ANTHONY SOMMER / TSOMMER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kauai Mayor Bryan Baptiste, right, worked the crowd for donations yesterday at a fund-raiser for shark attack victim Bethany Hamilton.
Kauai community
pulls together for Bethany
LIHUE >> It isn't likely very many people were surfing anywhere on Kauai yesterday afternoon. Virtually the entire surfing community showed up at the Marriott Resort for a fund-raiser for shark attack victim Bethany Hamilton.
Hamilton, 13, who lost her left arm Oct. 31, is among the top female amateur surfers in the country and was considered a top prospect to go professional. Fellow surfers have had nothing but praise for her ability, courage and impish sense of humor.
Rochelle Ballard, a pro surfer from Kauai's South Shore, brought a special gift for Hamilton -- a surf board with "get well" wishes and autographs from most of the island's long list of professional surfers.
"It's very special to get so many people together to support another surfer, and we wanted to give her something that always will remind Bethany of it," Ballard said.
Many other Kauai residents turned out, most of them from the North Shore where the Hamiltons live. Organizers estimate about 2,000 people showed up.
Hamilton was not scheduled to make an appearance. She is recuperating with her family at an undisclosed location.
Her father Tom thanked the crowd for their support.
The event was a combination shopping spree and party as people ate, talked and bid on donated silent-auction items. There were no sad speeches. The only real reminders of Bethany were videos of her surfing that were played on a huge screen behind the stage, where many local bands donated their performances during the entire five hours.
Singer and part-time Kauai resident Graham Nash closed the show last night and got a standing ovation.
One of the performers, Kai Swigert, led a sing-along with a group of children outside. They sang three songs, all with a deeply religious theme, that he wrote about Hamilton.
"It's wonderful so many young people came here today," he said. "Bethany has become a hero to so many of them and I think they just wanted to show their appreciation of her."
Hundreds of items were displayed on tables for silent auctions. Among the donated items were custom surfboards, including boards by reigning world champion Andy Irons, who lives on Kauai's north shore and had been among those urging Hamilton to go professional before her injury.
The Hamilton family has said in prepared statements that she still wants to surf and still wants to compete. Her orthopedic surgeon said she should be able to do about 95 percent of what she wants to do when she receives a prosthetic arm.
There was no admission fee, although volunteers with large baskets circulated through the crowd asking for money to help Hamilton.
As of early last night, several thousand dollars was donated, but there was no estimate on the total amount raised.
