Cassandra Kellum
Staff Writer
The second anual The Line Up surf contest, was hosted by the Redondo Beach Police Department on Saturday, May 5th, starting at 7am at the 1800 block of Esplanade in Redondo Beach.
The competition paired teams of five people with varying skill levels. A sixth team member who is either a Wounded Heroes of American Veteran, a Special Olympic athlete or a Redondo Beach police officer, was also assigned to each team.
“It was a perfect event. Everything was great,” Dinah Larry, community services program manager, said. “We had a great turnout, the weather was perfect and we had a fair amount of surf. I think everybody had fun. The main goal was to bring the community together.”
The competition paired teams of five people with varying skill levels. A sixth team member who is either a Wounded Heroes of American Veteran, a Special Olympic athlete or a Redondo Beach police officer, was then assigned to each team.
“The distinctive team combination and setting will use the ocean’s power and our community’s love of surfing to build relationships and unite,” Larry said.
The prized “Golden Donut” trophy went to the winning team,“The Rippers” made up of Keith and Derek Brewer, Karsten Wanke, Parker Browning, Ben Oien, Jett Rocket Prefontaine and assisted by Drake Baxter and Wendy Menjivar.
The Redondo Beach Police Department wanted to engage and build a positive relationship throughout the community through surfing, starting with the contest, according to Chief Keith Kauffman.
“We are one with the community. Not just a partner, but part of,” Kauffman said. “The competition breaks the barrier between our citizens and the police…strengthens our relationship, which, in turn, builds trust.”
The contest was designed for all ages and skill levels in partnership with the Special Olympics of Southern California, Wounded Heroes of America and the Redondo Beach Police Foundation. While the event was free to compete, donations were encouraged to any of three charities.
“We wanted to reach people who we normally wouldn’t reach,” said Larry. “Usually when you have an experience with a police officer, it’s not your best day. It’s usually because you’re the victim of a crime or something is going bad, so we want to have your experience be positive and do things that are more fun, like surfing.”
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