Prior to the Eddie Vedder Concerts at the Hawaii Theater on July 1 & 2, the Wishlist Foundation will be throwing two fundraising parties at Indigo Restaurant and Hotel 39 to benefit the Surfrider Foundation’s Oahu Chapter.   The events are free and open to the public, and they will feature special guest performances by Makana and other local musicians and DJ’s.  They will also be offering extensive raffle prizes and silent auction donations from world champion surfers like Shaun Tomson and Mark Richards and world-class musicians like Eddie Vedder and Ben Harper.

The first pre-concert party will take place on Wed., July 1, at Indigo Restaurant on 1121 Nu’uanu St. in Chinatown, from 4:30-7:00pm.  Local “guitar hero” Makana will perform at the party, and DJ Hi-Lo will be spinning popular hits by Pearl Jam and other artists. The second pre-concert party will happen on Thurs., July 2, at 39 Hotel, also in Chinatown, from 4:30-7:00 pm and will feature a surprise musical guest.

The Wishlist Foundation is nonprofit, grassroots fan organization dedicated to supporting Pearl Jam’s charitable and philanthropic goals.  They have put together an extensive collection of raffle prizes and silent auction donations to benefit Surfrider’s Oahu Chapter, including:  autographed collector’s items by Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Jake Shimabakuro, Shaun Tomson, Mark Richards, Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama and many others; a “Margaritaville Key West Frozen Concoction Maker” from  Jimmy Buffett’s Restaurant & Bar; a VIP Package to Randy Rarick’s Hawaiian Islands Vintage Surf Auction; and many other items.

In its 13th year of service, the Oahu Chapter is a volunteer, non-profit grassroots environmental group with similar chapters on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island and over 1800 members in Hawaii.  As part of its community outreach and activism, the O’ahu and neighbor island chapters work to improve ocean water quality and beach access, reduce plastic marine debris and make sure that development on the Islands has minimal impact on our coastal environment.

Founded in 1984 by a group of visionary surfers in Malibu, the Surfrider Foundation is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year and the environmental victories of its more than 60 chapters and over 50,000 members worldwide.  For more info on the Surfrider Foundation, go to: www.surfrider.org. For more info on the Oahu Chapter, go to:  www.surfrider org/oahu.  To schedule an interview, please contact Surfrider Oahu Co-Chairs Tim Tybuszewski, 808-230-3820, or Ryo Kubota, 808-542-4503; or Hawaii Coordinator Stuart Coleman, 808-942-3841.

Barefoot Wine is donating $5,000 to the Oahu Chapter’s campaign, “Clear the Path - Beach Access”. We can DOUBLE that donation to $10,000 if we can get the most votes on the Barefoot Wine website. There’s some tough competition, so we need your help. You can vote EVERY DAY. Please cast your vote in support of Surfrider Oahu. Click here for more information. Mahalo!

Through this campaign the chapter is pushing for better beach access through public education and legislation.  With continued construction and development all over the island, shoreline access is at risk.  In addition to the Clear the Path campaign, the chapter helped form the Shoreline Access Coalition of Hawaii, a collaborative group of organizations focused on improving shoreline access around the state.

Please join us on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at Diamond Head from 10AM to 2PM.

 The Surfrider Foundation and Surfing Magazine will celebrate the sport of surfing, Hawaii’s gift to the world, as part of their 5th annual International Surfing Day on Sat., June 20.   As part of a worldwide series of events, Surfrider’s O’ahu Chapter will sponsor a beach cleanup at Diamond Head from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm as part of their efforts to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches.  The beach cleanup will be followed by a surf session and a BBQ sponsored by 21st Century Technologies from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm.

Organizers hope surfers and beach-goers alike will take this opportunity to enjoy and appreciate our beaches and oceans, and do our part to ensure that future generations can do the same.  “The goal is simple: take the day, or at least a part of the day, to go out, catch a wave or three and — while you’re at it — help clean up your favorite beach,” says Surfing Magazine editor, Evan Slater. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their surfboards, paddle out, and remember how precious our oceans and beaches are, and why we should fight to save them.

Anyone interested in taking part in our International Surfing Day Cleanup should meet us at the top of Diamond Head near the path entrance at 10AM on Saturday, June 20, 2009.  Refreshments will be provided, along with prizes for lucky volunteers.  Along with the BBQ, Wainani Hansen and representatives of Lulu Lemon will be leading yoga exercises; and members of Fort Shafter’s Army Base will be joining us as well.

The International Surfing Day event at Diamond Head is one of the Surfrider Foundation O’ahu Chapter’s monthly cleanups that have been taking place for the last 13 years.  The chapter is a volunteer-run non-profit grassroots organization with over 500 members.  As part of its community outreach and activism, the O’ahu Chapter works to improve ocean water quality and beach access, reduce plastic marine debris and make sure that development on our island has minimal impact on our coastal environment. The chapter is one of 80 Surfrider Foundation chapters worldwide with over 50,000 members.  

International Surfing Day:
www.intlsurfingday.com

Surfrider Oahu Chapter:
www.surfrider org/oahu

Photos from last year:
Facebook page

To schedule an interview:
Surfrider Oahu Co-Chair: Tim Tybuszewski, 808-230-3820
Surfrider Oahu Co-Chair: Ryo Kubota, 808-542-4503
Surfider Hawaii Coordinator: Stuart Coleman, 808-942-3841

The Surfrider Foundation has received a coveted four-star rating on Charity Navigator for the second year in a row.  This prestigious rating shows that the Surfrider Foundation is able to efficiently manage and grow its finances and consistently execute its mission to protect and preserve our oceans, waves and beaches in a fiscally responsible manner. 

“We are thrilled to receive the four-star rating again this year as we know how important, especially in challenging economic times like these, for people to know their donations are being managed properly,” says Jim Moriarty, Surfrider Foundation’s CEO.

Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that the Surfrider Foundation excels, as compared to other charities in America, in successfully managing the in an efficient and effective manner.  This consistency in Surfrider’s rating is an exceptional feat, as only 19% of charities rated by Charity Navigator receive a 4-star rating in consecutive years.

Charity Navigator is America’s premiere charity evaluator that highlights the fine work of efficient charities and provides current and potential donors with the essential information needed to give them greater confidence in the choices they make.  By earning a four-star rating for the second year in a row not only differentiates the Surfrider Foundation from its peers, it shows the public that the organization is worthy of their trust.  According to Charity Navigator “The Surfrider Foundation consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, and outperforms most other charities in America.”

“This four-star rating is a reflection of the hard work and emphasis on prudent financial management by our staff, board, chapters and volunteers,” says Steve Blank, Surfrider Foundation’s Director of Development.  “Without them, this rating would not have been possible.”

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION LAUNCHES RISE ABOVE PLASTICS CAMPAIGN AND HOSTS A BEACH CLEANUP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERS ON SUN., 12/7/08

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii (December 2, 2008)  On Sun. morning, 12/7, the Surfrider Foundation Oahu Chapter will launch its Rise Above Plastics Campaign and ho st a beach cleanup with several other local environmental groups at Ala Moana Park, right across from the Magic Island parking lot, from 9:00-11:00am.  The Oahu Chapter is working with a coalition of other environmental partners to make people aware of the prevalence of plastic marine debris, reduce the use of single-use plastics (ie., bags and water bottles) and to promote a more sustainable lifestyle in Hawaii.  Co-sponsors of the beach cleanup include:  Styrophobia, Muumuu Heaven, Stop Styrofoam Hawaii, Sierra Club and Kokua Hawaii.

The Rise Above Plastics program seeks to reduce the amount of plastics making their way into our beach and marine environments though education and outreach efforts. “In certain areas of our oceans, the amount of suspended plastic particles outnumbers plankton by a ratio of six to one,” says Angela Howe, who oversees the program for the Foundation.  “Subsequently we see all this plastic making its way up the food chain, where it harms and kills birds and marine life.”

The Surfrider Foundation began the initial outreach for its Rise Above Plastics (RAP) program earlier this summer as part of Jack Johnson’s All At Once tour.  “People are ready to make behavioral changes that benefit our environment,” says Kim Johnson, who along with her husband Jack, helped in the planning and launch of Surfrider’s RAP program.  “Simple choices such as utilizing reusable tote bags and water bottles make a big difference in helping to reduce the amount of plastics in our marine environments.”

The public is invited to visit the program’s website, www.riseaboveplastics.org, where they can learn about how plastics impact our marine and coastal environments, as well as find information on how they take steps to reduce their own plastic “footprint.”

Nationally, the Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches through Conservation, Activism, Research and Education (C.A.R.E.). The Oahu Chapter is in its 12th year of activism and has been working on issues of beach access, water quality, coastal preservation and plastic marine debris.