By Delinda Lombardo on
As reported earlier this month by LookToTheStars.org, Jason Mraz was honored by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) as their 2010 Humanitarian of the Year during Liquid Nation Ball 7 in La Jolla, California. Our reporter, Delinda Lombardo, was at the event, and talked exclusively to Jason and some of the other guests about the charities involved.
Mraz is an avid supporter of Jesse Billauer and his organization Life Rolls On, which utilizes the sport of surfing to improve the quality of life of young people affected by spinal cord injury. Jesse was left a quadriplegic after a surfing accident in 1996.
“I want to be like my favorite people that contribute big things to the world, people like Jesse,” Jason told us. “When I met him, I just wanted to know him, know what he was up to, he plays such a big game in the world, he’s up to big things and I wanted to emulate the qualities that he has, in my world.”
Throughout the years, Mraz has dedicated himself to promoting the organization by garnering public support, serving as an honorary chairman for their events, and performing benefit concerts.
“It was a huge honor to see Jason Mraz receive this award from SIMA for his humanitarian work,” Billauer told us, “SIMA is amazing, raising money for thirteen different charities, Life Rolls On being one of them. It’s just such a huge honor to be part of this. I always tell people, it’s not all about one person or one charity, everybody here couldn’t be here without everybody else, so everybody helps each other. It’s a big circle of friends and the surfing community has got a lot of love.”
Another guest at the event was NBA legend Bill Walton.
“What better place to be than here in San Diego on the beach, a beautiful summer night,” he said. “I couldn’t be more honored or privileged or fortunate to be here as we ‘look up to the stars’. It’s such an incredible opportunity – under Fernando and Santiago’s guidance – to give back to the people who are less fortunate themselves, to create enough substance and opportunity that other peoples dreams have a chance to come true.”
“To give to others, who may not be as fortunate, is a beautiful thing…and we are all here to help, to improve the quality of everybody’s life, to make sure that our natural resources are well protected, managed properly, and that the energy production and resource management that is critical to the sustainability of our society and the cleanliness of our oceans is absolutely at the top of our list.”
To see exclusive photos of Jason Mraz accepting his award, click here.
Copyright © 2010 Look to the Stars
