The new statue of Ben Carlson after an unveiling ceremony at in McFadden Square at the Newport Beach Pier on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. Ben was a veteran Newport Beach lifeguard who died attempting to rescue a swimmer on July 6, 2014. (File photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Orange County Register – March 15, 2017
By LAYLAN CONNELLY / STAFF WRITER
Sure, the sand castle contest will make for a fun-filled morning to raise funds for a good cause.
But don’t be fooled – there’s some serious bragging rights on the line.
Newport Beach lifeguards, police officers and firefighters will compete Saturday morning in the contest, which will have an added twist of an obstacle course. Funds raised will be split between a nonprofit formed in honor of Ben Carlson, a lifeguard who lost his life during a rescue in big surf in July 2014, and the police relay race “Baker to Vegas” to be held later this month.
“It’s for fun, but it’s still competition,” said Newport Beach lifeguard supervisor Gary Conwell. “We’re on our home turf, so we’ll see how they can compete with us.”
The competition was the brain-child of police Officer Chris Kimble, who wanted to raise funds for “Baker to Vegas,” a 120-mile relay that brings officers from around the world to compete. Officers also wanted to find a local nonprofit to benefit from fund-raising efforts.
The Ben Carlson Memorial & Scholarship Foundation was a good fit because it’s a Newport Beach charity, and because Carlson was a public servant who lost his life protecting others, Kimble said.
“Ben Carlson was a Newport Beach lifeguard and made the ultimate sacrifice in the course of his duty,” Kimble said. “That hits home for us. He’s part of the Newport Beach family. It was a no-brainer.”
///ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Ben Carlson Memorial & Scholarship Foundation members, supporters, city officials, lifeguards and community leaders will gather in McFadden Square to unveil the Ben Carlson Statue on Wednesday, July. The nine-foot-tall statue of Ben will be located in McFadden Square, near the Benjamin M. Carlson Lifeguard Headquarters at the Newport Beach Pier in Newport Beach, CA. Ben was a veteran Newport Beach lifeguard who died attempting to rescue a swimmer on July 6, 2014.