THE Loggerheads Malibu Club is giving back to the community, dispersing funds raised in a charity raffle held in the lead-up to their iconic annual surfing competition.

The club hosted the 38th annual Loggerheads Malibu Classic in July, and ran a charity raffle alongside it as it has in previous years.

“We [normally] donate 100 percent of the raffle money, generally around $500, to three or four not-for-profit organisations,” said Loggerheads President Barry Jagoe.

“However this year, thanks to the generosity of the public and their eagerness to win some top prizes, we have been able to make donations of $1,000 each to the Westpac Helicopter Rescue Service, the Nambucca Valley Cancer Support Group and the Scotts Head Sports Ground Committee.”

This year the prizes were a Catalyst longboard, a framed oceanscape photograph taken and donated by prominent surf photographer Chris Hewgill, a set of wall mounting surfboard racks donated by the family-owned Surf N Raks, and a custom imaged skateboard deck produced and donated by Matt Campbell of North Coast Photography.

A cheque for $1,000 was presented to Irene Rowsell, President of the Nambucca Valley Cancer Support Group, at the Alofa Sands Surf Club Cafe on Sunday afternoon.

“This donation is marvellous,” Irene told NOTA.

“It will go to assisting cancer patients and all of it will stay in the local area purchasing patient aid equipment, assisting cancer patients financially if their illness has put them under financial stress, and will help fund their travel for chemotherapy and other medical travel.”

The community generosity doesn’t end there however.

To ensure a professional level of water safety during the three days of the Classic, the Loggerheads Malibu Club hired the services of lifeguard Kevin ‘Pest’ Morrison, who positioned himself and his equipment at the water’s edge throughout the event ready to enact a rescue if required.

The $1500 cost for these services was covered by a sponsorship from Club Scotts.

Keven has since donated his entire payment for these services to the Nambucca Heads Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC), a cheque for which was gratefully received by surf club President Jeremy Burrows on Sunday.

“It is likely that these funds will go toward the upkeep of our Surf Club facilities and equipment here on Man Beach that will ultimately make our beach a safer place to be this summer,” Mr Morrison told NOTA.

By Mick BIRTLES