FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Tariq Malik

Bursting with life, the lifelong Huntington Beach resident has focused

her energies into preserving the very culture that personifies the city,

all free of charge.

For more than a year, Juhasz, 39, has spent her spare moments at the

International Surfing Museum as a volunteer, serving as a docent to the

rich history behind the water sport, balancing the books and manning the

front desk to greet new visitors.

“It’s funny but when I started here, I didn’t know anything about

surfing, I just wanted to help out and do something,” she said. “Now it’s

become my passion.”

Juhasz started volunteering a year ago in June, after being diagnosed

with a seizure disorder and receiving a medical discharge from the Army.

Her condition precluded her from seeking work, so she decided to

volunteer instead.

“We’re working to preserve the surf culture that has made this city

what it is,” she said, adding, that she is planning to take the sport up

herself soon. “The best part is when you see it in people’s eyes, that

recognition that surfing is more than just fiberglass boards and waves.”

Walking school children through the museum is a special treat because

Juhasz gets the chance to expose them to the sport’s history and continue

the culture through a younger generation.

“There’s something here for everyone,” she said. “Families come in and

the children learn about the culture, while their parents learn about its

history, and then we have regulars who come in to look through our surf

music archive or come to our concerts.”

When she first started at the museum, Juhasz spent almost the entire

week volunteering. Lately, she has had to cut back to make room for job

training programs to return to the work force.

“And it’s not just our visitors who do the learning, some of them tell

us their own surfing stories so we learn too,” she said, adding that

until recently there weren’t enough volunteers to keep the museum open on

Tuesdays and Wednesdays. “I’m so on fire about this place, and it’s

unfortunate we can’t more people involved.”