South Bay Fire Station #15

In 2017, Ted created and dedicated a special award for his community’s dutiful fire and emergency professionals at South Bay Fire Station #15 in Los Osos, California. Ted presented the custom trophy to the fire department officials at the Baywood Lighted Boat Parade and Art Show event he helped organize.

Lighted Boat Parade and Art Show

Ted and Paul Irving organized the Baywood Lighted Boat Parade and Art Show, a free event for their community.

Morro Bay High School Ceramics Class

Ted has volunteered his time, experience and enthusiasm to the Morro Bay High School (MBHS) ceramics class, assisting Ms. Osborne and inspiring students to create freely. During the 2013-14 school year, a wonderful and spirited ‘surfboard’ sculpture was the result of the students’ efforts under his guidance and was displayed in galleries and businesses. For the 2014-15 school year, Ted mentored another talented group with more artful results. In 2016, Ted teamed with the MBHS ceramics students for a San Luis Obispo Cow Parade entry as part of an annual fundraising event for the Land Conservancy. Ted encourages teens to approach all endeavors, (arts, science, engineering, math, etc) with imagination and creativity.

Marine Conservation Institute

Ted and daughter Sierra Emrick, with Dr. Sylvia Earle at the Marine Conservation Institute’s 20th Anniversary Celebration in 2016. Dr. Earle is a internationally-known marine biologist, explorer, author, and lecturer. She has been a National Geographic explorer-in-residence since 1998 and was selected as the inaugural Hero for the Planet in 1998 by Time Magazine. Ted and Sierra designed and sustainably made awards for the event held in San Francisco, California.

Surfing For Hope Foundation: Benefit for Hearst Cancer Resource Center

For a number of years, Ted has supported the Surfing for Hope Foundation by donating his time to create awards for the annual surf contest benefiting the Hearst Cancer Resource Center in San Luis Obispo.

SurfAid

ART LEGACY & NATIVE PLANT GARDEN PROJECT for BAYWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Ted volunteered as the artist-in-residence for Art Legacy Projects at Baywood Elementary School in Los Osos, California. These creative learning experiences encouraged students to give new life to discarded items that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Students artfully embedded their recycled objects in concrete pavers to be later installed in the school's Native Plant Garden, established as part of a Roots & Shoots project (through the Jane Goodall Institute.)

AmpSurf

Ted has donated awards to AmpSurf, non-profit organization established to Promote, Inspire, Educate, and Rehabilitate (PIER) all people with disabilities and their families through Adaptive Surf Therapy and other outdoor activities. Below are his thoughts on helping this worthy cause.

A few years ago, I was about to paddle out at a heavy surf spot in Big Sur. It was one of those days that made most surfers pucker. Solid overhead thundering surf, the kind that makes one-ton boulders rumble underwater and grind the rocky shore as they are tossed over smaller two-hundred-pound cobblestones.

Like most veteran surfers, I knew instinctively to scramble over rocks to make it around the cove for a somewhat safer paddle out.

In that moment, I watched a one-legged man carry his board straight out and into the heart of the beast. No cove, no safety net — just a blunt attack. His prosthetic leg had no grip on the rocks and the waves slammed him helplessly against the slimy moss-covered boulders. I dropped my board and started to make the treacherous path to save this poor soul. Just then, I saw a set coming and I thought we were both done for. Much to my amazement, the man used the upcoming surge to scrap up on his board and plunge into the oncoming waves. It was like seeing a train wreck about to happen.

He made it out before me, and when I did finally make it out, I was speechless — maybe because the waves had some serious consequences, or maybe I was just a little shell shocked. Either way, what I witnessed made a deep impression on me.

I’ve had the pleasure to share waves again with that guy at Big Sur, and I’ve thought a lot about him. What courage, what life, what style. I have not told him what a difference and impact he has made in my life.

For more than five years now, I've been making surf trophies to benefit AmpSurf, and my single-legged surfing comrade always comes to mind. I may never be able to condone why our country goes to war, and at the same time, I can't imagine what a sacrifice our vets have made. I hope these trophies in some way shows my appreciation for their strength and courage. I want to thank the owner and staff at the Cliffs Resort for recognizing this same inspiration of life and supporting AmpSurf every year. We do not just support our vets, we are inspired by their strengths and everything they have overcome.

To my buddies at AmpSurf, live large.

Cal Poly: University Guest Lectures

Ted has donated his time as guest lecturer for materials courses in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at California Polytechnic State University.

FUNDRAISER EVENT TROPHIES

Ted has donated his art to many good causes over many years, including these custom-designed art glass trophies for Wine, Waves & Beyond Longboard Surf Contest: Benefit for AmpSurf, and The Rock 'N Soccer Beach Tournament: Morro Bay High School Soccer Program Fundraiser. Ted has also donated custom glass trophies to the Annual Zongo Yachting Cup, which may not be a fundraiser event, but is definitely a fun-raiser event.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS: BeGREEN RV PROJECT

Ted converted the diesel engine of a Scotty recreational vehicle (aka “The BeGreen RV") to run on clean-burning vegetable oil. He took students on a 3,000 mile round trip, having them assist in the reclamation and filtering of discarded cooking oil from restaurants along their route. The students also logged data and calculated how many tons of CO2 were prevented from entering the atmosphere as a result of their alternative fuel efforts.