Pack 633, Cub Scout Pack 616, the Soquel High Key Club, and a number of Little League, Gals Softball and other youth programs.

Awards and honors

• Laura Anne Mello has graduated with honors from Golden Gate University in San Francisco with a double master’s degree in psychology and industrial organization and a graduate certification in conflict resolution. She was awarded the Outstanding Student Award in psychology.

Laura is the daughter of Cindy Moore of Scotts Valley and David and Mary Mello of Scotts Valley. Laura is a graduate of Soquel High School and San Francisco State University.

• Scotts Valley Rotary recently honored the hard-working students of Scotts Valley MiIddle and High School at an awards dinner recently. Winners include: Dudley Mikesell Award for Community Service to Grace Berg; Outstanding Achievement Performing Arts to Arden Kilzer; Outstanding Achievement Visual Arts to Serena Chen; Outstanding Academic Achievement 12th Grade to Emilie Graham, Caroline Sayer, Abby Imboden, Antares Yee and Michael Benko; Outstanding Academic Achievement 11th Grade to Kayla Germany, Lauren Germany, Sharon Chiu, Julia Kernan and Kai Moncino; Outstanding Academic Achievement 10th Grade to Melissa Kumar, Morgan Andrews, Clara Yuh, Maiya Moncino and Catherine Haas; Outstanding Academic Achievement 9th Grade to Renate Mols, Lizzie Zweng, Jordan Rein, Miriam Arghavani and Jaemi Mansfield.

Scotts Valley Middle School Dudley Mikesell Award for Community Service to Sydney Andrews; Outstanding Achievement Performing Arts to Taylor Stone; Outstanding Achievement Visual Arts to Logan Thornley; Outstanding Academic Achievement 8th Grade to Marielle Fesmire, Jessica Granger-Jones, Melissa McGee, Austin Park and Brett Perry; Outstanding Academic Achievement 7th Grade to Mikayla Fish, Brett Klotz, Steve Lonhart, Jason Ritchey and Brett Turner; Outstanding Academic Achievement 6th Grade to Christa Boynton, Melissa Braun, Zoe Hur, Mitchell Pisciotta and Emily Todd.

Scholarship recipients include Samantha Steele, who will study medical technology/environmental science, at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Lindsay Walch, who will study architecture at Brigham Young University; Steven Haas, major to be determined, at UC Berkeley; Alyssa Stanger, who will study marine biology at UC Santa Cruz; Flor Monick Trujillo-Ramos, who will study business administration at Bethany University; and Clara Ricabal, who will study nursing at Cabrillo College.

Politicians gather for open house

On May 8, 110 people gathered at Mission Santa Cruz State Historic Park for Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks’ Spring Open House, “Chocolate & Chitchat.” The Open House showcased Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks’ upcoming summer campaign “Discover Our Backyard,” and provided guests an opportunity to mingle with Friends’ new Executive Director Bonny Hawley, former chief of staff to Assembly Budget Committee Chair John Laird and former Assemblyman Fred Keeley.

On hand at the event were emcee and county Treasurer Keeley, Assemblyman Bill Monning, county Supervisor Neal Coonerty, Mayor Cynthia Mathews, Santa Cruz City Council members Don Lane and Katherine Beiers, State Parks Superintendent Chet Bardo, Friends’ Board members and staff, and dozens of parks volunteers and supporters.

Silver Slug scholars

The UC Santa Cruz Silver Slugs retirees presented six student scholarships at their May Dessert Event at the Arboretum. Three of the six scholarships were awarded in memory of Bruce Lane, a respected architect who joined UCSC early in 1964, before the first buildings were constructed. Mr. Lane passed away last October and Lane family members were there to award the scholarships.

Recipients of the Bruce C. Lane Memorial Scholarship awards were Joseph Cresalia, business administration; Henry Mun Hong Dea, biochemistry; and Loc Van Do, health sciences. Silver Slug scholarships were presented to Ezekial Bennett, politics; Jay Roldan, computer engineering; and Lane Sharon, biology.

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The July 2009 issue of Surfer Magazine ranks the top ten surf towns in the United States; number one on the list is Santa Cruz. There are a total of four west coast towns on the list, four east coast towns, and two in Hawaii.

The complete list of surf town rankings is:

1. Santa Cruz, CA
2. Haleiwa, HI
3. Encinitas, CA
4. Paia, HI
5. San Clemente, CA
6. Kill Devil Hills, NC
7. Malibu, CA
8. Montauk, NY
9. New Smyrna Beach, FL
10. Ocean City, NJ

Why is Santa Cruz number 1? These lists are certainly subjective, and year-to-year the rankings can be expected to shuffle and rotate. But this year Santa Cruz holds the prime position for a variety of reasons.

– The first waves surfed on the USA mainland were surfed in Santa Cruz.
– The number and variety of surf breaks in the area is unsurpassed by any other town.
– The coast of Santa Cruz curves from the Pacific Ocean into the Monterey Bay. This gives it exposure to almost any swell angle. About the only swells that miss are those spawned by hurricanes off the Baja coast.

– There are as many or more rideable days in the calendar year as anywhere else. For example, the north shores of Hawaii, generally go dead silent during the summer months.
– Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point are just two examples of first-class point breaks in Santa Cruz.
– The largely undeveloped coast of north county hides multiple “secret” spots, with beach breaks, reef breaks, and point breaks all in abundance.
– The south county is home to wide expanses of sandy beaches, with shifty bars that make for rideable waves.

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