Green Diamond Donates New Equipment Trailer to North Coast Junior Lifeguards

Press release from Green Diamond Resource Company:

This spring, Green Diamond Resource Company’s President’s Fund awarded an $11,100 grant to the Redwood Parks Conservancy to purchase a new enclosed equipment trailer for the North Coast Junior Lifeguards (NCJL) program.

The North Coast’s program is one of 21 programs offered statewide by California State Park’s Junior Lifeguard program. Fondly known to its alumni as “Junior Guards” or “JGs,” this program offers week-long summer sessions for kids ages eight to 17 to learn about beach and ocean recreational safety, physical fitness, and emergency skills, like CPR and first aid.

In 2016, Sue-Meg State Park established the local North Coast program, with an inaugural session of 40 participants. Keven Harder, North Coast Redwoods District Chief Ranger and lifelong swimmer and surfer, helped found the program. “On the North Coast, we teach kids how to safely recreate in and around the ocean, which is fun, but it’s also serious,” he said. “Too often, tourists and families in this area are drawn to our beautiful beaches and are unprepared for powerful wave conditions that can turn tragic.” Training youth about awareness and survival ensures they will not be victims themselves and can apply their knowledge to real emergencies.

Over the last decade, NCJL’s annual enrollment has grown to nearly 400 participants. “For a program this size, there are a lot of moving parts, from surfboards to buoys to fins,” said Dillon Cleavanger, Lifeguard PI and Program Coordinator for Sue-Meg State Park. “It’s important to keep track of all this valuable equipment and keep it in good shape.” With only park vehicles for transport, the program needed a better system. The new trailer now provides long-term storage, protection from extended sun exposure, and safer transportation, especially on highways.

Green Diamond and California State Parks Lifeguard staff gathered at Sue-Meg State Park on March 26th to celebrate the new trailer and its impact to the program. More than 20 “JGs turned lifeguards” were present and shared their experiences with Green Diamond. One alum and current Seasonal Lifeguard 1, Lucas Blair, has been involved in the program for eight years and noted how “JGs opened up countless opportunities for me.”

“A program like this provides a variety of benefits and meets our core values of safety and community,” said Peter Jackson, Vice President and General Manager of California Operations

at Green Diamond. “It supports the workforce of tomorrow, develops future community leaders, and improves local safety.” Green Diamond hopes the new trailer will serve the program well for several years to come.

The North Coast Junior Lifeguards program is currently open for summer 2023 enrollment in Trinidad and Crescent City. For more information about the program and enrollment please visit: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26889.