Hobie Surf Shop owner honored with SchoolPower Hall of Fame Award

SchoolPower honored Mark Christy, owner of Hobie Surf Shop and managing partner at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, with the Hall of Fame Award at its annual trustee dinner at Okura Sushi June 5.

The award is given each year to a person or business “whose involvement in SchoolPower has made a singular difference in the success of the organization,” according to a news release.

SchoolPower Executive Director Robin Rounaghi described Christy as a “homegrown champion for this community” who understands how important it is to support the Laguna Beach schools that he attended.

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Christy acknowledged Laguna schools did a lot for his family.

“We like to keep it real, keep it in the community,” he said in the release. “We give what we can and we’re stoked to do it.”

Hobie’s contributions to SchoolPower go back as far as any other business. Hobie purchased advertising in the nonprofit’s student directory in 1998, and Christy continues bidding for its cover spots.

Hobie has donated countless auction items through the years for the SchoolPower Dinner Dance and has been a longtime sponsor for the Dodgeball tournament.

And last month Hobie and the Ranch underwrote all costs for the 3 Clubs Barefoot Canyon Classic golf tournament so that 100% of proceeds, about $40,000, would go to SchoolPower, which raises money for Laguna Beach Unified schools.

SchoolPower and its endowment contributed more than $972,000 to the district this year.

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Bryce Alderton, bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce