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| Top Stories |
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 Night by the Ocean is a Few Days Away!
Did you purchase your tickets for LRO’s most spectacular evening of the year? You had better hurry, as there are a VERY LIMITED number of tickets left to the 5th Anniversary Night by the Ocean presented by Disaboom. To be held on Sunday, October 12, this black-tie affair will take place in the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland, home of the legendary Kodak Theatre. In the very same room as the official OSCAR® party, guests will enjoy spectacular auctions, hosted bar, Wolfgang Puck-catered cuisine, celebrity guests, a special presentation on the latest breakthroughs in SCI research, live entertainment and remarkable stories about young men and women whose daily triumphs are a testament that “life rolls on” after spinal cord injury. So men, dust off the tuxedo and ladies, go buy a fancy new dress, as you won’t want to miss your turn walking the red carpet at one of the most exciting events in town! As it is also a tax-deductible donation and benefits a great cause, we hope to see you there.
> For event information, visit www.liferollson.org/nbto
> Register Online
 3rd Annual LRO East Coast Golf Tournament is a Success
The 111 golfers who challenged the weather forecast of 100% showers on September 27 were in for a treat, as instead of rain, they enjoyed a gorgeous fall day in Cape May, New Jersey for the 3rd Annual East Coast Golf Tournament, which raised more than $26,000 for Life Rolls On Foundation. The winning foursome of Tom Caruso, Davie Brand, Jim Walls and Jamie Sofroney shot 14 under par, while Jimmy Walls was also the winner of an on-course contest receiving free pizza at Lucky Bones for an entire year.
During the awards reception at Harbor View Restaurant, golfers watched a video message from LRO Founder Jesse Billauer and surfer Rob Machado, who congratulated them on their work and thanked them for their support. In addition to announcing the purchase of a beach wheelchair to enhance LRO’s TWSA-New Jersey program, tournament organizers also paid tribute at the awards ceremony to a courageous individual with spinal cord injury, Kevin Bramble, who received an LRO engraved watch, courtesy of Oakley.
 While raising funds for Life Rolls On, the LRO East Coast Golf Tournament crew is making meaningful differences by changing public policy. In response to a record-setting number of neck and back injuries sustained in New Jersey, they have successfully lobbied the city to post “dangerous shore break signs” at every beach entrance at Cape May to warn surfers and beach goers of the steep drop-off along the entire beach front in Cape May. In addition, they have persuaded Congressman Frank Lautenberg to call for a US Senate Inquiry to investigate why this area is experiencing such a high number of injuries.
“What Chad and his team are doing is amazing,” said Kris Nakamura, Executive Director and CEO for Life Rolls On. “While we greatly appreciate how much support he has given to LRO, we could not be more proud of the difference he and his team are making to impact spinal cord injury awareness, education and prevention on much larger scale.”
Adam Tormollan of Digital Sports, Inc. generously captured images of the tournament at Cape May National Golf Course.
Life Rolls On Wins $10,000
On September 15, with nearly 4,000 votes, Life Rolls On Foundation was announced the winner of the PressPlayatGap.com video contest. International retailer Gap organized the online competition, encouraging employees to share their work in the community by creating a two-minute video documenting their volunteerism, then posting it online so the public could vote for its favorite video. After a seven day competition, the team whose video received the most votes would win $10,000 for its featured charity. The Gap Seaside District’s video showcased its work at Life Rolls On Foundation’s They Will Surf Again program at Bolsa Chica State Beach on August 16.
“I have never seen such an amazing organization that gave us full support to help their cause,” said Tammy Kielar, store manager of Gap and Gap Kids in Huntington Beach, CA, and leader of this effort benefiting LRO. “I look forward to the future events that my store team will be participating in for Life Rolls On.”
In addition to Tammy Kielar, LRO extends a very special thank you to Toby Goode, Devyn Bisson, Mervin Lopez, Junlyn Delas Alas and the entire Gap team, without whom Life Rolls On’s involvement would not have been possible. Thanks also to Christiaan Bailey and Tiana Mayumi Martin, who sent daily reminders to LRO’s social networking groups to vote each day, and to friends and sponsors, including Jason Mraz and Hurley, who posted the PressPlayatGap.com link onto their websites, encouraging their supporters to vote for Life Rolls On.
> Watch LRO’s winning video
 Jesse’s Story Premieres
After seven years in development, “Jesse’s Story” finally premiered to a capacity crowd at Charter Centre Cinemas in Huntington Beach, CA. This feature-length film documents the life of LRO Founder Jesse Billauer. It not only chronicles his journey after spinal cord injury, but also takes a deeper look into his inner-circle of family and friends, who play pivotal roles in Jesse’s recovery from SCI and positive outlook on life.
Special guest appearances in the film include Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Ben Harper, Bob Hurley and many others.
“Since meeting Jesse, he has become a pivotal part of my life. His inspiration has made me a better person, said filmmaker Mark Jacobs, who directed and produced the 86-minute documentary. “He and his family have honored me with the freedom to tell an amazing story to the masses and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to tell Jesse’s story.”
The screening, hosted by Big Red Productions, will be followed by a press tour. Dates and locations are forthcoming. For more information about Jesse’s Story, visit Zzyzx Films
 From Wheelchairs to Climbing Stairs
Imagine being a paraplegic, yet having the ability to stand-up and climb stairs. Imagine looking at someone eye-to-eye as you stand together. In just a few years, it will be possible with a device called ReWalk.
> Read Article
| LRO Events |
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LRO Charity Golf Tournament Raises $30,000
With a picture perfect day for golf, Life Rolls On celebrated the 10th anniversary of the LRO Charity Golf Tournament presented by Disaboom on July 21 at Malibu Country Club. More than $30,000 was raised for LRO through the generosity of sponsors ranging from long-time supporters such as Nike, Volcom and Burger Construction to new friends such as Ocean Minded, Total Office Online and Val Surf. Team Hurley, which included Jeff Hurley, Pete Rocky, Ben Garner and Danny Nicols, edged out defending champions de Satnick Window Fashions for first place honors. Teams that placed in the top four took home phenomenal prize packages, including Oakley large roller bags, Arbor Skateboards, Nike golf bags and Nike duffels. In addition, Nike generously provided each winning golfer with a custom golf glove, golf shirt and new golf shoes, while LRO awarded individual trophies for each golfer as a keepsake of this special day.
Golfers, who included musicians Jason Mraz and Incubus’ Chris Kilmore, enjoyed a full day of fun whether it was trying to win a new Jeep Wrangler courtesy of Buerge, testing their golf skills at the Hurley Flop Shot Challenge or trying to shoot closest to pin to win an array of fabulous prizes. Not all games required golf finesse however, as much fun was had shredding the green on 9Star ’s “Who Says You Can’t Snowboard in July?” hole or enjoying the many refreshments at the El Don Tequila Margarita Hole, Tommy Bahama Mojito Hole, Ketel One/Red Bull Hole, Jagermeister Shot Hole or the Barefoot Wine & Bubbly “Bubbles” Hole, where golfers competed to blow the biggest bubble with chewing gum to win a bottle of Barefoot Bubbly.
Following an exciting round of golf, prizes were given ranging for competitions that ranged from the serious to the sublime. Throughout the Hawaiian dinner, there were several opportunities to take something home, including a Walden surfboard for the Mens and Ladies long driver winners and even a PacSun Gift Card given to the golfer voted as worst dressed of the tournament (sorry Rick Irons!). More embarrassing than Rick winning worst-dressed, however, was the outfit voted as “worst” was actually LRO’s own golf shirt from the year before! Enjoying the last laugh, Rick was also the grand prize raffle winner of round trip airfare, courtesy of Southwest Airlines.
Whether it was being welcomed by World Famous KROQ and the Los Angeles Laker Girls, enjoying a delicious lunch from Chipotle, savoring a complimentary stogie on the back nine or just enjoying the relaxing day with friends, everyone was sure to make fond memories at this event.
Special thanks to Disaboom for once again serving as the 2008 Umbrella Sponsor of Life Rolls On Foundation, to Scott Ingraham for underwriting limited-edition LRO golf shirts and to Globe for serving as the official tournament t-shirt sponsor.
Check out some video of the action, courtesy of Andrew Jandt and LaDawna Wert of IOBON Cinema as well as some photos from the event.
 They Will Surf Again Completes Successful Season
LRO closed another successful summer of surfing through its They Will Surf Again program. Nearly doubling TWSA sites this year, LRO has lots to report in this e-Newsletter. From Expression Sessions at the  Pro to Hurley surfers helping TWSA participants catch a wave, there were many exciting moments throughout the 2008 surfing season.
Cocoa Beach, Florida
The last event of the year on September 20 was another tremendous success at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach, led by volunteer LRO Valerie Westmoreland. With 14 surfers and more than 100 volunteers, this event not only resulted in media coverage, including an article in Florida Today, but also raised nearly $800 through an opportunity drawing, to purchase additional equipment for future use at TWSA-Cocoa Beach.
“Just looking at the smiles of people getting in and out of the water is why I volunteered to coordinate TWSA-Cocoa Beach,” said Westmoreland, who, along with her family, donated hours of time to spearhead this effort. While the event permit was generously underwritten by the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum, additional sponsors included Pure Island Surfboards, Sticky Bumps Surf Wax, Ocean Potion Sunscreen, Cape Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach Surf & Skate, Zero Gravity Surf & Skate and Chili’s.
Check out amazing photos courtesy of Rob Arrouet and a video clip from Diana Wehrell-Grabowski. LRO extends special thanks for the leadership of Valerie Westmoreland and also to Carl Bergstrom and Todd Motsinger for graciously lending their input and support.
Huntington Beach, California
On August 16, Life Rolls On closed out its Southern California surfing season at Bolsa Chica State Beach. With a hearty breakfast provided by Becky Collins and The ROCK Church, delicious pizzas donated by the Huntington Beach Elks and refreshments courtesy of FUZE, They Will Surf Again surfers and volunteers were certainly not short on energy for this exciting day! More than 25 surfers and 150 volunteers came out for this special event. Many thanks to Susan Uston, Dave King and TJ Johnstad who generously captured images of this amazing afternoon.
Virginia Beach, Florida
Organized by Maury Cooke, Jeremy Phelps, Raul Pernites and Randy Pesich, the first TWSA in Virginia was a hit with the Virginia Beach community. Hosting a dozen surfers and approximately 40 volunteers at Little Island Park, adaptive surfer and event organizer Jeremy Phelps said, “I have never seen so many smiles. For me, surfing was the one thing I loved and had been taken from me and through TWSA I’ve been able to get it back and pass it on to others. For those who hadn’t surfed before, it was an experience they will remember forever, and for volunteers, a day they will think about always.”
Sonya Binford, who volunteered with her husband agreed, “We were really touched by how much fun and rewarding TWSA was – my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much!"
Sponsors included Freedom Surf Shop, Billabong Surf Camps, Surf AdventuPerres CO, Permobil, Rehab Health Care, Duck Village Outfitters, Sandbridge Island Restaurant and Java Surf.
Zuma Beach, California
On July 19, Life Rolls On celebrated a milestone with its largest They Will Surf Again to date. Held at Zuma Beach in Malibu, 32 adaptive surfers charged the waves with the support of more than 170 volunteers, including Hurley team riders Brett Simpson, Yadin Nicol and Kalani Robb.
Sponsored by Nike and supported by Hurley, Nike not only served as the program’s underwriter for this momentous day, but also encouraged Nike and Hurley employees to participate in the event as volunteers. Employees flew in from as far as Nike’s corporate offices in Oregon and retail stores from Florida to lend their support.
Nike provided Hurley-designed limited-edition t-shirts for all participants and volunteers to commemorate the day, while Rutt’s Café generously donated a delicious Hawaiian breakfast to provide fuel for an exhilarating day of surfing.
For some, it was their first-time volunteering from Life Rolls On Foundation. Said Grant Kobayashi, first-time volunteer, who has since become a regular volunteer and donor to LRO, “One of the reasons I keep coming back as a volunteer is because of how friendly everyone is at these events. Also, it’s great to learn about the remarkable stories of the surfers with SCI.”
Many thanks to Marcia Orland took photos at the event.
Long Branch, New Jersey
Ominous weather looked as though it would put a damper on the dreams of those wishing to take part in TWSA’s June 22 debut in New Jersey. To the pleasant surprise of adaptive surfer Ronnie Moore and a number of other eager participants, the looming weather dissipated, giving way to six hours of uninterrupted surfing. “Many times I’ve sat on a boardwalk or in a beach chair staring out at the ocean dreaming about getting back in the water and today it happened,” said Moore.
Participants traveled from as far as Philadelphia and upstate New York for an opportunity to surf, make new friends, and celebrate pushing the bounds of possibility. Under the leadership of New Jersey resident Joe Levy, the Long Branch community rallied to create an unforgettable day for surfers with spinal cord injury. Reaching out to rehabilitation centers, retailers, surf schools, and other sponsors to ensure the event would be an unforgettable experience for everyone involved he said, “LRO teaches us to appreciate what we have…It’s about second chances, community, dreaming, empowering and most importantly DOING.”
Andrew Greenbaum, who completed his inpatient rehab less than a month before the event, felt the importance of community and empowerment. “The TWSA in Long Branch was incredible! I could not believe the turnout and magnitude of it all,” Greenbaum said. “I cannot thank LRO and all of the wonderful volunteers and participants enough for giving me this shot of life at a time I really needed it!”
Following this successful event, They Will Surf Again won honors from the National Therapeutic Recreation Society thanks to a nomination by TWSA-New Jersey partner, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation Recreation Therapy Department.
Expression Sessions
While hosting adaptive surfing events throughout the country, They Will Surf Again was also represented at a few surfing completions. In addition to a TWSA Expression Session at the US Open of Surfing, LRO Founder Jesse Billauer surfed in an Expression Session at the BMP at Lower Trestles on September 11, while C-7 incomplete quadriplegic Jeremy Phelps and C-5/6 complete quadriplegic Raul Pernites represented They Will Surf Again and LRO in a 20-minute Expression Session at the 46th Annual East Coast Surfing Championships, a major amateur event for the United States Surfing Federation, held August 20-24 in Virginia Beach, VA. The last of LRO’s Expression Sessions for 2008 will feature LRO Ambassador Christiaan Bailey surfing in the O’Neill Coldwater Classic, which takes place October 21-26 in Santa Cruz, California.
 LRO Celebrates Another Year at the US Open of Surfing
More than 400,000 people gathered in Huntington Beach at the Go211 Live featuring the Honda US Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill. Once again, IMG generously named Life Rolls On Foundation as the official charity of this event, which is the largest surfing competition in North America. With more than 200 million media impressions and raising nearly $22,000 from the support of event sponsors, including Arrowhead, Paul Mitchell and Honda, Life Rolls On was honored to be a part of this global phenomenon.
LRO Ambassadors Patrick Ivison, Xavier Horan and Christiaan Bailey joined LRO Founder Jesse Billauer in the water to surf in the Expression Session presented by Disaboom, while LRO Ambassador Tara Llanes provided media commentary overlooking the action.
“Incredible,” was the word Ivison used to express his feelings about getting to surf alongside some of the pros. “I had the best time of my life.”
Special thanks to the talented team at IMG as well as sponsors Disaboom, Arrowhead, Honda and Paul Mitchell. Arrowhead once again donated all proceeds from water sales to Life Rolls On, while Paul Mitchell hosted hair cutting fundraisers for the Foundation, and Honda highlighted LRO at its Beach Camp, where volunteers, under the leadership of Michael Gorfain and Liz Roberson, created tropical bracelets to benefit LRO. IMG also hosted a special online auction of Sean Tiner custom painted Michael Baron surfboard to raise additional funds for LRO.
Many thanks to photographers Jeanne Rice, Mike Morse and Michael Schrager, who captured images of the event, and a heartfelt thank you to all of the tireless volunteers who helped at the LRO booth, in the water or at the Honda Beach Camp.
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| LRO Community News |
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 The HB Elks Know What’s Cookin’!
For the second year in a row, Life Rolls On’s They Will Surf Again (TWSA) program was named the beneficiary of the Huntington Beach Elks’ 2nd Annual Chili Cookoff and Classic Car Show. Proceeds from this event, which took place on August 23 at the HB Elks Lodge, were used to purchase equipment to enhance TWSA. Last year, the Elks donated two beach wheelchairs. This year, LRO received a 20’ x 20’ platform, which will provide greater mobility on the sand for participants. As a bonus, LRO’s CURE SCI – Huntington Beach High School chapter tied for First  Place for “Best Chili” and received Third Place honors for “Best Booth Display.” Congratulations to Carley Zylstra and her dad on their winning recipe and great décor!
Not only do the HB Elks support LRO by donating equipment to They Will Surf Again, but they also regularly volunteer for TWSA events, including the US Open of Surfing, and also donate space for our CURE SCI - Huntington Beach High School chapter to host their monthly meetings.
“They Will Surf Again is a perfect fit for our Sons of the Beaches Surf Club and entire Elks Lodge,” said Garrett Hamblin, Vice President of the HB Elks. “Assisting adaptive surfers in their quest for waves is truly a gift. We take pride in being able provide badly needed equipment as well as a venue to spread the word of Life Rolls On.”
 LRO Ambassador Briana Walker accepted the Elks’ donation on behalf of Life Rolls On. “We cannot thank the Elks enough for their generous gift,” said Walker. In reference to their tireless work to support LRO, she noted, “Some people grow up admiring heroes, while some grow up to become them.”
Special thanks to Dave King for taking photos at the event, as well as volunteers Tim Hymanson, Liz Roberson, Michael Gorfain, CURE SCI- HBHS, Grant Kobayashi (who made the drive from San Luis Obispo just to volunteer!) and Todd Hooper (who generously donated 12 new lifejackets to TWSA during the event). We extend deepest thanks to the HB Elks and the community who made this special event possible.
> See Event Photos
CURE SCI Makes a Difference at Children’s Hospital of Orange County
On August 5, LRO’s CURE SCI Huntington Beach High School Chapter made one of its first major contributions to help kids by donating a pediatric wheelchair to Children’s Hospital of Orange County. While treated at CHOC when she sustained a spinal cord injury, CURE SCI-HBHS Chapter Leader Devyn Bisson recalled how she would see children engulfed in adult-sized wheelchairs and was moved when she was told that because of budgets, there was a shortage of pediatric wheelchairs.
 Together with her CURE SCI group, during a special presentation at the hospital, Bisson was able to give back to a hospital where she received excellent care and contribute an item she knew was much needed. Said Laurie Gauthier, Director of Pediatrics for CHOC, “On behalf of CHOC at Mission, your kindness is appreciated, as this chair will benefit many of our children. You all are truly an inspiration.”
Currently, Life Rolls On features CURE SCI chapters at El Toro High School, Huntington Beach High School, UC Irvine and University of San Diego and will launch sites at Mira Costa High School, USC and UCSB this year. To learn more about CURE SCI or start a chapter at your school, contact volunteer@liferollson.org.
LRO’s CURE SCI (Campuses Understanding Responsible Education About Spinal Cord Injuries) is dedicated to promoting awareness and education about SCI and LRO on high school and college campuses.
Active Young Professionals
LRO’s Active Young Professionals group had a very busy summer, as membership continues to grow and plans for launching a Los Angeles/Orange County chapter is in the works. Enjoy the rundown of its latest activities.
AYP members gathered at one of San Diego's hottest night clubs on June 25 for a mixer featuring networking, drinks, appetizers and an inspirational talk by Life Rolls On Ambassador Jeremy McGhee. Bar West was a hip venue for this relaxing mixer where business attire was recommended and business cards were mandatory.
On July 12, nearly 50 AYP members attended the San Diego Padres game against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. While the Padres lost 1-4, AYP came out a winner raising more than $1,000 for Life Rolls On.
In mid-August AYP members reached out into the San Diego community to help its neighbors in need. Members rolled up their sleeves alongside local subcontractors and volunteer organizations to repair and renovate the home of an active military family. The national nonprofit Rebuilding Together and the San Diego office of Gilbane Inc. coordinated the volunteers and donations.
On August 17, AYP board members attended Life Rolls On Ambassador Patrick Ivison's Texas Hold'Em Tournament fundraiser at Scripps Ranch Swim and Racquet Club in San Diego. Board members spread the AYP word and sold Life Rolls On merchandise.
Later that month, AYP also served as a tee box sponsor at the 10th Anniversary LRO Golf Tournament, providing a cool place to relax with beach umbrellas, beach chair and refreshing frozen towels as well as an AYP electric mini fan to escape the summer heat.
To learn more about LRO’s Active Young Professionals, visit www.activeyoungpros.com. If you are a young professional and would like to become a charter member of the Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter, please contact volunteer@lifeollson.org and note that you would like to be a part of AYP-LA/OC.
 Tonic Santa Barbara Parties for LRO
On July 24, Alex Halatchev and Brennan Titus once again named Life Rolls On as the beneficiary of Tonic Santa Barbara’s Charity Session Fundraiser. With performances by Wrong Again and the sounds of DJ Erik Lohr and DJ Pat Swayzak, our friends at Santa Barbara’s hottest club in town continued to spread the word that “life rolls on” after spinal cord injury.
 “Chronic Life” at Chronic Cantina
On June 22, more than 2,500 of Southern California’s young, hip and fabulous gathered at Chronic Cantina in Costa Mesa for a spectacular day of live entertainment, fashion shows, bands and amazing giveaways to benefit Life Rolls On Foundation. The Chronic Cantina Outdoor Charity Concert Series, which could have easily passed for an MTV Beach House soiree, complete with kiddie pools, bubble machines and bikini-girl dunk tanks, raised $6,500 for LRO.
“Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this in Texas,” said intern Grissell Castro. “I feel like I stepped into an episode on television or something.” While unintended, this is an accurate statement since Chronic Cantina will soon debut in its own reality TV series, titled “Chronic Life.” In fact, promotional footage was shot during the LRO fundraiser.
Thanks to attendees, who included LRO Board Member John Dunay, and volunteers Jaclyn Horwitz, Kirby Velasco, the King family, Jordan Mandelbaum and Brett Rosen, the event was a huge success. A very special thanks to Patagonia, Global Surf Industries, Black Flys, Victoria Skimboards and other wonderful donors who generously contributed amazing items to the opportunity drawing.
“We chose to support Life Rolls On because we were inspired by its message of encouraging those with spinal cord injury to stay motivated and live life to its fullest,” said Sarah Roughan of Chronic Cantina. Added Chronic Cantina owner Keith Scheinberg, “We’re glad to be able to support reputable organizations like Life Rolls On Foundation.”
| Other Items of Interest |
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 LRO Clothing
Send us a photo of you wearing your LRO clothing and we may run it in a future newsletter! Don't have anything yet? Check out the LRO Store, there are some new designs and colors!
 PayPal/MySpace Contest
PayPal is offering up to $5,000 in prizes for the charity that gets the most friends to install the "LRO Fundraising Badge" on their pages. Contest runs until October 13th. There are only 30 other organizations vying for this prize - help us win!
 Other prizes will be given away, including Flip Video Nuno recorders, to two Grammy tickets for individuals and cash prizes for charities.
Please add the LRO badge to your page and help us win!
> Contest details
> LRO MySpace Page
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| Additional Thoughts |
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 Special Thanks
Life Rolls On was fortunate to have the support of two dynamic interns this summer, Grissell Castro and Tim Hymanson. Grissell, a student at Hardin-Simmons University, remarkably moved for the summer from her hometown of Abilene, TX to be near our offices in Southern California because she is such a firm believer in the work of Life Rolls On. She even celebrated her 21st birthday supporting LRO at TWSA-Zuma, later enjoying her first official cocktail at the El Don Tequila fundraiser benefiting Life Rolls On Foundation.
Manhattan Beach-resident Tim Hymanson became an intern for Life Rolls On after serving as a volunteer at numerous LRO events. An avid surfer, Tim is transferring to UC Santa Barbara this month and plans to start a CURE SCI chapter at UCSB once he settles into his new school.
From providing support for Life Rolls On’s golf tournament, administration, eNewsletter and numerous special events, including the Go211 Live presents US Open of Surfing presented by O’Neill, Grissell and Tim’s help was instrumental in a successful summer of programming.
While Life Rolls On looks forward to welcoming them back as volunteers in the future, we wish them the best for a spectacular school year and look forward to their continued success at college and beyond.
Life Rolls On is currently accepting internship applications for the Fall semester. Learn more about LRO’s Internship Program (PDF).
Life Rolls On Wish List
Life Rolls On is fortunate to receive amazing support from corporate donors and community organizations; however, as a non-profit organization, we are always looking for ways to be most cost-effective. After all, we, like you, want to make sure the most money from every dollar received goes directly into our programmatic efforts and not operating costs. We are routinely asked by others how they can help, so we’ve compiled a “wish list” that we encourage you to review. While donating monetary support is always welcome, we know that in today’s tough economy, that isn’t always possible. So, take a look at some of our needs and see if there might be a way that you, through your donation of time, resources or connections, may be able to join in our mission to improve the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury.
Secured Storage Space – LRO has a considerable amount of equipment for They Will Surf Again. Right now, we’re renting a storage locker in Culver City. If you know of someone who owns a secured-access storage facility within 5-mile radius of LRO’s administrative offices (400 Corporate Pointe, Culver City 90230) and would like to donate a storage locker to us, please let us know.
Interior Design/Organization Expert – LRO’s storage space is a 10’ x 15’ shell. We are seeking a designer’s expertise to make better use of our vertical space and propose storage solutions in order to use this area as efficiently as possible.
Printing – This summer, Allredy Canopies generously donated the photo banner used at the 10th Anniversary LRO Charity Golf Tournament presented by Disaboom. Such donations really help keep event costs down, as banners, step-and-repeats, brochures, Ambassador cards, etc. are necessary, but costly.
Web Design – As one of most unique and progressive non-profit organizations, we want our website to reflect that image. We’re looking for a company or professionally-trained individual who can donate time to work with our existing technology and contibue to build a clean, modern website that can integrate a lot of content into a streamlined website.
Graphic Design – LRO is fortunate to have the wonderful support of a talented artist, Chris Brady, who regularly lends his artistic talents to support Life Rolls On. Yet, Life Rolls On routinely has projects that require additional graphic arts support. In particular, we are looking to source a company or individual willing to design our official brochure, media kit and annual report. All are critically important and long overdue for our growing organization.
Framers – LRO often has framing needs ranging from matting and framing Certificates of Commendation for honorees to shadow box presentations as gifts for major sponsors.
Grant Writers – Writing grants is a specialized skill and takes a trained professional to know the intricacies of submitting a polished proposal. A time-consuming task, LRO is seeking support to write proposals for underwriting existing programs, future programmatic efforts and organizational needs.
Program Evaluators – Program Evaluation is a formalized approach to measuring the quality of programmatic efforts. Such evaluation is critical to demonstrating the need for and success of our programs and must be done by trained professionals with substantive experience.
E-Z Up Instant Shelters – LRO has one 10’ x 10’ pop up tent, but definitely needs more with the Life Rolls On logo. These help provide shade for our participants at They Will Surf Again events and also are used at many special events throughout the year.
Marketing Agency – LRO has been fortunate to receive a lot of media attention for its work in the community, especially as such media is critical to increasing awareness about our work, which directly drives funding to our programs. We are looking for an agency to help us develop appropriate media lists, design a publicity plan and provide direction, so we may best utilize our resources to meet organizational goals.
They Will Surf Again Equipment – LRO received a wonderful donation from Warner Brothers Studios of wetsuits and fins, but continually require equipment for our growing list of TWSA sites across the United States. Equipment desired include wetsuits (all sizes, thickness, spring/full/vests); swim fins; life jackets (thanks to Todd Hooper for arranging a recent donation of 12 new life jackets!); surfboards; beach wheelchairs (thanks to the Huntington Beach Elks and Dave King for making a donation of our current beach wheelchairs!) and Mobi-Mats, which are walkways that allow wheelchairs to roll across the sand (thanks to the Huntington Beach Elks for recently donating a 20 x 20 platform, which will increase mobility for our wheelchair-bound participants!). While we appreciate all donations, due to limited space and the safety of our participants, we can only accept donations that are new or GENTLY used.
Auction and Goodie Bag Items – Most of Life Rolls On’s funding currently comes from special events, a large portion of which is raised through silent and live auctions. Throughout the year, LRO seeks quality auction items to include in these events as well as unique items for goodie bags. Currently, we’re seeking auction items for Night by the Ocean and items in quantities of 500 for goodie bags.
Transportation Vehicle – Our biggest wish list item is a Dodge Sprinter or equivalent, which can transport and house the majority of our TWSA equipment to event sites throughout the year.
Contributors
Many thanks to the countless photographers and videographers who shared their artistry with Life Rolls On to provide images from They Will Surf Again to the US Open to special events. Special thanks also to Dr. Suzy Kim, Tim Hymanson and Vanessa Bonifacio, who generously wrote articles for this edition of “Rolling.”
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Ambassador Spotlight
As a charter member of LRO’s Ambassador Program, Christiaan Bailey is one of the most active and visible representatives of Life Rolls On. Learn how this surfer and skater inspires others by demonstrating how “life rolls on” after spinal cord injury.
> Read More About Christiaan
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Sponsor Spotlight
In every LRO e-newsletter, there is a sponsor whose name repeatedly appears in each edition. An icon in the surfing community with an international reputation, Hurley is one of Life Rolls On’s most generous supporters and we are pleased to feature them in our Sponsor Spotlight.
> Read More About Hurley
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Volunteer Spotlight
Brandy Sullivan has been a volunteer for Life Rolls On Foundation since nearly the first “They Will Surf Again” event three years ago. Learn why this 27-year old chooses to volunteer for LRO and how she’s making a difference in the lives of people with SCI, one wave at a time.
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Doctor's Forum
When one thinks of the dangers of surfing, a wheelchair never comes to mind. Shark attacks, big waves, or perhaps sharp coral or rocks may be a newbie’s usual concerns before jumping on a surfboard for the first time. Recently in the news, an ABC program highlighting “Medical Mysteries” featured a rare condition called “Surfer’s Myelopathy.” So before widespread panic scares everyone from loving the surf, let’s learn about this rare, but preventable condition
By Suzy Kim, MD (Founding Member of LRO Medical Advisory Committee)
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LRO Schedule
October 12 – Night by the Ocean (Hollywood, CA)
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Umbrella Sponsor
TWSA Partners
Special Thanks
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