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LAGUNA BEACH : Dreams of Bringing ‘Surf Chair’ to City Kept Alive

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Pat DeMar’s dream of rolling along the water’s edge in Laguna Beach in a specially designed “surf chair” evaporated this summer. But her dream may eventually come true after all.

DeMar, a former Laguna Beach resident who used to run on city beaches at sunset, is wheelchair-bound after being struck with Lou Gehrig’s disease, a degenerative nerve disorder.

Earlier this year, DeMar and boyfriend Michael Laux, now Laguna Niguel residents, tried to get Laguna Beach to accept a donation of a surf chair--a balloon-wheeled creation that would allow her access to the beach again.

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But city officials said they had no place to store the chair, so the $900 vehicle went to Huntington Beach.

Now, however, the city has decided to erect a shelter for a surf chair on Main Beach, says Deputy City Manager Cindy King. And fitness buffs from a city exercise class have been pitching in money to buy one.

Susan DuBois, whose husband, Langdon, teaches the class, said they should have $900 by the end of the week. And they won’t stop there.

“I’m expecting the donations are going to keep coming and we’ll be able to move on to (buy) a second chair,” DuBois said.

While King said the storage shed may not be complete until winter, Laux said this week that he hopes it is ready sooner.

“Better late than never,” he said. “We’re anxious to put it in place.”

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