No benefit for nonprofits

The Laguna Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation failed to

receive more than $5,000 in membership fees from people who joined

the group during a February benefit concert organized by Blue Water

Enterprises.

Blue Water -- which has the motto “increasing ocean awareness” --

has not given any money to several environmental groups it has

claimed to be raising money for in multiple “benefit concerts” held

in Laguna, including one on Sept. 11, Blue Water founder and owner

Rick Conkey has admitted.

After questions were raised by community members and reporters,

Conkey gave a $500 check to Surfrider on Wednesday from proceeds of

the Sept. 11 event, billed as a fundraiser for that group and other

“ocean-related nonprofits.”

Conkey claims the organization has not made enough money from the

cultural events -- including a well-attended Feb. 5 music festival

held at the Festival of Arts -- to be able to make the donations it

advertised.

“My ambition is to raise money for the organizations, but there

has been no money given to the organizations as yet,” Conkey said

Tuesday. “In the first music festival in February, I didn’t even make

enough to pay my bills. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and I’m learning

from them.”

Conkey’s February event included a silent auction of donated

items, but all the money raised was spent to pay the bands and other

expenses, he said.

After the February event, the Laguna Surfrider chapter ended up in

debt to its parent organization, according to Rick Wilson, chapter

chairman and treasurer.

The February event was billed as “a concert to benefit the Laguna

Beach and Orange County Surfrider Foundation.” Ticket-holders were

given a year’s membership in Surfrider -- but Surfrider did not get

the money for the memberships. That money went directly to Conkey’s

organization.

Wilson said that 250 people joined Surfrider at the event by

signing up after they had purchased their tickets from Conkey.

Surfrider annual memberships cost $25. If those new members had

paid to join Surfrider directly, the organization would have received

as much as $6,250 -- money that instead went to Conkey.

“It was disappointing,” Wilson said. “We did get 250 new members,

some of whom hopefully will renew next year and/or become Surfrider

activists.”

“We actually lost money on that deal,” Wilson said.

“We were hoping the money for Surfrider would at least cover the

memberships, but since there were no profits, that wasn’t the case.”

He added, “Although the Laguna chapter then technically owed

Surfrider national for the memberships, the national headquarters

excused that debt and absorbed the cost of the new members.”

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center, which rescues and cares for

injured marine mammals, was also advertised as a beneficiary of the

February event.

“We haven’t received any funds,” said the center’s Emily Wing. “It

was my understanding that they did not make any money.”

Chris Williams, owner of Soul Surfing School, said he donated a

$350 surfboard and a week of surfing lessons valued at $335 to the

silent auction. Williams said he provided the items to the winning

bidder but was never thanked by Conkey -- nor was he informed by

Conkey what the donation brought in during the silent auction.

Williams was also displeased to learn that Surfrider had not

received any of the funds collected at the event.

“I was surprised and unhappy about it,” said Williams. “I’m making

a lot of calls and trying to find out what happened.”

Roger von Butow of Clean Water Now, an antipollution group, said

he became alarmed after learning that none of Conkey’s concerts were

resulting in funds for the nonprofit groups advertised as

beneficiaries. Clean Water Now is not one of the groups that was to

have received funds.

“I don’t understand someone who makes promises they don’t keep,”

von Butow said.

“If environmentalism is just a coat people put on because it’s

cool, then what have they accomplished? Where does the money go to?”

Conkey, who is also a tennis coach, said he takes no salary from

the benefit events, but does pay the performers and reimburse himself

for expenses.

Wilson said he is “disappointed” that the group has so far failed

to receive any money from Conkey’s events.

“Rick’s heart is in the right place, but he’s naive to think that

it [the event] could be win-win-win. I applaud him for his efforts,”

Wilson said.

Wilson said it is not unusual for so-called “benefit events” to

fail to make money for their beneficiaries.

A recent concert by the Ken Garcia band failed to net anything for

its beneficiary, Surfrider.

“When the artists and musicians donate their services, such as the

skimboard auction [at the Sawdust Festival], then we [beneficiaries]

get money,” Wilson said.

Wilson said Conkey had approached him prior to the February event,

claiming he could raise $50,000 for Surfrider.

Wilson said he was skeptical but agreed to allow Conkey to use the

Surfrider name in promoting the event in exchange for a promise of a

percentage of the proceeds. Conkey has multiple businesses using the

“Blue Water” name, including Blue Water Enterprises and Blue Water

Green Earth.

Conkey said he is reorganizing the businesses and wants to form a

nonprofit corporation to continue his efforts.

“We are stopping after the next concert to rework our equation,

and work on a formula that can be justifiable to all the groups,”

Conkey said.

Conkey’s next concert, scheduled for Sept. 22, is not billed as a

benefit event.

o7-- Suzie Harrison contributed to this story.f7

QUESTION

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