18 May 2011, Bali-Indonesia: The winning bid for 11-time World Champion surfer Kelly Slater’s surfboard was a whopping $4,000, which was matched as promised by another $4,000 from the champions own pocket for an $8,000 donation going to the ROLE Foundation, a Bali-based environmental organization that is actively engaged in the fight to clean up Bali.
ROLE’s founder and CEO Michael O’Leary was extremely gratified when he heard the news, saying, “I would like to thank Kelly Slater from the bottom of my heart for raising these much needed funds. This $8,000 will go toward managing our seven projects that include education programs such as the Children’s Interactive Environmental Education Tour, which is directed at bringing our environmental message to the families and the communities of Bali through the kids, and on to the Solid and Liquid Waste Infrastructure Construction Project at Uluwatu.”
“Kelly also has brought a great measure of global awareness to Bali’s dire pollution problems, and hopefully this awareness will help gain further commitments towards attaining a healthy island and coastal environmental eco-systems for Bali’s land, waterways, reefs and seas. Cheers to the Champ, Kelly Slater, and to Quiksilver for helping the Role Foundation, ‘Fight the Good Fight’, here in Bali,” added O’Leary.
Ex-Manly Sea Eagle halfback Matt Orford put in the top bid of $4,000 at an on-line auction to win the board and contribute to Slater’s recent environmental effort to clean up Bali, and was over the moon when he found out he had won.
“I’m so very pleased and also honored to have won Kelly’s surfboard and to contribute to the on-going efforts to clean up the island of Bali. I’ve been coming to Bali on holidays for years now, usually spending a month just after the footy season ends, so I have a real love and concern for this special island,” said Orford.
“When I saw Hoyo’s (ex pro surfer Matt Hoy) twitter about the board auction and then saw Kelly’s comments about Bali all over the news, I knew I had to help out. That board will be the best trophy I’ve had yet, as it’s not only from the greatest surfer the world has ever seen but is also a reminder that we have to care about our environment or we won’t have great places to surf, hang out on the beach, and enjoy our holidays anymore. Money isn’t the ultimate solution, education is, but money helps get the ball rolling so I’m really stoked to be contributing to the cause. Some of the lads from the Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles, as well as both State Of Origin teams are signing some NRL memorabilia that we’re sending to Quiksilver in Bali to be auctioned off to help raise even more money” he concluded.
Hoy was one of the many surfers who got behind Quiksilver’s request to spread the news about the surfboard auction after Slater’s twitters went viral and captured the attention of the international press. An excerpt from Slater’s April 22nd tweet reads, “If Bali doesn’t do something serious about this pollution it’ll be impossible to surf here in a few years. Worst I’ve ever seen.” Hoy has been with Quiksilver for years and has been to Bali many times, so he immediately started putting the word out.
“Bali has given so much to us as surfers, so it’s time we did something to give back,” said Hoy. “And this is just the first step, as on July 7-8th myself, Tom Carroll, Mark Richards, Martin Potter and Jake Paterson are going to Bali for the Quiksilver/Coca-Cola sponsored Big Bali Eco Weekend, and we’re bringing replica’s of our most iconic surfboards to be auctioned off to raise money and create more visibility to the environmental issues facing Bali right now. I’m stoked that Kelly is on board as his name will add a whole new level of exposure, and together we all can really help to clean up Bali’s water and beaches.”
Quiksilver Indonesia has been partnering up with Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia since 2009 in a concerted Corporate Social Responsibility effort, buying tractors and setting up beach cleaning crews, creating and supporting the Kuta Beach Sea Turtle Conservation, and supporting the Bali Lifeguards with sunglasses, clothing, and much more.
Coming up on the weekend of July 7-8, 2012, Quiksilver Indonesia and Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia will stage their second annual Big Bali Eco Weekend, an event dedicated to creating maximum visibility for Bali’s environmental issues that includes bringing surfing legends Mark Richards, Tom Carroll, Martin Potter, Jake Paterson and Matt Hoy up from Australia, who will raise money by auctioning off iconic surfboards, sign posters, compete in a Local’s vs Legends surf-off, and meet with regional and local government officials to discuss solutions.
Recent Comments