Tuesday, November 26, 2019

A Surfing Life


Tony Soriano – Sharing the Stoke!


Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

On any given morning the best place to find Tony Soriano is riding a wave or helping to clean the beach.


Soriano, the Surfrider Foundation Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter Advisor, is a waterman to the core. He loves being in the ocean or working to protect the coastal environment for all to enjoy.


Whether it's setting up Surfrider information booths on the sand before dawn, leading beach cleanups or talking to community groups, Soriano is a tireless advocate for the world's oceans, waves and beaches.


Soriano, who grew up in Southern California, told SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel that he's always been the most at home in the water. "When we were kids, my parents used to fish a lot and my sister, brother and I always went along. The ocean was our life."


Surfing is in Soriano's DNA. He loves the challenge and the thrill of it. Plus, the camaraderie with the other surfers in the lineup.


The only thing Soriano doesn't like about surfing is the trash he sees in the water and on the beach. "When I first started surfing the water was blue and clear," he says. "I want to get the ocean back to that clean look from when I grew up."


That's why he joined the Surfrider Foundation and why he spends countless hours working with organizations, surf companies, and community groups to clean the beach and educate people about the need to get trash and plastics out of the environment.


In recognition of his volunteer work, in 2014 Soriano was honored by the Angel Light Academy at its Above & Beyond Coastal Gala. The award honors those "doers" who are making a positive difference in their communities.


An all-around good guy, who is always ready to share the stoke and help his neighbors, Tony Soriano does this...and much more.


And, at the end of the day, he still fishes from the pier, watches the sunset, and spends time with his son Alex – one of the next generation Soriano is bringing on board to enjoy surfing and protect the environment.

 


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Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.