The fourth annual Project Save Our Surf event took place this past weekend on the beach of Santa Monica. The celebrity surfathon benefited Santa Monica Baykeeper, Waves for Water, Inside the Outdoors and Tumelo Home. Artists on Demand was invited to attend day two of this amazing event.
Celebrity surfers in attendance on Sunday were John Slattery from Mad Men, Tate Donovan from Damages, Gregory Harrison from One Tree Hill, Michael Munoz from Amazing Race and Peter Brinkerhoff, a Daytime Emmy winning director. Although the Celebrity Surfing Session started late by 15 minutes, the judges cut no time off their overall time in the water. The competition took place for 45 minutes, judging on a scale from 1 to 10 on degree of difficulty, progressive maneuvers, long boarding style and short boarding style. If you think the judges were starstruck and ranked their favorite celebrities higher, think again! The judges had no idea who was in the water! The celebrities were each dressed in a specific neon colored shirt with a number on their back and the judges referred to them as so. The conditions were challenging with short, fast waves. These were definitely not beginner conditions, but then again, these celebrities have had some experience in the water. Many stars have a history of surfing as a pastime and a source of exercise. That relation to the water is one of the many reasons they show up to support such a great event. They were asked to raise and/or donate money for the cause and they gladly pulled through!
Locals were encouraged to attend the event and watch the Pro Surfer and Celebrity Surfing Sessions. The many people in attendance also enjoyed live music, mural painting and eco-friendly exhibits to name a few. Ocean Force Foundation had a booth informing people of ocean-related issues. At 1pm they hosted an impromptu beach cleanup. Many SOS volunteers, surfers and people in attendance participated in the cleanup. Everyone involved in this event had such a passion to keep our oceans clean and people walked away with a strong sense of awareness to ocean threats. We can’t wait to attend Project Save Our Surf next year and we encourage you to become involved!
“Tanna Frederick is a rising movie star whose drive and determination have benefited the University of Iowa and the charitable causes she holds dear. Thankful for a UI experience that prepared her for a successful acting career in Hollywood—where she’s starred in many acclaimed plays and films—Frederick has given back to the Department of Theatre Arts in myriad ways, most notably through a student scholarship. A true supporter of the Hawkeye state, Frederick also founded the Iowa Independent Film Festival in her hometown of Mason City. Beyond the arts, she’s an avid surfer who co-founded Project Save Our Surf in Santa Monica, California, which raises money to preserve threatened coastline, as well as provide clean drinking water to those who need it.”
