Oktoberfest raises $58,700

The Solana Beach Oktoberfest event held at the Belly Up on Oct. 26 to raise funds for a new Solana Beach lifeguard rescue craft was a smashing success.

Event organizer John Chamberlain presented Solana Beach Lifeguard Captain and City Manager David Ott with a check for $58,772 at the Nov. 19 city council meeting.

“On behalf of the Lifeguard department, thank you John Chamberlain and Solana Brothers,” Captain Craig Miller said. “We’re out shopping for a boat ... we’ll be able to use for a long time into the future.”

When the actual event did not quite meet the $50,000 fundraising goal, Chamberlain contributed and solicited personal donations from other Solana Beach families to push the total to $58,772. Chamberlain thanked those families, as well as the Belly Up for donating their venue and Vons for donating all the food.