2025 PRESIDENT'S FAREWELL LETTER AND MEMBERSHIP
Dear San Onofre Members,
As my final year serving as President of the San Onofre Surfing Club comes to a close, I’m filled with gratitude for this incredible community and the wonderful days we get to spend down there together. From epic surf contests to volleyball battles, Family Day fun, and all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps this club running, it’s been an honor to be part of a group dedicated to protecting this beach and carrying on its history and traditions. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights from an unforgettable year.
The “Spirit of San Onofre” award was established back in 1980 as a perpetual award to be given annually to the most deserving member, as determined by the Vice President. The criteria not only recognize selfless volunteer work but also honor those who exemplify the true Aloha spirit, giving freely with no expectation of return. The award is presented every year before the awards ceremony at our annual surf contest each fall. Each winner holds the perpetual trophy for one year and receives a lifetime club membership.
Vice President Emmy Lombard presented this year’s Spirit of San Onofre Award to Ann Marie Moneymaker. In her heartfelt speech, Emmy shared, “Ann Marie operates far beyond what is expected of her role to make sure we’re always doing our best for the club.” From ensuring we meet deadlines and follow our bylaws during board meetings, to keeping members and event participants happy, Ann Marie is always there, steady, organized, and fully dedicated to serving the club and its community. A perfect example of her commitment is the Family Day Raffle. Ann Marie personally recruits donations, organizes the prizes, and makes the raffle one of the most anticipated parts of the event each year. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to win, you know how incredible those prizes are! There are countless behind-the-scenes tasks Ann Marie takes on, many that go unnoticed, but her dedication never wavers. “Going above and beyond” doesn’t even begin to describe what she does for the San Onofre Surfing Club. We are deeply grateful for her passion, hard work, and aloha spirit. She is truly deserving of this recognition.
After last year’s long-awaited news, the 25-year lease renewal, this year a dedication ceremony brought together leaders from both the military and the state. Representing San Onofre were members of the Surfing Club and the San Onofre Parks Foundation, alongside an impressive lineup that included a U.S. Congressman, the Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, a Brigadier General, the Superintendent of the Orange Coast District, and the Director of California State Parks. The ceremony was a great reminder that even the top brass and state officials recognize how special this stretch of coastline is and that they’re committed to keeping it in its natural state. Pretty cool for our laid-back surf club to be rubbing elbows with all the suits and stars!
Horseshoe Contest - June 07, 2025
Next up is the always-competitive Horseshoe Tournament. The morning kicked off with Jim Wynne and me scratching our heads, trying to figure out a bracket that actually made sense for the contest. Even with Google on our side, we were stumped. Thankfully, my wife Jen came to the rescue, carefully laying out a double-elimination flow chart and patiently explaining it… several times… before it finally clicked for us.
With the bracket finally in place, the games got rolling. Results:
1st, Tom Metzger & Scott Cuda
2nd, Mark & Pam Brown
3rd, Mica Green & Rob Sachse
Chuck Surf Contest - May 10, 2025
The year kicks off with The Chuck, our season opening surf contest were we were graced with incredible surf and weather conditions for all age groups. A huge thanks to event chairs Charlie Z and Sabrina Pearcy for organizing the event; Kurt Winn and George Laich for manning the grill all day, Pete Herrera, Bobby Lombard, Jonathan Sandvig, Rob Sachse, Rasa Gilbert, Ann Marie, Mark and Pam Brown, Jen Cuda and all our volunteer judges, tabulators and contestants for supporting this event.
Family Aloha Day - July 12, 2025
Then comes Family Day, our biggest event of the year—where everyone gathers to eat, dance, surf, and win some of the best raffle prizes around! amily Day was truly the highlight of the year — a perfect blend of great music, delicious food, amazing prizes, and community spirit!
The day featured incredible live music from Bobby Lombard and the Shorebirds, mouthwatering food, and one of our most successful raffle and silent auctions yet.
Among the standout raffle items were two stunning, custom-shaped longboards handcrafted by legendary shaper, surfer, and longtime club member Chris Schroeder.
We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from our local surf community. Huge thanks to all who donated raffle prizes and merchandise — including Stewart Surfboards for their generous contributions once again, Rip Curl, Trestles Electric Bike, Los Molinos Beer Co., Pam Brown of Pam Beanie, All Swell Surf Shop, El Ranchito, Moved By Bikes, Biltwell, Electric Sunglasses, Old Guys Rule, Bear Coast Coffee, Surfline, Hobie Surfboards, Oakley, Sano Boardriding, and Toes on the Nose.
Our third annual silent auction was a huge success, showcasing stunning artwork and handcrafted items from talented local artists and club members. Highlights included beautiful paintings from board member Matt Enright, original works by Paul Carter, a hand-carved wave sculpture by Mike Murphy, block printsand dress shirts from Brit Tobia, a collection of hand-knitted beanies and hats by Pam Brown, and three exquisite original paintings by local surfer and artist, Robert Foulke.
A heartfelt thank-you to our event chairs Bobby Lombard, Ann Marie Moneymaker, and Tiffany Lake for their hard work and dedication. Bobby and the Shorebirds kept the crowd entertained all day, while Ann Marie and Tiffany organized an incredible raffle and silent auction.
We also want to recognize Craig Ephraim, Jen Cuda, Rasa Gilbert, Mark and Pam Brown, Sess Buckley, Rob Sachse, Sarah and Gene Chen for managing merchandise, raffle tickets, and sales throughout the day. Special thanks to Kurt Winn, George Laich, Rick Fegley, Atsuko, Mark Brown, Tony Salazar, Travis and Reed Zylstra for their behind-the-scenes work setting up, breaking down, and keeping everyone well-fed and hydrated.
A big shoutout to Mark and Karen Chi, who brought endless fun with games, crafts, lemonade stands, giant bouncing balls, and the always-popular floating raft! Thanks also to John Stawarz and Darren Eudaly for running the Cherry Pit, and to Jen Cuda for organizing the always-competitive tug-of-war and other field games that kept the energy high all day.
Finally, don’t forget to check out our Facebook page to see the fantastic photos captured by our talented club photographer, Matt Enright, who beautifully preserved the spirit of the day.
What a day — a true celebration of our surf community and the friendships that make it so special!
Lunch with State Park
Another highlight this year was our Luncheon with the State, an event where the Club gets to show appreciation to the many State Park employees who help maintain our beloved San O. These are the folks who get up early to open the gate, clean the bathrooms, keep our beach safe, and inform beachgoers when they’re violating parking rules. Huge thanks to State Park Maintenance, Staff, Rangers, and Lifeguards. We see you and appreciate everything you do!
Special thanks to Kurt Winn for (once again) slaving over a hot grill to fil our bellies with yummy burgers and dogs, Ann Marie Moneymaker for shopping and organizing our annual raffle for the State employees, George Laich, Craig Ephraim, Bobby Lombard, Rob Sachse, Emmy Lombard, Cam Faris, Sabrina Pearcy, John Stawarz and Rick Fegley for lending a hand with the set up and food prep.
Next up are our three volleyball tournaments and this year’s volleyball tournaments were full of fierce competition, good vibes, and some seriously unforgettable plays!
Golden Years: Some legends showed up at the beach—Mike Riley, Scott French, Danny Moore, Cragen Mudge, John Safarik, Brad Cheatum, Ellie Hammargren, and more. Teams of three battled it out in pools, then double elimination, with the finals featuring Danny Moore / Mike Murphy / Leslie Murphy vs. Riley Murphy / Tiffany Lake / Shannon Bannan. After a long day of sideout volleyball, Danny, Mike, and Leslie took the win and became Golden Years Champs.
Main Tournament: A perfect weekend of sun, surf, and volleyball! Breakfast burritos kicked off the 2-day tourney with 38 players and 19 teams. After tight matches and double elimination, the husband and wife team proved too much to handle for Max and Steve and the Murphys were crowned 2025 Main Champions.
Sano Classic: The top 18 players from the season faced off. Standouts included Heidi Colapinto, Keeks Deibel, and Jody Eib / Anders. The finals came down to Jody / Anders vs. Riley Murphy / Corey Colapinto, with Jody and Anders edging out an 18-16 overtime win to claim Classic Champions.
In line with recent tradition, Kevin Beard hand shaped custom wood trophies which were awarded to first, second and third, in addition to a selection of Wally Duesler carvings as prizes, courtesy of Tom and Nancy Metzger. Tim “Senor” Baker and Darren Eudaly teamed up at Smart and Final to get the goods; Darren / Mike / Baker led the charge on the grill, Scott Cuda whipped the eggs, and Tim Lake, Logan Nicks and Phil Bannan wrapped the burritos in the kitchen. Jen Cuda handled all the admin and ran the Sano Store with Pam Brown. Cheers to a special place and the people that make it special!!
Surf Contest September 6-7,2025
We wrap up the season with one of our most cherished traditions, the Club Surf Contest, where generations of surfers come together to share waves, style, and stories.
Our Club Surf Contest was the perfect way to close out the summer, blessed with incredible surf, sunshine, and epic conditions all weekend long. As always, the event reminded us that it’s not just about the waves—it’s about the community, the camaraderie, and the unforgettable memories we create together.
A massive thank you goes out to Bobby and Emmy Lombard for their months of hard work organizing judges, assembling trophies, creating heats, and coordinating the incredible team of volunteers who made this event possible. This contest is a monumental effort, and we couldn’t do it without the dedication of so many.
Special thanks to Ann Marie for the countless hours spent managing contest entries, building schedules, and tabulating scores throughout the weekend—and to Laurie Thompson and Rasa Gilbert for helping with scorekeeping from start to finish.
We also want to recognize Craig Ephraim for his behind-the-scenes work managing club merchandise all year long, which helps fund our events and keeps our gear ready for every occasion. Thank you to Rick Fegley for his help with truck loading, setup, and breakdown.
Feeding the entire beach for two days is no small task—huge thanks to Kurt Winn, George Laich, Atsuko Okuma,Emily Robertson, and Sarah and Gene Chen for their amazing food prep and service.
Our gratitude also goes to Rob Sachse, Jen Cuda, and Pam Brown for their tireless help with merchandise sales and management throughout the event, ensuring everything ran smoothly.
Our announcers—Johnathan Tracy, Willy Wilson, Kevin Wold, Jim Wynne, and Scott French—brought energy, humor, and excitement to every heat, keeping the crowd engaged from morning to afternoon. Meanwhile, our Ready Area crew—Tiffany Lake, Mike Murphy, myself, and Angie Winslow—did an outstanding job checking competitors in and out of the lineup.A big shoutout to Charlie and Sabrinaa for managing the PA, sound, and horn systems with precision, ensuring the event flowed seamlessly from start to finish.
We are deeply grateful to our judging panel and spotters—Mark Chi, Glenn Brumage, Boston Tittensor, Bryce Frees, and Justin Koons—for their dedication and focus from sunrise to sunset, working through glare, heat, and long hours to ensure fair and accurate scoring.
Thank you to Cam Faris, Logan Cuda, Kian Laule, and Nate Viscount for their help with scaffolding and awards, and to Bobby and Rick for paddling out the buoys and assisting with early morning setup.
Finally, a heartfelt thank-you to Matt Enright and Rick Fegley for capturing the event through their lenses—providing competitors and families with stunning photographs that perfectly preserve the spirit of the day.
What a weekend—great waves, great friends, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Shack Repairs and Beach Maintenance
From grading the road and volleyball courts (Tim Baker, Jerry Skoda, Mark Brown, and Darren Eudaly) to fixing the showers (Matt Enright, who we also discovered is quite the artist from his beautiful painting donations)—your efforts keep San O running strong. There’s nothing like that fresh rinse after a surf… and when the showers are down, we sure notice it!
And of course, to the “old guys still climbing ladders and using power tools” Bobby Lombard, Craig Ephraim, Rick Fegley, and Tony Salazar thank you for tackling the renovation of the Old Man’s and Dog Patch Shack. Thank to to our crew of volunteers for helping to repair the surfboard racks for everyone to use.
A special thank you to Alex Ferron Mignona, Surfrider Foundation’s Coastal Adaptation Manager, who many of you have met at our events last year. Alex gathered valuable data and feedback from our members to guide her research and thanks to her dedication, secured a $1 million grant for coastal resiliency and erosion solutions, specifically designated for Surf Beach.
To all our club members who give their time to maintain the beach and serve the club, thank you! None of this would happen without you.
Thank you to Craig Ephraim for leading the merchandise efforts, with Ann Marie keeping the gear current and stylish. And to Rasa Gilbert, Rob Sachse, Pam Brown, and Jen Cuda for running the beach merch booth for all events throughout the year, thank you!
Thank you as well to Mike Murphy, Charlos Bentley, who was out helping every weekend before his accident, and whose family remains in our thoughts and prayers- to Darren Eudaly, Mark and Pam Brown for keeping our volleyball poles standing tall and nets in top shape, and to the Court Crew Kids who rake the sand, clear rocks, and make those dives a little too painful.
We’re also grateful to everyone who jumps in when State Parks calls for help managing the bamboo overgrowth, hauling, cutting, and cleaning. That teamwork truly embodies the San O spirit.
It has been a privilege to serve this incredible community and be part of a surf club that’s been around for over 70 years, long before San Onofre became a state park. The legacy, history, and aloha spirit of this place continue to inspire me and everyone who braves even a two-hour line for a wave!
Over the past three years, one thing I hear again and again is just how truly special San Onofre Surf Beach is. It’s one of a kind, there’s no other place where you can hit the sand and be in the surf in seconds. I’m so grateful to have raised my children, Michael and Logan, alongside my wife, Jen, at this amazing beach, and I hope the next generation carries on the traditions we’ve shared, just like our families did for us.
The future of the Club is in great hands with Emmy Lombard stepping into the role of President. Emmy is a third-generation member who grew up on this beach and has even served as a State Park lifeguard. Her love and dedication to San Onofre run deep, and we know she will carry on the spirit and traditions that make this club so special.
Here’s to another amazing year at San Onofre—filled with waves, laughter, and the best community around.
See you in the lineup,
Scott Cuda
2025 San Onofre Surfing Club President
We would like to thank our generous donors for their raffle donations in supporting our efforts to maintain and preserve Sano in its natural state.
Release provided by San Onofre Parks Foundation:
SAN CLEMENTE, CA., April 25, 2020 - The San Onofre Parks Foundation is pleased to learn that the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton support an extension of the lease on San Onofre State Beach for 3 years to 2024. The original 50-year lease was signed in 1971 and was set to expire in 2021. San Onofre State Beach provides a unique “Coastal Wilderness’ experience in the heart of Southern California. Celebrating a rich natural and cultural history, the parklands are among the most popular in all of California. From the first people, the “Acjachemen,” to the modern era that identifies San Onofre as the best year-round surfing zone in North America, the San Onofre story is a fascinating tale of preservation, access and recreation. President Richard Nixon and California Governor Ronald Reagan graciously dedicated the land as a California State Park for all future generations. The Department of the Navy owns the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton land, which includes all of San Onofre State Beach. The State Park land extends south along the coast from San Mateo Point (Cottons surf break) to Trail 6 at the Bluffs Campground. The park includes nearly 2,000 inland acres along the Orange and San Diego County line, including lush wetlands, upland coastal sage habitat, the San Mateo Campground, extending to the Northwest corner of Camp Pendleton bordering the community of Talega in San Clemente and undeveloped land owned by Rancho Mission Viejo.
The San Onofre Parks Foundation understands that the 3-year lease extension is an interim solution, intended to provide the Department of the Navy with additional time to complete the work necessary to execute a succeeding long-term lease. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton has been a gracious partner and landlord to California State Parks throughout the initial 50-year lease period. Camp Pendleton has a legacy of mindful stewardship for all land within the Base and shares that tradition with California State Parks. Together they will continue to manage responsible public access to this spectacular zone, while protecting and preserving the treasured natural and cultural resources. The San Onofre Parks Foundation looks forward to working with all stakeholders, including Camp Pendleton, California State Parks, the Surfrider Foundation and Save San Onofre Coalition, amongst others, as a new future unfolds for San Onofre State Beach.
About San Onofre Parks Foundation The San Onofre Parks Foundation is a California 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting education and interpretive programs within the State Parks at San Onofre and San Clemente. The organization serves as a voice for the community who share a love for these parks.
Dogpatch shack restored!
Dogpatch shack relocation and restoration is complete. As most people are aware, the original Dogpatch shack built in 1981 had succumbed to the elements of beach erosion and termites. With State approval, the San Onofre Surfing Club went to work and got things going. Special thanks to Bob Lombard for taking the lead and thanks to Tom Bistline, Matt Enright, Pam Enright, Clarence Yoshikane, Craig Ephraim, Jim Wynne, Cyndie Kontoes, Rick Fegley, Mike Riley and Ann Marie Lombard for all of their help with getting it done. Now the palm frond roof is complete and the Dogpatch shack is ready for all to enjoy for another 40 years!
