Project SOS: SURF 24 Brought Hollywood and Surfing Together to Protect Our Oceans
Santa Monica Baykeeper Supported Cleaner Oceans Through Surfing
Santa Monica Baykeeper helped protect environmentally sensitive ocean areas and restore Santa Monica Bay, San Pedro Bay, and surrounding coastal waters through environmental enforcement, fieldwork, projects and as well, community action.
However, protecting these waters required more than scientific research and environmental advocacy. It also required public participation, education, and fundraising.
That mission helped inspire Project SOS: SURF 24, a celebrity surfathon that brought together Hollywood actors, professional surfers, environmental advocates, and local families.
The event raised money for four charitable organizations: Santa Monica Baykeeper, Waves for Water, Inside the Outdoors, and Tumelo Home.
More importantly, the surfathon connected ocean conservation with entertainment and community involvement.
Hollywood Celebrities Took to the Waves
Project SOS: SURF 24 attracted an impressive lineup of television personalities, film actors, and surfing enthusiasts.
Celebrity participants included Sam Trammell of True Blood, Tate Donovan of Damages, John Slattery of Mad Men, and Jesse Spencer of House.
Meanwhile, Richard Burgi of Desperate Housewives, Chad Lowe of 24, Gregory Harrison of One Tree Hill, and Michael Munoz of The Amazing Race also joined the event.
Other participants included Zoe Bell, Pat Parnell, Chris Bruno, Galen Gering, David O’Donnell, Peter Brinkerhoff, Preston Davis, John Philbin, and Kathy Zuckerman, widely associated with the Gidget surfing legacy.
Together, these celebrities helped attract attention to coastal pollution, ocean protection, and environmental responsibility.
Furthermore, their involvement demonstrated how entertainment professionals could use their visibility to support environmental causes.
How the 24-Hour Surfathon Worked
Project SOS: SURF 24 combined a team-based surfing challenge with charitable fundraising.
Organizers assembled 12 teams, each featuring 24 participants. Every surfer received a 45-minute session in the water.
However, participants didn’t need professional surfing skills to join the effort.
Instead, the event emphasized participation, teamwork, and environmental awareness.
Each participant worked toward a $500 fundraising goal. Organizers directed 100% of donations to the participating charities.
Additionally, the event recognized individuals and teams that raised the most money.
This approach encouraged friendly competition while keeping the focus on environmental protection.
After all, the objective wasn’t simply to catch the biggest wave. It was to generate meaningful support for organizations working to protect people and the planet.
Family Activities Expanded the Environmental Message
The surfathon offered more than celebrity appearances and competitive surfing.
Families enjoyed live music, interactive activities, and community art projects throughout the day.
Meanwhile, mural painting activities with Joanne and the Art Miles initiative brought creativity into the environmental conversation.
These activities helped introduce younger participants to ocean conservation through hands-on experiences.
Furthermore, combining music, art, and surfing created an accessible environment for people who might not otherwise participate in traditional environmental events.
The result was a celebration of coastal culture with a charitable purpose.
Tanna Frederick: The Environmental Advocate Behind Project Save Our Surf
Actress, producer, writer, and environmental activist Tanna Frederick played a central role in bringing the event together.
Frederick founded Project Save Our Surf in 2008. That same year, she also established the Iowa Film Festival.
An enthusiastic surfer, she recognized an opportunity to connect the entertainment industry with ocean conservation.
Consequently, Project Save Our Surf brought actors, athletes, filmmakers, and environmental organizations together around a shared mission.
Frederick also developed a career in theater and independent film.
Her acting credits included Hollywood Dreams, Irene in Time, and Queen of the Lot, along with the stage production Just 45 Minutes from Broadway.
Nevertheless, her environmental efforts extended her influence beyond film and theater.
Through Project Save Our Surf, Frederick encouraged Hollywood personalities to support clean water, healthier oceans, and community-based conservation.
Shaun Tomson Brought World-Champion Surfing Experience
Former world surfing champion Shaun Tomson also represented the connection between professional surfing and environmental awareness.
Tomson built his reputation through an innovative approach to riding inside breaking waves.
His distinctive pumping and weaving techniques helped transform tube riding, particularly at legendary surfing locations such as Off the Wall and Backdoor Pipeline.
Moreover, his achievements influenced generations of competitive and recreational surfers.
Beyond professional surfing, Tomson pursued business, entertainment, and environmental interests.
His involvement in ocean-related causes reinforced an important message: surfers depend on healthy marine ecosystems.
Therefore, protecting coastal waters also means protecting the places where surfing communities gather, compete, and connect with nature.
Why Celebrity Surfathons Matter for Ocean Conservation
Events such as Project SOS: SURF 24 demonstrate how environmental organizations can reach audiences beyond traditional conservation circles.
First, celebrity participation attracts media coverage and public interest.
Additionally, charitable fundraising provides financial support for environmental and humanitarian organizations.
Community activities also help families understand why clean water matters.
However, the greatest long-term benefit may come from encouraging participants to change everyday habits.
Reducing plastic waste, properly disposing of chemicals, supporting watershed restoration, and participating in local beach cleanups all contribute to healthier coastal environments.
Furthermore, these actions help reduce the pollution that travels through storm drains, rivers, and waterways before reaching the ocean.
For coastal communities, protecting water quality supports marine wildlife, recreation, tourism, and public health.
Conclusion: Surfing for a Cleaner, Healthier Ocean
Project SOS: SURF 24 showed how surfing, entertainment, and environmental activism could come together for a meaningful cause.
Tanna Frederick helped bring Hollywood and the surfing community together. Meanwhile, celebrity participants and volunteers raised awareness and charitable support through a shared passion for the ocean.
Most importantly, the event reminded participants that ocean conservation requires collective action.
Protecting marine ecosystems doesn’t begin or end at the shoreline. Instead, it starts with everyday decisions, responsible water management, and communities willing to protect their natural resources.
Because when we protect our oceans, we protect the future of coastal life, marine biodiversity, and the next generation of surfers.
Sources
Santa Monica Baykeeper is an environmental non-profit that works to protect and restore the Santa Monica Bay, San Pedro Bay and adjacent waters through enforcement, fieldwork, and community action. They are hosting Project SOS: SURF 24, which is an all out celebrity surfathon to benefit Santa Monica Baykeeper, Waves for Water, Inside the Outdoors and Tumelo Home.
Tanna Frederick is an avid Surfer, actress, writer, producer and environmentalist. Tanna founded both Project Save Our Surf and the Iowa Film Festival in 2008 and works tirelessly to bring the entertainment and surfing industries together in support of clean oceans. Her recent acting work includes receiving glowing reviews for her starring role in the long-running stage play “Just 45 Minutes from Broadway” as well as starring roles in Henry Jaglom’s feature films “Hollywood Dreams”, “Irene in Time” and the soon to be released “Queen of the Lot”.
Tanna Frederick is an avid Surfer, actress, writer, producer and environmentalist.
Shaun Tomson is a former world champion Surfer, environmentalist, actor, and businessman. Shaun completely changed the way the tube of a wave is ridden, using a completely unique style of pumping and weaving through and around collapsing sections of the barrel. Even today, his electrifying performances at Off The Wall and Backdoor Pipeline stand the test of time.
