November Mayor's Corner

Oct 15

By: Newport Beach Mayor, Joe Stapleton

**Ben Did Go 10.0, A Monumental Success That I Was Honored to Be a Part Of**

Saturday, September 13th, I joined over 130 individuals for the annual Ben Did Go 10.0 paddle in honor of Newport Beach Lifeguard, Ben Carlson, who tragically passed away rescuing a swimmer in distress 11 years ago on July 6th, 2014.

At 6:10 am, we set out from Avalon for a 30-mile epic event to the coast of Newport Beach. This required me to physically prepare for the rigorous cardio required to partake in such an activity, but joining all the others in this heartfelt commemoration for a local hero was well worth the physical strain on my body.

Prior to this, I prepared for months, undertaking 50 training paddles for a total of 450 miles. This included a 23-mile paddle from Newport Aquatic Center to the San Clemente Pier.

I was joined in the paddle with Thom McElroy, Dan Bistany, Alyssa Norwood, Jon Luca Del Fante, Matt Economos, and many other local legends who partook in this major undertaking.

And we can’t forget Paul Blank, Newport Beach’s Harbormaster, who acted as our skipper and used his own personal vessels to shadow us along the journey. Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles and Kelsey Bistany were also there to provide support along the journey.

This charitable event had a fundraising goal of $300,000. Donations have now reached over $450,000, blowing expectations out of the water.

All of us that took part in this incredible charitable effort to help promote water safety, our junior lifeguard program, and fund scholarships for our very own junior lifeguards pursuing higher education, and we couldn’t have done it without all the wonderful supporters out there that want to make an impact on this community.

This incredible experience couldn’t have been made possible without all the hard work that Spencer Pirdy, Ben Carlson’s close friend and fellow lifeguard, has put into this annual event. All of us who participated in it are profoundly affected by it and are even more grateful for the sacrifice that Ben Carlson made to save another's life, giving us all a lesson in selflessness and humility.

Mayor Joe Stapleton is serving his first term as Mayor of Newport Beach.