THE FOUNDERS of YMCA Camp Surf ( S.U.R.F )

THE FOUNDERS of YMCA Camp Surf ( S.U.R.F )

Three dedicated individuals played key roles in the establishment and early development of YMCA Camp Surf. The vision and drive of the camp founders served as a catalyst for the hard work and tireless efforts of the volunteers, community leaders, elected officials, generous donors, and YMCA staff teams that followed.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM “BILL” FARGO Captain Bill Fargo of the United States Navy was the driving force that identified and developed the plan for the YMCA to lease the oceanfront land just north of the small town of Imperial Beach. Captain Fargo volunteered to represent the Navy on the San Diego County YMCA Camp Committee because of his daughter’s connection to YMCA Camp Marston as a staff member. In 1967 at a Camp Committee meeting, Captain Fargo suggested developing a beach camp to help alleviate overcrowding at Camp Marston, the only San Diego YMCA camp at that time. The “Camp Surf” Committee was formed to explore the feasibility and location of a beach camp. An undeveloped 45-acre beachfront site located on the Naval Radio Receiving Facility (NRRF) north of Imperial Beach was identified. The Camp Committee convinced the command of the 11th Naval District that the YMCA could put this site to good use as a waterfront camp for youth-serving organizations in San Diego County. Captain Fargo retired from the U.S. Navy in 1969 as the Commanding Officer of Fleet Training Center San Diego. He continued his service on the YMCA Camp Committee and was instrumental in maintaining close ties between the YMCA and Navy, introducing Senior Naval Officers to YMCA Camp Surf and the value it brought to the community.

VALENTINE “VAL” HOY JR. Val Hoy was the Executive Director of the Camping Department for the YMCA of San Diego County during the formulation and founding of YMCA Camp Surf. He provided strong leadership and support that took YMCA Camp Surf from concept to reality. After leaving the YMCA in 1973, Val founded a construction company that was a major contributor to the construction of wooden cabins at both Camp Marston and Camp Surf in the late 1980s. Val never lost his close connection to the YMCA Camps, and served as Chairman of the Camp Board in 1989, the same committee that he was on 20 years earlier when not only Camp Surf, but Raintree Ranch was established. Val was a very busy Executive Director of Overnight Camping and an equally busy board chair.

RICHARD “DICK” MASON Dick Mason served as Camp Director over two time periods, starting with the inception of the Camp in the early 1970s and returning in the late 1980s. Dick’s early leadership as Camp Director (1970-1975) focused on getting the Camp facilities and programs up and running. Both day and overnight programs were developed to serve Scout groups, teen church groups, and YMCA branch programs. During his second tour as Camp Director (1986-1995), spring and fall programs grew and programs that served schools started. Dick also improved and expanded camper facilities replacing Korean War era Quonset huts, with permanent wooden cabins. Dick Mason was a masterful planner, organizer and motivator who is credited with creating the Mariners, Watermen and Beachcombers village names and programs which remain to this day.