Press Release:
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (July 14, 2010) – The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Humanitarian Fund is pleased to announce the 13 surf-related humanitarian organizations selected as beneficiaries of Liquid Nation Ball 7. Liquid Nation Ball 7 will be held Saturday, August 14, 2010, at 7:30 p.m., in La Jolla, Calif.
“The SIMA Humanitarian Fund is honored and stoked to continue to support surf-related humanitarian organizations on behalf of the surf industry,” said Fernando Aguerre, SIMA Humanitarian Fund President and Liquid Nation Ball Chairman and co-founder. “The 13 beneficiaries of Liquid Nation Ball 7 show the unique impact the power of surfing can have on improving lives. SIMA is glad to be able to host a star-studded event like Liquid Nation Ball to help raise funds for these organizations.”
Liquid Nation Ball 7 will be held at the ocean-front home of Fernando Aguerre, where one of the best private surfboard collections in the world is on display. The event includes dancing, live music, great food, open bar, and a short live auction of unique, one-of-a-kind items to benefit the 13 surf-related humanitarian organizations. The evening will also honor Grammy award winner Jason Mraz as the 2010 SIMA Humanitarian of the Year for his work with Life Rolls On and other non-profit humanitarian organizations. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund Board of Directors aims to continue the record fundraising legacy and raise $250,000 at Liquid Nation Ball 7.
The 2010 SIMA Humanitarian Fund grant recipients focus on four specific areas of humanitarian efforts: health education and awareness; urban youth outreach; injury prevention and assistance; and global medical relief.
Liquid Nation Ball was originally created by Santiago and Fernando Aguerre to support the humanitarian efforts of SurfAid. In 2006 the brothers donated the Ball to the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. The Ball now serves as the official fundraising event for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund. Since 2004, Liquid Nation Ball has donated more than $1.25 million to surf-related, non-profit humanitarian organizations. All proceeds from Liquid Nation Ball 7 will benefit 13 surf-related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations selected by the SIMA Humanitarian Fund Board of Directors for their efforts focusing on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people.
Liquid Nation Ball 7 tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are $300 per person. Only 375 tickets will be sold. To purchase tickets, please go to www.liquid-nation.com. To make a contribution to the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, please visit www.liquid-nation.com and click on the donate button. For event information or to make a contribution to the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, please contact Shannon Park, shannon@sima.com or 949.366.1164 x2.
On page 2: the 2010 SIMA Humanitarian Fund grant recipients
The following is a list of the 2010 SIMA Humanitarian Fund grant recipients along with a description of the organizations:
HEALTH EDUCATION and AWARENESS
Keep a Breast
Raises funds for breast cancer education, awareness, prevention and treatment through art events featuring plaster forms of the female torso that are customized by fine artists and then auctioned.
Boarding for Breast Cancer
A youth-focused education, awareness, and fundraising foundation that seeks to increase awareness about breast cancer, the importance of early detection and the value of a healthy lifestyle.
Surfer’s Healing
Working to enrich the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing.
Jimmy Miller Foundation
Supports the healing of mental and physical illness through surfing and ocean related activities.
AccesSurf Hawaii
Empowers people with disabilities by providing adaptive surfing instruction and educational programs on water recreation and enriches lives by allowing families to access the beach and ocean in a barrier free environment.
Mauli Ola Foundation
Promotes education and awareness of genetic diseases and increases research for genetic disorders, by introducing children and young adults to natural treatments such as surfing.
Best Day Foundation (New Beneficiary for 2010)
Enables children with special needs to build confidence and self-esteem through safe, fun, adventure activities, including surfing, which stretch their limits, expand their true potential and connect them with diverse populations in their community.
URBAN YOUTH OUTREACH
Outdoor Outreach
Provides an opportunity for underserved and underprivileged youth to gain confidence and self-esteem through participation in outdoor activities, including surfing and snowboarding.
Stoked Mentoring
Bringing together “at-risk” youth and successful professional adults to learn a new non-traditional sport, Stoked’s programs serve as the groundwork and means for enhancing mentoring relationships and introduces coaching skills and tools that elicit the best from both parties.
INJURY PREVENTION and ASSISTANCE
Life Rolls On
A grassroots resource and an advocate on behalf of young people who have sustained a spinal cord injury.
Project Wipeout
Preventing ocean-related drownings and spinal cord injuries by developing and disseminating beach safety information in the South Orange County area.
www.hoaghospital.org/projectwipeout.html
GLOBAL MEDICAL RELIEF
Surf Aid International
Working to improve the health of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing.
Sumba Foundation
Dedicated to helping the indigenous people of Sumba by improving the quality of their lives through health and education, and providing suitable employment to lessen the oppressive impacts of poverty.
About SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organization that serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relations efforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research.
In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund. In the past 20 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $5 million for environmental groups seeking to protect the world’s oceans, beaches and waves.
The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established to award grants to various 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.
Liquid Nation Ball serves as the annual fundraising event for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, and since 2004 has raised and donated more than $1.25 million to surf-related non-profit humanitarian organizations. For more information regarding SIMA, please visit www.sima.com. Follow SIMA at Twitter.com/SIMA_SURF.
