Surfrider News and Events: July ’09 | The Beachside Resident

By: Tony Sasso

Article Category: Surf Rider Foundation Leave a Comment

Well, it’s official. The Cocoa Beach Surfrider Chapter has its first fully elected board of directors. Bruce Moeller, the new Chair, welcomed Joann Branagan as Treasurer, John Hearin as Secretary, Tim Chastain as Volunteer Coordinator, Paul Eaton and Fred Hillman as Directors and yours truly as Vice Chair.

Thanks to Tim Chastain and the many local Surfrider members who have worked so hard this past year. They not only got us through the charter process, they did it while functioning as an active organization.

On a bit of a down note, either vandals or someone who maybe isn’t fully aware or appreciative of the Cocoa Beach dune restoration project destroyed some of our dune plantings and one of the heavy-duty cigarette disposal cans. Either way, attending our monthly meeting at the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum is a great way to learn how to help our dunes grow back to their natural state and not be trampled or trashed by people who aren’t as up on beach etiquette as the average Cocoa Beach citizen. The City, County and a large group of Cocoa Beach volunteers have been working to clean, replant and rope off sections of dune, as well as place cigarette butt receptacles at the crosswalks. Most people use the cans and respect the dunes, however, and where these are left alone, the dunes are getting healthier. We especially invite input from people who use the crosswalks about how to make this successful so we can enhance our environment as well as our cool, beachside way of life.

The Cocoa Beach Chapter also helped Chicagoans go surfing! Lake Michigan Surfrider Chapter’s Vice Chair, Vince Deur, led activists trying to overturn the ban on surfing in Chicago. Cocoa Beach Assistant City Manager AJ Hutson and I shared back and forth through email how well it works here, where swimmers and surfers have shared the beaches for decades, and they said they cited our success in their meetings. Through their long and hard work, they were able to get the 30-year ban lifted. Surfers unite!

Cocoa Beach Surfrider meets every third Tuesday, 6 p.m., at the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum (Ron Jon Watersports building).