Captura de ondas e arrecadando fundos para veteranos

O evento anual de Surf for Vets ™ de Valero Wilmington é uma tradição de longa data que ajuda a arrecadar fundos para acabar com a falta de moradia dos veteranos. A organização fornece moradia de transição e permanente, bem como o emprego e a reentrada da força de trabalho. Desde 2017, o evento de caridade arrecadou mais de US $ 177.000 para a organização. Este é um dos onze locais no Arizona, Califórnia, Havaí, Nevada, Texas e Washington DC, ajudando veteranos por 30 anos. Quase 20 anos depois, a tradição continuou com um grupo de voluntários dedicados, organizando o popular angariador de fundos da comunidade, bem como os patrocinadores que contribuem para o evento. Os vencedores da competição de equipes deste ano foram contratados de Valero: AJ Teel, Patrick Parent, Kasey Otto e Emma Waldinger. Os voluntários foram capazes de coletar mais de 40 libras de lixo naquele dia.

In 2023, the event raised more than $46,000 for U.S. VETS™ – Long Beach, an organization that serves more than 800 veterans and their families daily. The organization provides transitional and permanent housing, as well as employment and workforce reentry. Since 2017, the charity event has raised more than $177,000 for the organization. This is one of eleven locations in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas and Washington D.C. helping veterans for 30 years.

Wilmington employee and founding organizer, Mark Rodriguez, Lead Project Engineering Specialist, said a fellow employee suggested having a surf event as a fundraiser. Almost 20 years later, the tradition has continued with a group of dedicated volunteers organizing the popular community fundraiser as well as sponsors contributing to the event.

The annual surfing competition has been hosted at Huntington Beach for many years and attracts all levels of surfers, including some Wilmington employees who trade in their Nomex for wet suits that day to compete in the event. Winners of this year’s team competition were Valero contractors: AJ Teel, Patrick Parent, Kasey Otto and Emma Waldinger.

After the competition, employees and guests volunteered to clean up a portion of the beach as part of the Wilmington’ refinery United Way Day of Caring. Volunteers were able to collect more than 40 pounds of trash that day.​