Dooma’s surf team includes (from left) Levi Young, Chrislyn Simpson Kane and Ty Simpson Kane.

LAHAINA – The “Local Surfers-Local Lens” event has become a tradition in Lahaina.

It’s the brainchild of master surf photographer Dooma, and it becomes grander every year.

The Saturday, May 28, Memorial Day Weekend event is the eighth annual extravaganza, hosted once again by Lulu’s Lahaina Surf Club and Grill at Lahaina Cannery Mall.

It’s the end of surf season, Dooma Photos classic slide show – featuring the best of his best 1,000 shots of the year – and 2016 was a monumental, recording-setting year for Maui.

“This year was an El Nino winter, so the waves were above average,” the veteran Napili waverider/photographer told the Lahaina News.

Dooma Photos and Lulu’s Lahaina at Lahaina Cannery Mall will present the eighth annual “Local Surfers-Local Lens” event on Saturday, May 28, beginning at 6 p.m. This photo of DK Walsh at Peahi on Feb. 24 — the day the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational was held at Waimea Bay on Oahu — is one of Dooma’s favorite photos from the 2015-16 winter surf season.

“Pretty much the best winter in ten-plus years,” he added.

The Tag Heuer XXL world’s biggest wave winner award was captured by Yuri Soledade of Haiku at Jaws (Peahi) for his ride on a 73-footer on Feb. 25. On Jan. 15, Oahu’s Aaron Gold set a mark in the Guinness Book of World Records with the 63-foot giant he paddled into at Jaws.

Honolua Bay wasn’t slack either.

“It was one of the best years for waves at Honolua in a long time; a lot of big swells. A few days, I would go to Peahi at sunrise ’til the winds got too much for it; then I would come back to the West Side and catch the afternoon session at Honolua, because the winds that make Peahi chopped up are perfect offshore at Honolua, so I was able to get the best of both worlds,” Dooma observed.

As in past years, a standing-room only, full-capacity crowd is anticipated at Lulu’s, with a draw of surfers, young and old, from all over the state.

Doors are open from 6 p.m. until closing, with all ages welcome until 10 p.m.

Live entertainment will be provided by Nestor Ugale and Kale Codae Music.

There is no cover charge.

A one-of-a-kind, epic raffle is a popular sidebar of the night, with the dozens and dozens and dozens of prizes a testament of the aloha shared by our generous island community.

The seemingly endless list can be viewed on Facebook at Damian Antioco (DoomaPhotos).

Raffle tickets are available on Saturday night.

“All the money is being contributed to a cause,” Dooma said.

The beneficiary this year and last year is Pomaika’i.

Luke Adolfson leads the charitable establishment and solicited all the items on the raffle catalog. Adolfson is also the coach of the Lahainaluna High School surf team.

“Pomaka’i, which means blessed, is a new organization that is purely focused on blessing Maui’s keiki through the art of surfing and exploring Maui’s many blessings; (and) building and mentoring the next generation to be thankful, to love, to respect and be stewards of the land and sea,” Adolfson explained.

Dooma’s generosity is more than a one-time-a-year party; it’s all year long.

“At the end of the winter, I give everybody their pictures on a Flash Drive.” According to Dooma, that’s about 200-plus people – all for free.

No easy task.

Additionally, he sponsors a three-keiki surf team, composed of 12-year-olds Ty Simpson-Kane and Levi Young and Chrislyn Simpson-Kane, 8.

The mom of the Simpson-Kane part of the team, Jacy Kane, is ever so grateful for Dooma’s entrance into her family’s life.

“We love Dooma; he’s just so genuine and so sincere and has so much aloha in him.

“For us,” Kane continued, “it started out with one picture. (and) that one picture started a friendship that turned into more like a family. My kids love him. When they see him, he’s their uncle and he’s family.

“He does this, not just for our kids, but for everyone in the community. He shoots endless hours, then goes home and does countless more hours of editing, and then gives away these pictures; not for money but out of the kindness of his heart,” Kane added.

Dooma’s philosophy should be contagious; the world would be a better place.

“I don’t take anything for granted; I am grateful. I always make sure to go to all of the clean-ups. I am not a taker; I always like to give back,” he concluded.