Article: Annual UCSD Luau Reaches Hearts and Wallets
(by John D. Fowler, Surfermag.com correspondent)
This years annual UCSD Cancer Center Luau and Longboard Invitational, benefiting the Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center, broke records and continued a 12 year streak of successful fundraising.
The highlight of this years event, whose attendance list reads like a surf legend VIP list, was the sale of a yellow Livestrong/ Walden Longboard for an astounding $27,500. It is only one of three boards like it, each one shaped by Walden and signed by Lance Armstrong. The board was won by Paul Grayson, a venture capitalist from La Jolla, Ca, whose wife is currently fighting brain cancer. The woman’s request of her husband before the event was “Honey, I don’t care what happens, bring that board home!” And bring it home he did! In a display of valiant commitment to fighting cancer, a bidding war erupted along with cheers from the audience as the price continued to soar for the board, eventually surpassing $27,000. As shocked as anyone else in the audience Walden himself said “I was just hoping we could get $3000 to $5000 for the board, this was just awesome.”
In the surf, the longboard “competition”, places teams of surf legends, scientists, and other donors together to perform in the surf for this heroic cause. Surf legends Herbie Fletcher, Mike Hynson, Robert August, Mike Doyle, Skip Frye and many others were all in attendance, still surfing incredibly, with every wave caught worth thousands of dollars in donations. The event ultimately raised about $250,000 for cancer research, and represented the compassion and dedication of the surfing community in the fight against cancer.
Walden Surfboards is proud to support the UCSD Cancer Center Luau & Longboard Invitational for the last 10 years. Steve Walden participates each year, surfing in the Invitational legends heat. More importantly, Walden Surfboards has donated a truly unique, one-of-a-kind surfboard every year, which has helped raise thousands of dollars for cancer research, including the now famous "Livestrong" board signed by Lance Armstrong, which sold for 27,500.00.
Article: Riding Armstrong's Wave
By Rhiannon Potkey - Ventura County Star, CA
July 28, 2005
A Ventura surfboard company is riding a wave of popularity created by cycling star Lance Armstrong to help raise money for cancer research.
Walden Surfboards has partnered with the Lance Armstrong Foundation to manufacture three limited-edition longboards.
The bright yellow boards with black edges have Armstrong's trademark "LiveStrong" slogan down the middle and a Lance Armstrong Foundation logo near the top.
Two of the boards were produced for auction, while the third was made for Armstrong.
A budding surfer who retired from professional cycling this week after winning an unprecedented seventh consecutive Tour de France, Armstrong personally requested his own board after seeing a prototype.
"I feel honored to be doing this," said Steve Walden, the owner of Walden Surfboards. "It has worked out great because Lance is starting to get really into surfing, and a lot of surfers have cancer. So to bring the two together was a natural." The catalyst behind the partnership was Walden Surfboards general manager Brandy Herrin, whose father, Lenny, was diagnosed last July with neck cancer.
Armstrong's well-chronicled comeback battle from testicular cancer to cycling's king has helped him transcend the sport, and made the Texas native a beacon of hope for cancer-stricken patients and survivors everywhere.
After watching how much strength her father gained from Armstrong's story while undergoing treatment last summer, Herrin wanted a way to thank Armstrong while also raising money for cancer research. She remembered a friend mentioning Armstrong had taken surfing lessons, and decided to call the foundation about designing the unique boards.
"Lance was my dad's hero," Herrin said. "This was the least I could do for how much Lance and the foundation helped him." The first longboard was auctioned for $4,800 at the Lance Armstrong Fundraising Gala in Texas in May. The second is scheduled to be auctioned at the University of California at San Diego Cancer Center Luau & Longboard Invitational in San Diego on Aug. 21.
"I was moved to know my daughter wanted to help the cancer community by doing this," said Lenny Herrin, who resides in Elkins Park, Pa. "It was an expensive proposition for the company, and I am very proud that it has done so well and been so well received." Armstrong's marketability has generated millions of dollars for cancer research.
More than 50 million yellow "LiveStrong" bracelets have been sold, and a new Armstrong-inspired clothing line -- labeled "10/2" for Armstrong's Oct. 2, 1996, diagnosis date -- is gaining popularity.
"We are grateful for the support of so many generous companies and innovative people, like Walden Surfboards, who endeavor to support our goal to help people with cancer live strong," said Jennifer Halpin, a spokesperson for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
When Lenny Herrin was diagnosed with cancer, the 63-year-old man went straight from the doctor's office to the book store and purchased Armstrong's book, "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back To Life." Throughout his chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Herrin rode his bike when physically able. He underwent surgery during the opening week of last year's Tour de France.
"I found myself really needing Lance to win to verify that there was hope for everybody," said Herrin, who now considers himself a cancer survivor. "Watching him those next two weeks when I was recovering was the single most greatest inspiration I could have had." Judging by Armstrong's recent comments, West Coast beachgoers may soon see one of the yellow longboards bobbing up and down in the Pacific Ocean.
During his retirement, Armstrong said he plans to "spend some more time surfing and riding motorcycles." The demand for the Walden-made boards has been so strong, the company is thinking about making a secondary design to sell to the public with all the proceeds going to Armstrong's foundation.
"People call us and come in on a daily basis wanting to know about the boards and telling stories that bring me to tears," Brandy Herrin said. "People really open up to us, and it keeps the chain going. That is why we hope to keep raising money and keep the awareness going so people know they have support."
Walden Surfboards is donating a custom surfboard to the 2010 Harbor Lights Summer Sprint Series. Over the past four years, Harbor Lights has donated more than $30,000 to local non-profits and youth programs. This year's most recent benefactor is the Chris Perry Foundation. The CPF is dedicated to helping cancer patients with funds needed to obtain alternative medicine that most insurance companies do not provide. We are excited to support her cause and the young athletes of Ventura county.
The Timothy C. McWilliams, Jr. Foundation is a 501c3 organization dedicated to helping victims of Traumatic Brain Injury through a two-pronged giving strategy: Timbo at Home is a small grants program, through which the Foundation provides grants to individual patients and families for needs not covered by traditional institutions, insurance companies or health care providers. Their Large Grants Program offers significant support to advanced rehabilitation organizations that treat patients and their families as they heal from the debilitating effects of TBI.
