Hard Rock Cafe beach cleanup by Verizon Wireless Hawaii Team

HAWAII JUNIOR SURF TEAM
DOES A HARD ROCK CAFÉ BEACH CLEANUP ON KAUAI!

The Verizon Wireless Hawaii Junior Surf Team has been training, free surfing and competing on Kauai for a few weeks. Over the past

weekend a 5star NSSA surf event took place over a two day period in Hanalei. And many of the team members captured first place while all of the team members made the finals in every division.. however they had more than cleaning up during their “competitive heats” in mind.

They also cleaned up the beach as a concerted effort with Niki Doyle Regional Director of Hard Rock Café Hawaii and Bobbi Lee of the NSSA HAWAII. In between heats of major consequence the team found time to scan the beach for trash and they found quite a bit over a stretch of beach that gets much traffic on a daily basis. “It’s a vital part of Verizon Wireless, Hard Rock Café and the Hawaii team’s goal this year” remarked Rainos Hayes, Hawaii team director. “Because the beach and ocean are such a vital part of our sport, our economy and lifestyle we have decided to be pro active wherever we train, compete, or just hang out . We want to leave every beach cleaner than we found it, even as we travel round the world.”

An official team Send Off party is planned for March 21st at Hard Rock Café in Waikiki that will feature live music, food refreshments, comedy with Augie T. as well as a host of dignitaries.. the day will be proclaimed Hawaii Junior Surf Team Send Off Day and Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona will be one of the dignitaries who has committed to attend. The event will feature guest speakers from the private and public sector including past champions in the sport of surfing and key individuals that represent Hawaii’s cultural interests in the sport. The public and all media are invited to attend free of charge.

SEND OFF Event coordinator Tommy Asing is gathering new surfboards and ocean sport related equipment that will be awarded throughout the evening. Donations that evening to win some of the merchandise will go to the organization ACCESSURF HAWAII. This group is most active in sharing adaptive ways to enjoy our beaches and oceans for those who are disabled and who wish to partake in outdoor activities and recreation that involves our ocean. Asing marveled, “This non profit organization makes Hawaiian beaches accessible for everyone, and provides therapeutic instruction while creating an uplifting day at our precious shorelines, something most of us take for granted”.

The event at Hard Rock is from 6:30-9:30pm on March 21st and dinner will be available from the Hard Rock’s regular menu.

The team of 12 young amateurs 18 and under leave for Ecuador on March 24th, and will be chaperoned by trainers and coaches for 2 weeks as they serve as “Ambassadors of Aloha” and compete against 30 other nations in a world wide competition.

“Hawaii is the birthplace of the sport of surfing,added Hayes. “It’s the goal of the team to represent and reinforce all facets of the sport as well as Aloha to the world, while uniting our islands from Hilo to Hanalei. This weekends beach clean up is just one of many planned for 2009. Our goal is to continue to keep the team active in many relevant activities within our Hawaiian ocean sport community.”

For further information regarding the world team contact Rainos Hayes at
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