Santa Cruz Surf Club Apparel Co.'s response

Here is a statement released to ABC7 News from Ryan Rittenhouse of the Santa Cruz Surf Club Apparel Company.

Ryan Rittenhouse founded Santa Cruz Surf Club Apparel Co. to preserve and protect the memorabilia and history surrounding the Original Santa Cruz Surfing Club EST. 1936 from opportunistic groups like the preservation society.

The preservation society does not represent all members from the original club like they claim.

Rittenhouse has worked five years without a paycheck, invested $150,000 of his own personal money and the business has operated at a loss. The perception that profit is the only motive couldn't be further from the truth.

Since 2006 Rittenhouse has not only donated money to the original members but made several attempts to work with the Santa Cruz Surfing Club Foundation, (a concept derived by Rittenhouse) Dan Young as a member of this group would personally not allow the foundation to accept donations or any sort of agreement to support one another unless the foundation took complete control of the entire business, property, and history of the original club.

Dan Young, Boots McGhee, Kim Stoner, Pat Farley, Mary Rice and other foundation members have done nothing except put themselves ahead of the original members for complete control and attempted to undermine the ideas and concept put forth by Rittenhouse. This includes stonewalling any agreement for donations, spreading false accusations to active business accounts, and lying about events leading up to this point.

The preservation society (a newly formed organization as of October 31, 2008) which is registered to Dan Young's home address in Aptos is trying to take the place of Rittenhouse's business, concept and ideas to further their own agenda to control the history of the original club.

At no time was Rittenhouse approached for help to fundraise monies for the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. However, the preservation society and Dan Young accuse Rittenhouse of not allowing such a thing.

Santa Cruz Surf Club Apparel Co. condemns the evil misconstrued lies and false accusations made by Dan Young and the preservation society.

Ryan Rittenhouse
Santa Cruz Surf Club Apparel Co.

Get more California News »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•