The 10th annual Making Waves Gala, which raises funds for the Malibu chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, will feature a private screening of “Peel,” by Wes Brown, from the first family of surf films.
By Vicki Godal / Special to The Malibu Times
“Peel,” the newest surf odyssey from the from the first family of surf films, the Browns, will premiere at Surfrider’s annual Making Waves Gala on June 10.
The family’s film legacy began with Bruce Brown’s, “The Endless Summer,” continued with Dana Brown’s “Step Into Liquid” and now showcases “Peel” by grandson Wes Brown and partner T.J. Barrack. Taking place in the waters off the coast of Peru, the film features legendary surfers including Mark Healey, Jamie Sterling and Sofia Mulanovich, and a virtual visit to the ancient city mountains of Machu Picchu high in the Andes Mountains.
In addition to the screening, there will be entertainment by the band Under The Influence of Giants, with vocalist Aaron Bruno, drummer and keyboardist Jamin Wilcox, guitarist Drew Stewart and bassist David Amezcua. A dinner and a silent auction featuring artwork from local artisans and collectible surfboards will also be part of the Making Waves Gala, which raises funds for the Malibu Chapter of Surfrider so it can continue in its 22-year quest to protect and preserve the beaches and waves from Marina Del Ray to the Los Angeles-Ventura County line.
“We are 100 percent dependent upon donations and fundraising initiatives like the Making Waves Gala,” said Alan Reed, Malibu Surfrider’s chair. “It’s amazing how productive we are even with a shoestring budget. If we had more funding we could do so much more. Hopefully, more people will realize how much we need their help and make a donation.”
Proceeds help fund the chapter’s on going Tide Pool Awareness program as well as new programs like the Watershed Education Program and the Quick Response Pollution Control Program. Reed considers public awareness to be the single most effective way to promote change of destructive or naïve beach practices. Reed explained how this plays out in Malibu.
“In Malibu, waterborne illness is the single most dangerous risk associated with a day at the beach,” he said. “Due to runoff, beachgoers should always wait at least 72 hours after a rain to go in the coastal waters anywhere in Malibu. At Surfrider Beach, if the berm is open that means you shouldn’t be in the water. The no swimming signs are there for a reason. The Malibu Lagoon water is a cocktail of bacteria, viruses and toxic waste. There’s nothing more troubling to me than seeing a child splashing in the lagoon water. It makes me cringe. If beachgoers decide to enter the water, they should make sure they have no open wounds, keep their mouths shut and be sure to shower off immediately after getting out, rinsing their ears thoroughly. These precautions will at least help to decrease their chance of getting sick.”
Reed has held his unpaid position as Malibu Chapter chair since 2003 and was recently elected to another two-year term. When asked what motivates him to dedicate so much time to Surfrider, Reed was candid.
“I joined the Surfrider Foundation in 1996 because its mission speaks to two of my passions, surfing and the environment. Decades of irresponsible development, destruction of wetlands and poor management practices has made beach water quality our biggest problem in Malibu,” Reed said. “We all need to educate ourselves on the environmental issues facing Malibu and support current and future initiatives and regulations that will improve the situation. That means staying informed, becoming activists, attending City Council meetings and electing officials that have a clue.”
The Surfrider Foundation brings together surfers and environmentalists to protect and preserve the world’s oceans, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research and education. Founded as a non- profit organization in 1984, the Surfrider Foundation has more than 40,000 members in 60 chapters across the United States and in Puerto Rico, Australia, Europe, Japan and Brazil.
The Making Waves Gala will take place June 10 at the Sunset Restaurant on Westward Beach from 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Tickets are $150.00 per person. VIP tables of 10 are available for $1,250.00.
More information or tickets can be obtained by calling 310.4511010 or at the Web site www.surfrider.org/malibu. Due to the limited space at this year’s event, attendees are requested to RSVP before June 3.