Tony Hawk Raises $630,000 In Las Vegas

Thankfully celebrities still have money to give to good causes. And give they did on November 7, 2009 at Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks benefit at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Tony Hawk’s personal ramp was set on top of one of the resort’s swimming pools, and a family-centric action-sports carnival filled the surrounding area with games, food, activities, a special musical performance by Rancid, and a Vert Demo with Tony and skaters Andy Macdonald, Bucky Lasek, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, and Kevin Staab, plus BMX pros Jamie Bestwick, Simon Tabron, and Dennis McCoy. . . Several celebrities attended, including Andre Agassi, Erik Estrada, BMX legend Mat Hoffman, T.J. Lavin, Holly Madison, Sal Masekela, Aubrey O’Day, UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, Frank Mir and Gray Maynard and UFC President Dana White.

So far The Tony Hawk Foundation has awarded $2.9 million dollars to 448 communities. . . Follow the jump for all the details.
Tony Hawk Foundation Benefit at Wynn Las Vegas a Success

LAS VEGAS–Residents of Las Vegas will see an improved public skatepark in their neighborhood, thanks to the success of the inaugural Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks benefit at the Wynn Las Vegas. The foundation’s signature benefit event surpassed expectations by raising over $630,000 to help the Tony Hawk Foundation pursue its mission to bring free, quality public skateparks to low-income areas across the country.

Tony Hawk’s personal ramp was set on top of one of the resort’s swimming pools, and a family-centric action-sports carnival filled the surrounding area with games, food, activities, a special musical performance by Rancid, and a Vert Demo with Tony and skaters Andy Macdonald, Bucky Lasek, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, and Kevin Staab, plus BMX pros Jamie Bestwick, Simon Tabron, and Dennis McCoy.

Several celebrities attended, including Andre Agassi, Erik Estrada, BMX legend Mat Hoffman, T.J. Lavin, Holly Madison, Sal Masekela, Aubrey O’Day, UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, Frank Mir and Gray Maynard and UFC President Dana White.

During a special Pledge Drive, over $78,000 was raised to make improvements to Freedom Skatepark, located in an east Las Vegas neighborhood challenged by high crime and poverty. The Tony Hawk Foundation is actively working with local skaters, plus professional skatepark designer SITE Design Group and builder California Skateparks to implement the project. Donations to Freedom Skatepark can still by made by texting the word RIDE to 90999 to make a $5 donation to the Tony Hawk Foundation* through Friday, November 20th.

The benefit event was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Activision, Wynn Las Vegas, UFC, Ex Drinks, Dynacraft, Towbin Dodge, ESPN, Quiksilver, Wasserman, Six Flags, Kohl’s, Tech Deck, Birdhouse, Nixon, DM Steele Printing, JetBlue, and DUB.

A charitable, non-profit organization, the Tony Hawk Foundation was established in 2002 by its namesake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, to promote and provide funds for high-quality public skateparks in low-income areas throughout the United States—with an emphasis on the word “quality.” Since then, the Foundation has awarded $2,887,500 to 448 communities. More information can be found at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org and www.standupforskateparks.org.