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The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Raises Money for Surfers Healing with Holiday Surfboard Auction
November 14, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
Nearly a dozen unique surfboards are on display in the lobby at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel as part of the resort's holiday auction to benefit Surfers Healing. The boards, which were donated by master craftsman such as Dale Velzy, Hobie, Al Merrick, Quicksilver, and Bob Hurley feature custom designs by surfers like Brian "Frab" Frabasilio, Bill "Shros" Shrozbee, Garrett "GMac" MacNamara and celebrity signatures from the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Jeremy Piven and Pierce Brosnan. The boards will be on display from Sunday, November 23 through December 31, 2008 with the bidding closing at noon on December 31, 2008 and available to take home on January 2, 2009.
The Holiday Surfboard Auction is part of The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel's Community Footprints program. Community Footprints was created to encourage leadership in volunteerism, fundraising, product donations and mentoring programs at a local level. No project is considered too large or too small. Dedicated Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen provide a wide range of support and services to their community, including fund-raising for local charities, reading to the blind, preparing and serving lunches at homeless shelters, donating books to schools and volunteering at food banks. The Ritz-Carlton Community Footprints stresses that the most important resource is not always money, but time.
Proceeds from the Holiday Surfboard Auction benefit Surfers Healing, which was founded by Israel and Danielle Paskowitz. Their son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Like many autistic children, he often suffered from sensory overload-- simple sensations could overwhelm him. The ocean was the one place where he seemed to find respite. A former competitive surfer, Israel hit upon an idea--with Isaiah on the front of his surfboard, and Izzy steering from the back, the two spent the day surfing together. Surfing had a profound impact on Isaiah. Israel and Danielle decided they wanted to share this unique therapy with other autistic children. They began to host day camps at the beach where autistic children and their families could be exposed to a completely new experience of surfing.
The boards include:
* A 1961 Pacific Coast Surfboard (9'0" fiberglass foam, wood laminated fin) shaped by Dale Velzy. Donated and restored by master craftsman and original Dale Velzy employee, Danny Brawner.
* A Stone Tyler short board, donated by Stone Tyler, that has been on display at Smash Box Cosmetics where it has been collecting celebrity signatures, including those of Lindsey Lohan and Jeremy Piven. Stone Tyler Shapes was created by brothers Chris and Hank Stelzl. Originally from the New Jersey they moved to California for their love of surfing. Together they started Stone Tyler Shapes. Combining years of research and development STS was born and quickly became a respectful family business with a strong name and following. The company is named after Chris's first born son, Stone Tyler. Chris puts 100% into each surfboard he makes giving each customer the precision and quality they deserve.
* An Al Merrick surfboard, Dane Reynolds model, donated by Quiksilver and artwork by Los Angeles artist Dana Louis Kirkpatrick. Al Merrick of Channel Island Surfboards located in Santa Barbara, California has been one of the world's premiere shapers since the 1980's. His claim to fame rose as when his top team rider Tom Curren turned pro and exploded on the professional surfing scene. Both Curren and Merrick worked hard tweaking Tom's boards in attempting to create the highest performing surfboards ever seen in that era. Curren, who has been riding for Channel Island Surfboards since he was a teenager, won four world titles on Al's magical boards. After the 80's and Curren's dominance in the sport of surfing, Channel Island Surfboards exploded again with the rise of Al's most successful protégé and up and coming surfing star Kelly Slater. Throughout the majority of Kelly's career, he and Merrick have consistently worked together refining and improving Channel Island Surfboards and creating surfing's most famous surfer/shaper relationship. That relationship was a key force helping Kelly win an unprecedented eight world titles.
* A Clay Marzo model shortboard donated by Quiksliver with artwork by Brian Frabasilio. Otherwise known as "Frab," Brian Frabasilio grew up with a passion for drawing and surfing. He enrolled in college to learn graphic design but quit after a short time because "working on a computer did not feel like art." Brian's yearning to travel led him to the US Navy where he served for four years during Desert Storm, which he says were some of the best years of his life. Traveling the world with four surfboards as a Navy petty officer, Brian surfed throughout Asia, the Gulf and Australia. After the Navy, Brian moved back home to Southern California where he focused on painting and surfing. Four years ago, he sold his first painting at the San Clemente Art Walk. Last year, he sold over 80 paintings.
* A Garrett McNamara tow in board. Better know as Gmac, Garrett McNamara is a big wave tow surfing champion who has rode the waves in Tahiti, South America, Northern California and the freezing waters of Alaska's glaciers.
* A 9 foot Fresh Pineapple board shaped by Bill Shrozbree and designed and donated by Izzy Paskowitz. Spanning a career in the surf industry of over 45 years, the legendary "Shros" is as prolific a shaper as they come. He has shaped for and with an incredible collection of surfing's most notable names. Shros started surfing in Pacific Beach in 1959. Over the years he shaped boards and built signature models for such surfing giants as Gordon & Smiths, Greg Noll, Bing, Con Surfboards, Bing, G&S, Sunset Surfboards, Rip Curl, Dewey Weber Surfboards, as well as Hansen's and Surfboards Hawaii. He also worked with Dale Velzy from 1995 to 1997. In 2000 he began shaping Joel Tudor longboards where he shapes today in addition to working on his own label.
* An original Hurley surfboard donated by Hurley founder Bob Hurley.
* A 7'10" "Fun Board" donated and shaped by Mark Ellis. Ellis Surfboards are all hand shaped by Mark Ellis. Mark started surfing at Campus Point in Santa Barbara at age 6. His Dad built boats in the backyard and the family would sail the Channel Islands often. His family moved to Dana Point in 1971 and he instantly became one of the Groms at Doheny. Over the past 35 years he has surfed every point, reef, sandbar and misto spot Dana Point has to offer. Many local rippers both young and old have helped Ellis fine-tune his designs during his shaping career, which started in 1981. Mark specializes in custom boards for each individual rider, their abilities and wave conditions. He enjoys shaping all styles of boards from fishes and short boards to big wave guns and long boards. His shaping room, air brusher and glassers are all in the same building which assures quality control on customer's orders from start to finish.
* A 9'6 Uncle Buck Noserider. This specific board was hand crafted start to finish in Hobie Surfboards original factory from the 1960's. We are one of the longest standing surfboard companies left that still does everything by hand. We at Hobie feel that by doing everything by hand it adds something unique and special to every board that we build. Hobie team rider Bucky Barry designed the "Uncle Buck Model," which has now become one of our most popular Noseriders. This is a straight up nasal log that has a very unique classic look and feel to it. The "Uncle Buck" has deep nose concave running almost half the length of the board fading into rolled Vee in the tail. Classic 50/50 flowing to 60/40 rails with a wide blunt nose, wider center point pulling into a smaller tail block than most noseriders which gives this board a great look and ride in the water. This board is designed to hang in the pocket & keep you up on the tip long enough to comb your hair and brush your teeth. More of this specific model can be found at select Hobie Surf Shop locations in Dana Point & San Clemente. The board was shaped by Terry Martin. Terry has been shaping surfboards for over 50 years and 40 of those were spent shaping Hobie Surfboards. He is known as the "Machine" for his extreme efficiency in production shaping and has shaped at over 70,000 surfboards in his lifetime. Terry is fast, accurate and very versatile and has shaped every different design throughout the evolution of the surfboard. Terry is a legend in the shaping world of master craftsman. The board's artist is Tyler Warren. Tyler has been a longtime Hobie team rider and is now an aspiring fine artist, he is a multi talented individual to say the least. Tyler has been touring internationally for the past couple of years showing & selling his art around the world. He has just recently teamed up with well renowned artist Andy Davis in his new clothing venture "Ando & Friends." This board is an original one of a kind piece of ridable art.
* A 6'6 x 22.5 x 2.85 retro fish deep swallow future fins, orange resin swirl on the bottom wrapping the rails to the deck with a pinline and glossed and polished from T. Patterson Surfboards - San Clemente, CA. The board was shaped by Timmy Patterson, son of famed Hawaiian pioneer/ surfboard builder Ronald Patterson. Today, Timmy Patterson Surfboards have become some of the most sought after boards by many of the world's top surfers, and just plain surfer's alike. Doing research and development with a world class team, combined with his vast experience and natural talent in the surfboard factory, Timmy Patterson has grown into a household name in the surfing world. Working with guys like Timmy Reyes, Pat O' Connell, Matt Archbold, Mike Losness, Gavin Beschen.
* A Joel Tudor board. Joel Tudor is a world famous longboard surfer from San Diego, California. He started out in skateboarding and, while in his early teens, gained both recognition and sponsorship for this. On the water, his apparently effortless skill saw him win his first professional ASP competition at age 15, making him the youngest competitor to win an ASP event. Unlike the vast majority of his contemporaries who were riding only modern short surfboards, he also rode the out-of-fashion longboard, and it was the longboard that catapulted him to worldwide fame in his mid-teens. Joel now has his own surfboard manufacturing company, as well as selling wetsuits in Japan.
Consistently ranked among the best resorts in the world, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego and sits on a 150-foot bluff with panoramic white-water views of the Pacific Ocean. The dramatic and elegant resort and offers luxurious guestrooms that indulge guests with stylish comfort and an array of pampering amenities including 42-inch flat screen plasma televisions and DVD players. The resort offers the finest dining opportunities including Restaurant 162', which provides magnificent ocean views, and ENO, a unique wine, cheese and chocolate tasting room. For refreshment and relaxation, guest can enjoy The Ritz-Carlton Spa, the ocean front fitness center, two heated pools and two outdoor whirlpools. Adjacent to the resort is an 18-hole golf course and two miles of sandy beach. For more information or reservations call 800-241-3333, the hotel directly at 949-240-2000, a travel professional or visit the web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.
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