Happy New Year, Catalina Classic Family!
We’re excited to share news with you about plans for a Catalina Classic Commemorative Statue! As you may have heard, The South Bay Boardrider’s Club (SBBC) has undertaken an initiative, beginning in 2016, to have a life-sized bronze statue installed near the Manhattan Beach Pier: The Catalina Classic Commemorative Statue. The statue will be a salute and acknowledgement to all the women and men who have dared paddle the 32 miles from start to finish of this historic and iconic race since 1955. The 1st Place winners of each class will have their names listed near the statue, with additional space made available for future winners. The statue will certainly inspire others to explore prone paddle boarding with many with the intent to enter the race in the future.
The Manhattan Beach City Council Members unanimously approved the design concept and now it’s time to fund the creation of the statue by commissioned sculptor, Chris Barela. Chris is a former Hermosa Beach local and Surfer Walk of Fame inductee who sculpted and installed the Tim Kelly statue in Hermosa Beach, as well as the amazing Meistrell Brothers statue in Redondo Beach. The cost of the bronze statue and its installation is $300,000 with over $125,000 already pledged from various donors. SBBC, a 501c3 non-profit, is now broadening its outreach to seek tax deductible donations, both large and small, to raise the remaining $175,000.
Any size donation is appreciated and large donors ($5000, $10,000, and $25,000) will be acknowledged on a plaque near the statue. Donations can be made online to South Bay Boardrider Club at www.catalinaclassicstatue.org , or checks (made payable to SBBC) mailed to:
SBBC
2629 Manhattan Ave., PMB 171
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
For those of you who have had the good fortune of a successful and lucrative investment portfolio, SBBC can also receive shares of stock in lieu of cash donations and the tax benefits for the donors doing so are significant.
Please consider donating towards this beautiful statue. If you have questions or wish to speak to a coordinator of this initiative, please contact either Ed McKeegan (310)-613-8558 edmckeegan@meirealty.com, or Tom Horton (310)-502-9658 tom@southbayboardriders.com.
We hope to see all of you at the finish line August 29th, 2021!
Until then, stay safe and keep paddling!
