08.02.01
by: Press Release

SAN CLEMENTE, CA -- Surfrider Foundation will be receiving a $25,000 donation from the TV game show "The Weakest Link" thanks to one of its lifetime members, Brandon Cruz. Cruz, who played Eddie Corbett on "The Courtship of Eddie's Father", selected Surfrider to be his charity as he competed against other TV stars from the 60's, 70's and 80's. At Cruz's request, the money will go towards Pratte's Reef, Surfrider's artificial surfing reef project.

In addition to his TV role, Cruz is also known as the singer for the punk band Dr. Know. Surf filmmaker Art Brewer's recent film "The Misfits" features a couple of Dr. Know songs in it.

"This is definitely a great surprise," said Surfrider Foundation's Executive Director, Chris Evans. "Surfrider is stoked to have Brandon's continued support. This donation will help us to expand the ongoing monitoring and research of Pratte's Reef."

Cruz grew up surfing around the Silver Strand in Oxnard. There he met Tom Pratte who would later help found Surfrider and lead it in one of its first big battles against a jetty extension proposed by Chevron. The battle eventually led to the construction of the nation's first artificial surfing reef in El Segundo, CA. The reef was named after Pratte as a memorial after he passed away in 1994 from cancer. For more information on Pratte's Reef go to www.surfrider.org/artificialreef.

This is the second time that Surfrider has received a donation as a result of Cruz's participation in a game show. In 1988, he appeared on a celebrity addition of MTV's "Remote Control" and Surfrider received $5,000 as a result.

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches, for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education (C.A.R.E.). Surfrider Foundation currently has 52 grassroots chapters and 27,000 members in the U.S. For more information on coastal issues, check out Surfrider's 2001 State of the Beach Report.

   Send to a friend  | Most sent  | Submit your photo or video