Tony Hawk’s illustrious skateboard career has followed him well into his 56 years of life, as he continues to leave an indelible mark on the skating industry.
But he has also dedicated much of his career to giving back and doing good. While his nonprofit The Skatepark Project has invested millions in building safe, public skate parks across the country, his most recent endeavor has been raising funds for Los Angeles wildfire relief.
Countless celebrities have donated and volunteered to support the thousands impacted by California’s recent, devastating fires, but Hawk decided to take a creative approach to do his part.
Using Cameo, a platform where famous athletes, celebrities, and creators make customized video greetings for fans, Hawk has raised over $15,000 in support of World Central Kitchen’s efforts to feed Angelenos displaced by the fires.
According to Hawk’s Cameo profile, each video costs $99 and has a 24-hour turnaround time. Given his donation numbers, it can be assumed that at least 150 people have supported this initiative.
“Hey everyone,” Hawk said in a recent Instagram post. “I just wanted to say thank you for all of the Cameo requests as we raise money for World Central Kitchen and their relief efforts to those affected in the fires in Los Angeles.”
He went on to add that he was now taking requests in any language.
“It’s been a great success so far, and now thanks to my friends at Letz Chat, I can offer them in any language,” he said. “I’m not multilingual, but through their magic, they can provide my voice in any language.”
According to Letz Chat’s website, Hawk is an ambassador for the company, which offers instant language translation and analytics products for websites across the world.
The skateboarder then shared a few examples of Cameos made in other languages, including some in Spanish, French, Italian, and more.
“Let’s keep this thing going through the end of the month,” he added.
On his Cameo page, a banner in support of World Central Kitchen is prominently displayed, alongside some ideas and prompts for potential donors.
“Whether it’s birthday shoutouts, pep talks, or special occasions, Tony tailors each message with his signature wit and charm,” the page reads. “From offering skateboarding advice to former pro skaters, to surprising kids with their own personalized video, no request is too big or small for this legendary boarder.”
Dozens of positive reviews from fans have also come pouring in over the past couple of weeks, following the wildfires.
“Tony went above and beyond for this Cameo,” one person wrote. “It blew my son away — he said it was the best day of his life.”
“This is one of the best things I have ever received and I can’t wait to show my dad,” another added. “Thank you for taking the time to personalize this and for supporting LA wildfire relief. You are amazing.”
World Central Kitchen also commented on Hawk’s Cameo fundraiser on Instagram.
“Thank you so much for supporting our efforts in Southern California,” the nonprofit wrote.
Since the fires broke out, the nonprofit and its hundreds of local volunteers have helped deliver more than 200,000 meals to first responders and families in need.
Header image courtesy of Tony Hawk/Instagram
