Although they’re no longer affiliated with the organization, a group of original members are getting together to celebrate the founding of the Surfrider Foundation.
By Olivia Damavandi / Staff Writer
The team of individuals that created the Surfrider Foundation is hosting a public meeting Tuesday at Duke’s Malibu to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary, but they say they are no longer affiliated with it.
“I have no official standing with the organization at this time, other than being the legally recognized founder,” Glenn Hening, a high school teacher by profession, stated last week in a telephone interview. “The point [of Tuesday’s public gathering] is to celebrate the courage and teamwork that created the organization.”
The Surfrider Foundation on its Web site describes itself as a “non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches,” focusing primarily on clean water, public beach access, beach preservation and the protection of special places.
With more than 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide, the association today is well known for its advocacy of environmental protection, but Hening said his motives to found it had nothing to do with the environment.
“Surfrider [Foundation] was not originally envisioned as an environmental group as much as it was a moral compass for modern surfing,” Hening said.
The original intent of the Surfrider Foundation, Hening said, was to controvert the commercialization of surfing, which since the 1980s has become a multibillion-dollar industry. The professionalization of the sport, combined with the creation of surf-inspired clothing brands and publications, added to its exploitation, he added.
“We had a vision of surfing that was not about commerce or competition, it was about community,” Hening said, referring to the surf industry as “a clothing industry with a really good hook.
“There was no leadership in the world of surfing from neither the magazines nor pro surfers or clothing companies because they were all too busy making a buck,” he said.
Contrarily, current Surfrider Foundation CEO Jim Moriarty, in a telephone interview Monday, expressed support for the surfing industry, adding that surf-inspired clothing brands such as Billabong have made “tremendous” environmental contributions.
“Glen has views on the surf industry but those are his as an individual,” Moriarty said. “We hope professional, amateur and recreational surfing thrive.
“I want to do something that has a lasting impact and makes a difference,” Moriarty continued. “That takes money … you can’t just sit and say that makes you corporate and ineffective.”
Rather than focus on the environmental aspects of beaches and oceans, the Surfrider Foundation initially focused on reducing competition in the lineup by constructing artificial reefs in the ocean to create more places to surf, and on teaching the sport to underprivileged inner-city youth, among other activities.
But after a decade or so, lack of public support took its toll on the founding group’s perseverance to make their efforts a reality, and eventually steered the foundation in an environmental direction.
“We didn’t get a traction with the surf industry or pro surfers at all,” Hening said. “Those two things pretty much eliminated social programs and surfing parks. Over time, the organization became more involved in strictly environmental issues because the other ideas we had were too far ahead of their time.”
Hening’s title as founder and chief advisor of the Surfrider Foundation was rescinded in 1998 by the organization because, he said, it disapproved of his responses in an interview pertaining to environmental issues. Moriarty said Hening’s views were not “in sync” with those of the organization.
David Moeller designed the Surfrider Foundation’s logo and served as chairman of its board of directors from 1984-1989, at which time he resigned due to “personal conflicts” and needing more time to raise his children.
“I got discouraged at that point because of the lack of involvement from the surf industry. We were barely kept afloat,” Moeller said Monday in a telephone interview, adding that it was “disheartening” to see hard-earned dedication and commitment go unpaid.
Though their original vision for the Surfrider Foundation no longer exists, Hening and Moeller say they are proud of what the organization has achieved.
“More important to me is that we today have an organization for the surfing population and that there are people out there looking out for us and making sure our needs are spoken for,” Moeller said.
“We didn’t have a voice before the Surfrider Foundation,” Moeller continued. “I’m proud that Surfrider continues to grow and I’m proud to have been involved in its beginning.”
The Surfrider Foundation’s 25th anniversary celebration will take place Tuesday at Duke’s Malibu at 7 p.m. More information can be obtained online at surfriderwlam.org.