LIQUID LOVE

On September 5, professional surfers and surf industry executives will converge at the annual Liquid Nation Ball - a charity fundraiser benefiting social and humanitarian organizations. This years ‘humanitarian of the year’ award will be given to Dr. Dave Jenkins, who founded SurfAid International. SurfAid delivers critical medical aide, malaria relief and prevention programs to the Mentawai people, off the western coast of Sumatra (Indonesia).

If you go the event, you’ll mingle with hot surfers while enjoying live music and bidding on one-of-a-kind-items…last year, the event raised $250,000…this year’s proceeds will be donated to Boarding for Breast Cancer, Keep a Breast, Surfer’s Healing, Jimmy Miller Foundation, AccesSurf Hawaii, Outdoor Outreach, Get a Board Foundation, Ka Keikio Hawaii Foundation, Stoked Mentoring, L.A. Surf Bus, Life Rolls On, Project Wipeout, SurfAid International and Sumba Foundation. For more info and how to buy tickets to this very affordable and worthwhile event, (held in San Diego) please visit: Liquid Nation.

Liquid Nation Ball is the annual fundraiser for the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association’s (SIMA) Humanitarian Fund. Established in 2006, the SIMA Humanitarian Fund was created to serve as the humanitarian arm of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association by raising money from the public through fundraisers and solicitations. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund uses these funds to promote and support surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health, and/or welfare of people.

SURFERS HEAL
The reason I mention the Liquid Ball is not solely because its hot surfers raising money for charity, but because a week earlier, I went to the Surfers Healing Camp in San Diego. Surfers Healing is one of the beneficiaries of the Liquid Nations Ball…and they are doing remarkable things with children who suffer from autism.

Surfers Healing was founded by Israel (Izzy above) and Danielle Paskowitz after their 3-year-old son Isiah was diagnosed with autism. The ocean was the only place that seemed to calm Isaiah down, so, being a former competitive surfer, daddy Israel had the idea to paddle out with Isaiah on the front of his surfboard…after a day surfing together, the positive and profound impact on Isaiah was obvious, and Izzy and Danielle decided to share this unique therapy with other autistic children and have been hosting camps at various beaches ever since.

And let me just say, wow. I am not an expert on autism by a long shot, but I am an expert on noticing good-deeds being done by fine men. The Surfers Healing Camp was held in San Diego on August 20. This little event needs much more attention-apparently the one in Malibu is off the hook-but in any case, watching big, tan, strong, surfers hoist little kids onto a surfboard and paddle out to sea is something to be seen.

Most of the kids were beyond excited. Kicking up clumps of sand as they ran by and jumped into the waves while the ‘surfers’ tried to snatch ‘em up and paddle them out. Some kids grabbed surfboards and tried to head out on their own as the surfers scrambled to keep up with them.

Every child at camp was smiling. Every parent at camp was smiling. Every surfer, every random beach-goer who strolled by was smiling. And it wasn’t just because of the sunshine and warm ocean temperatures…we were witnessing the magical healing powers of the ocean combined with massive amounts of love from these surfers and it was, simply put, beautiful.

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Delinda Lombardo
delinda@athlebrities.com