Mark Carlisle never gave much thought into doing a Stand Up Paddle race – until he learned that a bit of effort would go toward a good cause.
After competing in the Paddle for Humanity last year, a race that raised money for SurfAid International, the 50-year-old Carlisle was hooked.
His goal this year was to raise as much as he could – and at the end of the day when he won a trip to Indonesia in a raffle, he quickly turned it over for a live auction, with proceeds to be donated to the cause.
“I thought jt was a great gesture,” said race organizer Pete Stirling. “He really came into it wanting to give as much as he could.”
After raising about $4,000, Carlisle became the top individual fundraiser at this year’s event on Saturday morning, which drew 220 competitors to the sand in Dana Point for a 2-mile fun paddle and an elite 6-mile paddle.
“It was a blast,” said Carlisle, after finishing the course.
CLICK HERE FOR A SLIDESHOW OF THE EVENT.
The event was started by the owners of Watermans Applied Science – a skin-care product company based in Buena Park. The weather was perfect for competitors – sunny skies with calm water.
“It’s a great way to spend a Saturday with friends, and it’s for a good cause,” paddler Steve Reid said. Owner Macon Brock came up with the idea after seeing a speech and being inspired by SurfAid founder Dr. Dave Jenkins.
Brock is a surfer and long-time supporter of the humanitarian non-profit group, which aims to aid Third World countries frequented by surfers, such as Indonesia.
“Here we are, the wealthiest nation in the world, we’re spoiled,” Brock said. “We wanted to give back to other cultures that are less fortunate.”
Laguna Niguel resident and race participant Rick Stinson said that like many surfers he has traveled to these regions and knows the kind of help they need.
“This is a great cause that surfers can relate to,” he said.
The sport of Stand Up Paddling has exploded in the past few years, and this is one of many paddle races held along the California coastline. This year, supporters raised more than $20,000 for the cause – double last year’s figure.
It was the second year that paddler Chad Bashor – who came in first place after the fun paddle – joined the effort.
“It just gets bigger and better,” he said.
Paddle for Humanity raises $20,000 for SurfAid at Doho event is a post from: OC Beach Blog
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