CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Founder of Newport Junior Guards To Retire

The Newport Beach official who founded the city’s junior lifeguard program 26 years ago has announced her retirement.

Lifeguard Battalion Chief Reenie Boyer will retire at the end of this month. Boyer started the city’s Junior Lifeguard program in 1983 with 54 students; the program now has 1,300 each summer.

“Over the past 25 years, the program has educated over 25,000 children in the Newport community on how to be safe at the beach,” said Jennifer Schulz, a Newport Beach Fire Department spokeswoman.

“Mrs. Boyer has run an incredible beach safety program,” said Jim Turner, a Newport Beach lifeguard battalion chief. ” She has been a tremendous asset to our department and our community. She is an inspiration and we will all miss her very much.”

Boyer also trained seasonal ocean lifeguards. A retirement party will be held in her honor next month.