Look To The Stars News: Kelly Slater

The Surf Is Up For Cystic Fibrosis

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Pro surfers Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama will lead a group of celebrities and surfers – including Andy Irons – at the 2nd Annual PacSun Pipeline To A Cure event benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation this Saturday, July 18, at Huntington Beach, California.

The evening will bring together the surf world to support the direct positive effect surfing has on those afflicted with cystic fibrosis. The event will feature a special headline performance from Shiny Toy Guns, along with former American Idol Season 8 contestant Kai Kalama. Chris Cote, Editor-in-Chief of TransWorldSURF, will emcee the evening which includes a live auction with radio personality Shawn Parr. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has chosen Mike Sullivan of LAcarGUY as their 2009 PacSun Pipeline to a Cure honoree.

During the silent auction, PacSun Pipeline To A Cure will auction off items including celebrity autographed Havaianas flip flops from Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Chris Pine, Eva Longoria, Kate Bosworth, Selena Gomez, Hayden Panettiere and more. Shaun White has donated an autographed snowboard in addition to other celebrity items from Kelly Slater, Shia LeBeouf, Ryan Sheckler and more. For the second year in a row, Mike Sullivan has generously donated a new Toyota Prius to the opportunity drawing.

The PacSun Pipeline to a Cure campaign is raising funds and increasing global awareness of the unique bond between the sport of surfing and those with cystic fibrosis. The campaign was initiated after research showed that young cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who surf had healthier lungs.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization devoted to curing and controlling cystic fibrosis. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation funds CF research, has 73 chapter and branch offices throughout the country, and accredits a nationwide network of 115 CF care centers, which provide vital treatments and other CF resources to patients and families. To advance the search for a cure, CFF has invested nearly $300 million in promising scientific research in the biotechnology industry since 1998. As a result, the Foundation has more than 30 potential therapies in its drug discovery and development pipeline. Virtually every approved CF drug available today was made possible because of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation support. For more information, visit www.cff.org.

To find out more about the event, visit the official website here.

Celebrities Give Their Soles To Foster Care Centre

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

The first “Foster Soles” online charity auction took place last month to support Hillsides, a Los Angeles foster care and treatment centre.

Foster Soles collected the shoes of dozens of big names, such as Denzel Washington, Elton John, Jake Gyllenhaal and Nicolas Cage, who autographed their footwear before putting them up on the block.

Proceeds of the auction will be used by Hillsides for their programs and in public awareness. Once an orphanage, it is now a private, non-profit centre providing abused children with a safe refuge and advocating for their rights. Hillsides’ website says, “Although [the children] come from all over Southern California and encompass every ethnic and socioeconomic group, they share a common experience – the emotional scars that result from child abuse. With counselling and mental health treatment, children at Hillsides learn that they are not alone, that they are safe and cared for. Six programs constitute the framework for Hillsides treatment services – Residential Treatment, the Education Center, the Family Center and Advocacy.”

The Foster Soles auction kicked off with a festive party where the bidding began and then continued on line through most of May. Billy Joel, Billy Zane, Carmen Electra, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Jack Johnson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kelly Slater, Marlee Matlin, Monique Coleman, Rachel Hunter, Rod Stewart and Shia LaBeouf were also among the celebrities that donated to their soles to the cause.

SurfAid CD Helps Tsunami Victims

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A new CD raising money for some of the areas of Indonesia still recovering from the Boxing Day Tsunami tragedy went on sale exclusively in New Zealand last week.

SurfAid – The Music has been produced by SurfAid International, an organization that aims to improve the health and self-reliance of communities in remote geographical locations regularly visited by traveling surfers.

The new CD features songs specially donated by acts such as John Butler, Bob Marley, Liam Finn, Neil Finn, The Black Seeds, and a special duet between Crowded House and Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.

The organization was set up in New Zealand in 2000 by Dr Dave Jenkins, and now has bases in California, Indonesia, and Sydney. The new CD – which is being endorsed by Kelly Slater – is hoped to raise awareness of the situation in Nias and the Mentawai Islands, off Sumatra, Indonesia, where SurfAid runs a community development program for health, disaster preparedness, as well as water and sanitation programs. 100% of the proceeds from the CD will go towards these programs.

The CD is currently available in music stores and Quicksilver outlets in New Zealand, as well as online through The Loop.

Jack Johnson Goes Barefoot For Charity

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Jack Johnson is kicking off his shoes to lead a host of celebrities in a new auction to save America’s shoreline.

The singer is just one of many conservation-minded stars who have donated their footwear to the auction, which benefits the Surfrider Foundation, an organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.

The Barefoot Wine Rescue Project auction also features shoes donated by Cameron Diaz, Matthew McConaughey, Kelly Slater, Sophia Bush, Andrew Keegan and many more.

“Barefoot Wine is committed to helping make beaches ‘barefoot-friendly’ through the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project,” said Jeremy Soine of Barefoot Wines. “We’re donating 100% of the proceeds from this charity auction to support the Surfrider Foundation’s ongoing efforts to keep our world’s beaches healthy for generations to come.”

“This charity auction is an additional step towards improving the state of our coastlines,” added Matt McClain, Director of Marketing and Communications for Surfrider Foundation. “We’re stoked and grateful to see some of our long-time celebrity supporters kicking off their shoes and going ‘barefoot’ for the Surfrider Foundation.”

The auction runs until December 12 and can be accessed through eBay Giving Works.

Eddie Vedder Rocks Kelly Slater Foundation Benefit

Fri, 02 May 2008 19:06:50 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Eddie Vedder, actor/activist Sean Penn, big-wave mogul Jeff Clark, and host Marty Colombatto paddled out in front of Colombatto’s estate overlooking Cotton’s Point (California) last Sunday, the morning after a private benefit concert by Vedder raised over $350,000 in support of the Kelly Slater Foundation.

Only about 600 lucky people, including Sean Penn, were invited to Colombatto’s estate for the concert to benefit the newly formed Foundation, which raises money to create awareness for environmental groups such as Miocean, Reef Check and the Surfrider Foundation.

Popping in to lend their support for the king-o-waves, were Eddie Vedder and Ben Harper. “Half of every song I’ve ever written, was written in the ocean so that’s sort of my way of giving back,” says Vedder.

The highlight of the night was impromptu jam session, with Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper and Kelly Slater pumping out the evening’s final song, Pearl Jam’s “Indifference,” to a standing ovation.

Congratulations to Kelly Slater and his new foundation for an incredibly successful launch which ended on a good note, thanks to the help of some environmentally friendly friends.

Crikey! Irwin Featured On Stamp For Charity

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:01:44 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The life of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin is to be commemorated with a new postage stamp in his homeland of Australia, a year after his tragic death.

The new stamp, produced in association with New Idea magazine, features Irwin alongside his daughter, Bindi, his son, Bob, and a very large snake, in an image that was used as the magazine’s commemorative cover shortly after Irwin was killed by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef in 2006.

The stamp is the result of a survey held by New Idea, in which readers were asked to name the Australian celebrity they would most like to see honored in a postage stamp – the public voted unanimously for Irwin.

“We were overwhelmed with the response to the public poll, and are happy to support New Idea in this initiative,” said Australia Post’s Michael Zsolt. “This is the first time that an Australian magazine cover has been made available to the general public on an Australia Post product.”

Proceeds from the 46 cent stamp will go to Irwin’s charity, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a non-profit organization dedicated to conservation set up by Irwin and his wife, Terri, in 2002. It will also be released in time for the inaugural Steve Irwin Day on November 14, a day set aside by the state of Queensland to honor him. Steve Irwin Day hopes to celebrate the three things Irwin was passionate about – wildlife, family, and fun – and Irwin’s Australia Zoo is backing the event with several fundraising initiatives to benefit Wildlife Warriors Worldwide. These include Khaki Day, in which people in workplaces are encouraged to wear shirts of the color made famous by Irwin, and Backyard Campout, in which people are encouraged to gain sponsorship to camp out in their garden – and anywhere else they choose.

The charity will also be holding several auctions on the day and in the following months. Items for sale include a Harley Davidson motorcycle that features a special Wildlife Warriors design, and a khaki shirt signed by celebrities such as Jesse McCartney, Johnny Knoxville, surfing legend Kelly Slater, Aussie rocker Jimmy Barnes, and Little Britain’s Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

More information on Steve Irwin Day can be found at www.wildlifewarriors.org.au.

Paris Hilton Enjoys A Night By The Ocean

Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:52:28 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Paris Hilton is making good her promise to be involved in more charities, and was one of over 500 people to attend the 4th annual “Night By The Ocean Charity Gala and Auction” on July 22nd. Celebrities, sports stars, and Hollywood and surfing industry executives all came together at the Beverly Hills Hotel for a night of fun and performances to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries.

The event was co-chaired by champion surfer Kelly Slater and actress Minnie Driver, and raised over $370,000 for the Life Rolls On Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injuries.

The evening featured live performances by Jackson Browne, Miles Doughty of Slightly Stoopid, and Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, and also included an auction. The funds that were raised will go directly into the Foundation’s key initiatives, such as “They Will Surf Again”, an adaptive surfing program for those with spinal cord injuries, and opportunities for able-bodied individuals to get involved with the organization.

“It’s a great organization,” Paris Hilton was quoted as saying in People Magazine. “It gives people hope, and I’m really happy to be here to support Jessie [Billauer, founder of Life Goes On].”
Hilton also paid $17,500 at the auction for a personal surfing lesson with Billauer and actor Adam Sandler.

As well as attending the Night By The Ocean Gala, Paris Hilton has recently visited a children’s cancer ward, and is planning to actively support more charitable causes in the future.

“I have met with philanthropists… and we’ll be doing stuff all around the world. I’m excited.”

She has now started giving a portion of all her appearance fees to children’s charities.

Look To The Stars News: Kelly Slater

The Surf Is Up For Cystic Fibrosis

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