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About Us

The Sons of the Beach of Volusia County (SOBs), Inc. is a grassroots organization dedicated to increase public awareness of matters concerning the management of our beaches, the protection of its marine wildlife habitat, and securing preservation of the traditional vehicular access to Atlantic Ocean Beach (henceforth referred to as 'the Beach'). Read more about our founding fathers here.

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Meet The Board of Directors

Our Founding Members

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Founding Member

Gaulden Reed  1918-2007

Gaulden helped create the Sons of the Beaches to try and keep the beach toll-free. He was a Seabreeze High School graduate, served as a cadet in the Army Air Corps during World War II, and later was a licensed pilot. He was a general contractor for 46 years and served on the Beach Advisory Board for 20 years. During retirement he delivered Meals on Wheels for 18 years. He owned and operated the Ormond Pier and the Aloha Marina with his wife, Nancy. Gaulden helped create the Sons of the Beaches to try and keep the beach toll-free. In 1933 he was one of the first surfers on the East Coast of the U.S. and later was inducted into the East Coast Surfing Legends Hall of Fame. He also was a long-time member of the Halifax Sailing Association. He helped bring catamaran sailing to the Daytona Beach area and founded the Hobie Fleet 80. He was a lifelong environmental activist. In the last few years he tirelessly worked to bring the dream of a butterfly conservatory to Manatee Island in the downtown area. He once said "Life is tenuous and when you are dead, you’re dead for a long time. God said go do it, do everything you can," Gaulden, builder of the Ormond Pier, claimed. He lived by his words and felt everyone should put on bathing suits and get in the water."​ We feel the same way.

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Founding Member

Paul Wayne Ward  1936-2013

Wayne advocated for the public's right to access the beaches locally and state wide and founded the Sons of the Beaches. He moved to Florida in his youth and settled in Daytona Beach. He served the National Guards in North Carolina and Florida, was a Deacon at First Baptist Church and was honored as Young Man of the Year by the Daytona Beach Jaycees. He founded Tip Top Printing Company in 1961 which grew from a one man shop to one of the largest printing companies in Florida. Wayne was an active fisherman and after selling his business he became an avid sailor and Captain of the sailing sloop, "Irish Rover". He sailed to many ports in the Keys, Caribbean and Central and South America. Wayne was the kind of fighter for public action that often took not only his time, but his money as well. His committment to keep the beaches open to all with vehicle access was Wayne's deepest political cause. Through legal action and elections, he never stopped the fight.

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