Keith Melville makes the news!

Hey Mr. Clean! 3 bucks huh? How about this, I’ll send you a plane ticket, I’ll shape another board for next year’s auction, and you fly out here and do some of your awesome back-to-back resin pinlines on it?

I’m serious.

For that matter there are a lot of great charities out there, we at Swaylocks can help any of them. Let’s get it together now… (ok I’m a left over hippie, so shoot me!)

Herb, good to hear from you, a bit warm in AZ?

Kokua, I am proud to call you my friend too!

Proneman, you too. Swaylocks is chock a block full of good hearts… this place is an internet oasis.

Sounds good to me Keith.

There are surly enough of us to make a real diffrence. An Annual Sways event at La Jolla or the such could rake in some cash for a worthy cause. What should the charity be?

SurfRider Foundation?

Here is a list of things they have done.

[*]Winning the second largest Clean Water Act suit in American history in 1991, brought against two pulp mills in Humboldt County that were charged with over 40,000 violations of the law.

[*]Successfully blocking a marina which would have destroyed historic natural wetlands as well as miles of sandy coast at Bolsa Chica, CA.

[*]Preventing an Imperial Beach, CA breakwater and a Seal Beach, CA breakwater which would have degraded water quality, eliminated surf and destroyed miles of pristine coastline.

[*]Gaining approval of the federal BEACH Act in 2000 to require a uniform national water quality monitoring, reporting and beach posting program.

[*]Getting the Orange County Sanitation District in California to agree to drop their Clean Water Action Section 301(h) waiver and stop the ocean discharge of 240 million gallons per day of partially treated sewage.

[*]Winning a lawsuit against Chevron Oil Company in El Segundo, California that represents the first time a government agency, department or office at any government level, has recognized the significance of a breaking wave as a natural resource deserving of protection.

[*]Securing passage of legislation to create “Reserva Marina Tres Palmas de Rincón” in Puerto Rico. The law will establish a marine reserve in the Tres Palmas area of Rincón and devote $100,000 for the development of a management plan for the marine reserve.

[*]Working with the city of Laguna Beach, CA to establish and implement a 10 point program to reduce non-point source water pollution (runoff).

[*]Winning the national ‘Renew America’ Award, for our nationwide efforts to clean-up the coasts.

[*]Paddling out in 38 degree water to protest a dioxin dump off the New Jersey coast.

[*]Successfully negotiating surfing access previously denied in California, New Jersey, Florida and other states.

[*]Restoring natural dunes habitat located along the pristine Outer Banks, North Carolina coast.

[*]Mapping the location of storm drain outfalls at coastal beaches for use in city planning and regional water quality control boards.

[*]Educating thousands of school children on beach safety, coastal pollution and beach ecology.

Aloha Keith,

Great idea! Your shape and Mr. Clean’s “lines” and glass. I’ll be happy to provide the fin (matching tail / noseblocks?) if you want. You guys should consider coming out here to do your “work”. Waves, mai-tais, and making boards…does it get any better?

ya gotta Enjoy The Ride!

Richard McCormick

You’re on!

Now we just need to convince RB to play along. I have a plane ticket that would get him out to California, but I like your idea even better, ha ha!

Can we make the group bigger? Don’t suppose any balsa guys out there want to contribute a stick or two? I have a couple of nice ones already (light, too, 9lb) but not enough yet. Maybe if RB comes out he could get Jim to do some chambering, I think they are old buddies!

aloha,

K

that’s awesome keith. a real testament to your generosity & craftmanship. congratulations.