HelpBlueWater.com - Recent Press

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Recent Press

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Blue Water was recently featured in the
Laguna Beach Chamber Of Commerce Newsletter
Laguna Beach Business News

CHAMBER FOCUS:
BLUE WATER MUSIC FESTIVAL

A Celebration of Laguna Beach’s Music, Culinary, Art and Surf Culture

WHO WE ARE

Blue Water’s mission is to raise awareness for ocean/environmental preservation by presenting music festivals featuring outstanding musicians, artists and filmmakers. Blue Water is a movement that relies on the artist to attract attention to our community’s most vital concerns, beginning with our town’s most cherished resource – the ocean, which is the natural wonder that brings all of us here Laguna Beach together. Our ocean lifestyle is the foundation for our world-renown art colony nestled along the coast. Laguna Beach depends on both blue water and our artists for inspiration and beauty.

WHY WE DO IT

Beyond ourselves, the ocean is a precious habitat providing life from the bottom of its floor to the land and sky above. But, our priceless blue water resource is under attack. In a period of less than 20 years, we have lost all our near-shore abalone, nearly all of the sand crabs with many other marine species dwindling in numbers as well. The entire marine ecology has been permanently interrupted – animals that have relied on specific food sources can no longer survive. Whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions and other marine mammals have also experienced poor health and a sharp decline. Winged populations such as seagulls, pelicans and sandpipers cannot escape this wrath either. This trend is reversible, however, with the help of blue water movements. It is important to realize that, as caretakers on this planet, we have an obligation to pass down a rejuvenated ocean for future generations.

WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED

Those who attended the 1st Annual Blue Water Music Festival on February 5th, 2005, remember it as one of the most exciting and inspiring, music, art,film and ecological events in Laguna Beach history. Grandparents, parents, teens and children alike came together to share a vision for what Laguna Beachcan be when we all express our love for a healthy environment.

OUR GOALS

Coming into our second year, we are gearing up for an exciting 2nd Annual Blue Water Music Festival. We are expanding our artistic and educational outreach as we again showcase the best Laguna Beach has to offer, with new artists and new ideas. Blue Water provides a foundation from which ocean-related environmental organizations can launch a more effective unified message to end the rapid decline of our greatest resource – the ocean, while offering effective solutions. The educational outreach intends to include the continued support of environmental leaders and organizations including Rick Wilson, Chairman - Laguna Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation; Mike Hazzard, Chairman - Citizen Watershed Monitors of Orange County, V.P.- CA chapter of Trout Unlimited and other local educational institutions such as the Laguna Beach School of Music and the Laguna College of Art and Design. Our combined mission is to allow the experience of music and art to be the catalyst for inspired change to preserve our ocean and watersheds.

In order to amplify effectiveness, we are creating a website in 2006 in conjunction with our partners so we can send information regarding outstanding musicians, artists, updates on environmental health and local activism and other related events. We invite all musicians, artists and community members to join this Blue Water movement. It is the perfect opportunity to support the community as we continue to raise awareness to protect, preserve and take pleasure in our greatest natural resource, our ocean’s blue water.

We are looking for dedicated volunteers to help with the festival. If you have a love for music art and the environment, please e-mail: info@helpbluewater.com

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Published Thursday, February 8, 2007 10:06 PM PST Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot

2nd Poetry Blast, Aug. 2

Wielding a Poetic License to Protect Nature

By SUZIE HARRISON

Esteemed wordsmiths will direct their creative genius to invigorating social consciousness through poetry at the second annual Help Blue Water Poetry Blast next Thursday, Aug 2 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Mosuns Club M.

HelpBlueWater.com will stage a poetic eruption as Orange Countys top artists and musicians converge to translate the planets unspoken language, organizer Rick Conkey promised.

Revered in Southern Californias poetry scene, Laguna Beach residents John Gardiner and Kate Buckley will headline the environmentally themed event. Performances by top musicians Jason Feddy and Mark Turnbull are slated to make the evening an eclectic mix of talent and art forms.

Its not a poetry slam per se, Gardiner said. The only people getting slammed at this reading are Halliburton, Cheney and the oil companies. He intends to read a castigating work entitled, No More Dolphins Plenty of Websites.

Confessional poetry wrought with angst over personal problems is more typical of poetry slams. This one promises a more global rather than introspective focus.

The poetry is about Gaia, the great spirit of the earth around us, said Gardiner. If we lose the ocean we are all lost…

Crowd reaction will determine the winner of two rounds of poetry by fledgling poets. The best wordsmith standing goes to the prize winning third round.

The winner gets to share the stage and the opportunity to read with Gardiner and Buckley, the most esteemed poets in Orange County, Conkey said.

The conclusion of each round also signals a shift in poetic mediums. Both Turnbull and Feddy, lyrical songwriters and guitar players, will fill the interlude.

Also taking the stage with poetry and song is Terrell Anansi and Victoria Hazlet, who will perform an earth chant. Mystery musicians will also entertain.

In essence we are trying to get people to understand whats happening and the resource we have in artists, poets and musicians, Conkey said. They converge to translate the planets unspoken language at the Poetry Blast.

HelpBlueWater.com was envisioned by Rick Conkey with twin aims: support for musicians and artists as well as ocean and environmental issues. Our movement relies on artists to attract attention to our communitys most vital concerns, beginning with our most valuable resource, the ocean, he said.

Conkey urges participants to first support First Thursdays Art Walk, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Show proof (a gallery card or brochure) you visited three or more Art Walk galleries before arriving and receive a free t-shirt, Conkey promised.

This event is not affiliated with or sanctioned by First Thursdays Art Walk. There is no cover charge. Donations are welcomed. Club M is at 680 South Coast Highway. For information, go online to www.helpbluewater.com.

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Published Thursday, February 8, 2007 10:06 PM PST - Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot

From reggae with love

One Love Festival will bring reggae music and art together to raise awareness about the ocean environment.

By Josh Aden

For Rick Conkey, Valentines Day means much more than romantic love. For him its the perfect opportunity to celebrate love of all kinds—and thats just what he plans to do as he organizes the second annual One Love Reggae Festival.

The festival will headline Nick I of Common Sense, World Anthem, and the Rebel Rockers, as well as speakers and, according to Conkey, a few surprise guests from 7:30 until 11 p.m. at Club M on Valentines Day — or as Conkey has taken to calling it, Singles Awareness Day.

Conkeys main goal, he said, is to let music, poetry, art, and film shine a light on key issues in Laguna Beach and the world as a whole. One Love will attempt to raise awareness about the effect humans are having on the ocean environment.

Conkey, a former tennis pro, feels Laguna Beach is the perfect place for artists and musicians to start that dialogue.

Our number one resource in this town is the ocean. Our number two resource is the artists, Conkey said.

Conkey, who founded the Blue Water Music Festival, said Laguna Beach is rife with a vibrant music scene that is overshadowed in the city by the well established art community. He believes it is important to integrate the two.

You cannot separate music from art, Conkey said. They both come from the same place.

Reggae being the music of choice for the event is no accident. According to Conkey, Laguna Beach has the biggest reggae scene outside of Miami, and reggae is the music most associated with the ocean and love.

Debra Sullivan of the Reggae Rockers, better known as The Princess in the reggae world, has traveled all over the world performing. Sullivan said Lagunas reggae scene has its own special flavor that sets it apart.

Its as good as any scene on the planet, Sullivan said. Were really kind of one musical family.

Sullivan also said the concerts venue, Club M, is a great place to perform. She said she loves the colors, moods and energies it holds.

With One Love as the theme of the concert, its no surprise that there will be references to Bob Marley throughout the show. Conkey said there will be a number of Bob Marley covers performed.

The show comes eight days after what would have been Marleys 62nd birthday and will attempt to bring Marleys message of One World, One Love into sharp focus.

To Conkey, the ocean is the One Love that connects all humans and its health is one of the most pressing issues of modern times. Sullivan said shes glad to be part of an event to spread ocean awareness.

Its the life force, the blood of the planet, Sullivan said. The earth is our spiritual mother, if we dont take care of her, how can she take care of us?

The concert will also serve a networking function as Conkey plans to use the show to promote Blue Waters upcoming Earth Day celebration in April, which will feature an environmental fair and a beach cleanup.

Tickets for the One Love Reggae Festival are $30 at the door or $25 presale. For more information contact Rick Conkey at (949) 281-6850. Presale tickets are available at the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, 357 Glenneyre St.

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Published Wednesday, February 9th 2007 in the Laguna Beach Independent

One Love Unites Reggae Festival
By SUZIE HARRISON

Laguna’s 2nd Annual Valentine’s Day “One Love” Reggae Festival at Club M on Feb. 14 will exude Bob Marley’s vibe of peace, unity and love.

Producer Rick Conkey of HelpBlueWater.com originated the Valentine’s Day community gathering to spread Marley’s “One Love” spirit while also promoting ocean awareness through reggae music.

Laguna’s quintessential reggae bests, World Anthem, the Rebel Rockers, Nick Hernandez, Jelini Jones and special guests are back after last year’s successful event to perform in support of Blue Water’s mission.

Hernandez said the scene is very tight. “World Anthem, Rebel Rockers and Common Sense are so comfortable in our scene,” Hernandez said.

“One Love’ is a nice community get together of local talent who grew up in Laguna,” Hernandez said, who will be performing solo as Nick “I.” “We get to play around our home crowd and it’s a nice venue.”

Last year’s event sold out and received accolades, Conkey said. This year he expects that number to increase, hitting the club’s capacity.

“The vibe is so good and there’s great reggae,” Conkey said. “There will be enough love to go around for everyone.”

Club M’s ambience is symbiotic to the cause; red, black and purple velvet create a sensuous mood. Plush overstuffed booths serve as cabanas with cascading velvet curtains. Other creature comforts, such as the large ushaped couch with ottomans on the stage, are inviting to individuals and couples alike, which is Conkey’s goal.

The festival on Valentine’s Day can also be called ‘Singles Awareness Day.’ Conkey’s allinclusive invitation says, “singles welcome, couples optional and love the one you’re with.”

The inaugural reggae fest demonstrated the “One Love” vibe coming to fruition, especiallyon the dance floor. Locals came in droves, by themselves, with friends or as couples.

Throughout the year, Blue Water organizes events that promote local artists in a spectrum of media, emphasizing the value of the eclectic mix of artists in Laguna’s art community.

Events elicit reciprocity for community causes. Over 100 people signed up for the Earth Day beach clean up at the first ‘One Love’ festival, Conkey said. An additional 500 signatures were collected at other ocean awareness oriented Blue Water concerts. His sights are to see those numbers to continue to climb.

“And again we want to demonstrate the resource we have with these incredible artists and musicians,” Conkey said.

The formula demonstrates that locals can have a good time while learning about Laguna’s most vital concerns.

“What ‘One Love’ has to do in reality is to show the ocean, the planet, everyone and everything is connected,” Conkey says.

“The ‘One Love’ vibration is inclusive of all people and is a message very appropriate for Valentine’s Day,” said Redz of the Rebel Rockers

“One Love” is at Club M, upstairs at Mosun, 680 South Coast Highway, from 7:30 to 11 p.m.

Tickets are $30 at the door or $25 presale and can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce by calling 494-1018. For information, go to www.helpbluewater.com, call 281- 6850 or email Rick Conkey at helpbluewater.com.

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Laguna News Post - Published Thursday, Feb.22nd, 2007
Orange County Register

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Surfrider Foundation\\\'s Laguna Chapter - Online Newsletter - Feb., 2005

Blue Water Music Festival a Success!
February, 2005 To everyone who came out and supported Surfrider at the 1st annual Blue Water Music Festival ... THANK YOU!

It was an incredible event. This was a case of the music community, the artist community and many businesses and individuals pulling together to turn a dream into a reality.

The biggest thanks have to go to Rick Conkey, who turned an idea (a dream) into a reality in a very short time. Rick called us (I had never met him) in mid-November with the idea of putting on a music festival featuring local talent and benefiting Surfrider. Although I was a little skeptical he could pull it off, his enthusiasm won me over. Quickly he brought in Dean Andrews, Suzanne Lilly, Wendy Potter, Terry Rogers, and several others to help and the event came together with not only an amazing lineup of bands but also incredible art, film, silent auction and more.

For those who volunteered, I never saw a group of volunteers have so much fun. Everyone was so flexible and many of you worked extra hours. This made my job and the job of our volunteer coordinator Chuck Butera much easier and enjoyable. Thanks again, the festival would not have gone on without you all. Next year will be even better!

Oh, by the way, we signed up almost 250 new members of Surfrider Foundation!

Surfrider Foundation Laguna Beach Chapter Chairperson - Rick Wilson

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Surfing Village - Global Surfing News - Environmental News: Feb. 15th, 2005

Blue Water Music Festival a Success!
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 February 2005: - - To everyone who came out and supported Surfrider at the 1st annual Blue Water Music Festival... THANK YOU! It was an incredible event. This was a case of the music community, the artist, film and culinary communities and many businesses and individuals pulling together to turn a dream into a reality. The biggest thanks have to go to Rick Conkey, who turned an idea (a dream) into a reality in a very short time. Rick called us (I had never met him) in mid-November with the idea of putting on a music festival featuring local talent and benefiting Surfrider. Although I was a little skeptical he could pull it off, his enthusiasm won me over. Quickly he brought in Dean Andrews, Suzanne Lilly, Wendy Potter, Terry Rogers, Billy Fried, Vickie Hazlett, Bill Parker, Kristine Torrance, and several others to help and the event came together with not only an amazing lineup of bands but also incredible art, film, silent auction and more.
For those who volunteered, I never saw a group of volunteers have so much fun. Everyone was so flexible and many of you worked extra hours. This made my job and the job of our Surfrider volunteer coordinator Chuck Butera much easier and enjoyable. Thanks again, the festival would not have gone on without you all. Next year will be even better!
Oh, by the way, we signed up almost 250 new members of Surfrider Foundation!

-Rick Wilson, Surfrider Foundation, Chairperson Laguna Beach Chapter
A special thanks to the entire crew at the Festival Of Arts, Susan Davis and her amazing staff, Tivoli Terrace’s June Neptune and Bobby Fader, the City of Laguna Beach, the staff and DJs at KSBR, Mary Steele from Adelphia’s “Around and About In O.C,” ZUMA Press and Stu Saffer of The Laguna Beach Independent.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS AN EVENT TO REMEMBER!
Sponsors: Back Bay Productions, Billabong, La Vida Laguna, Laguna Beach Brewing Company, Laguna Beach Independent, Laguna Canyon Spa, Laguna Canyon Winery, Macgillivray/Freeman Films, Montage Resort & Spa, O.C. WEEKLY, Primary Color, Prudential California Realty, Red Bull, Sageman Drums, ShotPak, South County Bank, St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort
Performers; Anthony Jasso, Bob Hawkins, Blue Offenders, Common Sense, Evren Ozan, Forrest Blackburn, members of Honk, Jason Feddy Band, John Heussenstamm, Just Jinger , Matawaya, Missiles of October, O’Malley Jones, Rebel Rockers, Rob Eller , Ronnie King, World Anthem
FEATURED ARTISTS: Bill Ogden, Nathan Gibbs, Peter Ott, Terry Rogers
FILM MAKERS: MacGillivray/Freeman Films , Aloha Films, YNF
RESTAURANTS: Anat Mediterranean Restaurant, Laguna Culinary Arts, Rumari Ristorante, Savoury’s
VENDORS AND EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS: Art of Fitness, Clean Water Now, Coffee Bean, Defineart.com, Dennis McTighe, Diverse Productions, Earth Resource Foundation, Element Resource, Health & Balance/Arthur Chiropractic, John Cheney, Kahuna\\\'s Classics, La Petite Gallerie, La Vida Laguna, Laguna Beach Brewing Company, Laguna Canyon Winery, Mike Beanan, Eric Hung & Donn Flaws, Peter Paul Ott, Prudential California Realty, Ram Design, Ryan Gourley, Sageman Drums, South County Bank, surfingart.com, Terry Rogers, Waste Management of Orange County, Wheels 2 Water, YNR
Silent Auction Donors: Aloha Surfing School, American Martial Arts Academy, Art of Fitness, Balboa Pilates, Beach Retreat, Bill Ogden, Billabong, Cabana, Campbell\\\'s Sailing Charters, Capri Laguna, Captain Dave\\\'s Dolphin Safari, Cedar Creek Inn, Crystal Image, Culinary Adventures, Defineart.com, Diverse Productions, Dizz\\\'s As Is, Earth Resource Foundation, Envirovision, Freedom Quest International, Gallery McCollum, George Zebot, Girl in the Curl, Hands of Light Massage, Health & Balance/Arthur Chiro, Hobie’s, John Barber Glass Design, John Cheney, Kahuna\\\'s Classics, La Petite Gallerie, La Vida Laguna, Laguna Beach School of Music, Laguna Canyon Spa, Laguna Canyon Winery, Laguna Coffee Company, LB-Net Wireless Internet Access, Lisa Anderson, Louise\\\'s Place, Merrrilee’s Swimwear, Montage Resort & Spa, Nalu Underground Magazine, Natraj Cuisine of India, Pacific Marine Mammal Center (Friends of the Sea Lion), Pat Tobin, Peter Paul Ott, Pure Color, Quicksilver, Rainbow Sandals, Ram Design, Remo Inc., Rhythm Golf, Richard Graham, Ryan Gourley, Ruth Mayer Fine Arts Inc., Sageman Drums, Shoe Cellar, Sonja Bradley, Soul Surfing School, Sunset Cove Villas, Surf and Sand Resort, Surfer\\\'s Journal, surfingart.com, Tabu Grill, Tahitian Noni Juice, Thalia Street Surf Shop, The Guitar Shoppe, The Tides Inn, Tory Napoli, Tracy Nicole General & Cosmetic Dentistry, United Studios of Self Defense, Wheels 2 Water, Wyland Galleries, X
What a wonderful Blue Water day!
The Blue Water Team

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