Valero Wilmington’s annual Surf for VETS™ event is a long-standing tradition that helps to raise funds to end Veteran homelessness.
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.
See how Valero volunteers support veterans through surfing
Community Investment. As good neighbors, we’re proud of our fundraising efforts for the United Way and local charities, and corporate contributions from Valero.
