Our vision is for a healthy coastal culture.
We promote surfing as a positive lifestyle and engage in the surrounding community, ultimately building a stronger coastal community.
Learn about membership
Meet the WBLA Board
WBLA’s founding members identified a need for the camaraderie they found in the ocean to expand to the shores, as some fellow surfers were facing rough waters in their lives. By coming together, they were able to lift their fellow surfers up during troubled times.
WBLA continues to spread the stoke among surfers in the Wrightsville Beach area by having fun together while continuing to assist families in need – with meals, financial support, and educational scholarships.
Paco Strickland Scholarship
WBLA Photo Album
In Memorium
Executive Board
- President – Shawn O’Donnell
- Vice President – Heidi Ziehm
- Secretary – Jen Gallo
- Treasurer – Wes Robinson
- Sergeant of Arms – Herb Walker
Former WBLA Presidents
- Billy Curry Aug 3,1999 – Aug 1, 2000
- David Wilson Aug 1, 2000 – Aug 7, 2001
- Billy Curry Aug 7, 2001 – Dec 3, 2002
- David (Scoop) DiBlasi Dec 3, 2002 – Oct 5, 2004
- Michael Whitmore Oct 5, 2004 – Jan 2, 2007
- Robert Choate Jan 2, 2007 – Aug 5, 2008
- John Beausang Aug 5, 2008 – Feb 3, 2010
- Laurance Bergman Feb 3, 2010 – Apr 4, 2011
- Shawn O’Donnell Apr 4, 2011 – Jan 5, 2016
- Stan Plotner Jan 5, 2016 – Aug 6, 2018
- Laura Shearin Walsh Aug 6, 2018 – Aug 1, 2022
- Shawn O’Donnell Aug 1, 2022 – present
In Memorium
We cherish our members who are no longer with us.
Michael Whitmore
Aug 16, 1950 – Aug 26, 2015
Michael grew up surfing Cocoa Beach. He was drafted into the Vietnam War and received 2 Bronze Stars. He lived in the Pisgah Mountains and pursued traditional furniture design and construction. He was asked to show his chairs at the Smithsonian but he walked away from that to return to his humble life by the beach. As the Godfather of the North End, he could be found there or home in his shop working on a new board design.
William “Paco” Strickland
Nov 15, 1952 – Jan 21, 2013
Paco was a man of many talents. In addition to music, which he performed for more than four decades; he was an avid athlete who ran numerous marathons, swam, cycled, and led popular spin classes and extreme workouts. He took up surfing in his fifties and was in the water with fellow Wrightsville Beach Longboarders almost daily until his diagnosis.
Michael Malone
Sept 18, 1948 – Jun 21, 2010
Mike loved surfing for the joy and freedom it gave him, and for the community of fellow surfers. We lived in Wilmington for 20 years, some of his happiest years because he could surf even if the waves were only one foot high. He was well loved and always missed.
Tiko Losano
He was the most selfless, genuine person that ever walked this earth. He gave to strangers as he would his own family. Always trying to spread a positive vibe. He played hard and loved even harder.
Donate by mailing to:
Wrightsville Beach Longboard Association
P.O. Box 541
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Thanks for your support!