Malibu Student Paddling 21mi for Heal the Bay's Fire Relief

Hi, I’m Preston Lilly, a high school student and surfer in Malibu.

I’m prone paddleboarding 21 miles on September 20th along the Malibu and Pacific Palisades coastline to raise money and awareness for ocean cleanup and recovery after the recent wildfires. When fires burn through the hills, the ash, debris, and toxic runoff wash straight into the ocean. That pollution damages marine life, harms water quality, and leaves long-term impacts on the coast I’ve grown up loving and surfing.

I chose to donate all proceeds to Heal the Bay because they’re one of the only nonprofits in Los Angeles working specifically on cleaning up this kind of wildfire runoff and protecting our beaches. They do water quality testing, storm drain cleanups, and ocean education to help restore and protect the coastline right here in our community.

This campaign is my senior capstone project, and I’m documenting the full journey in a short film to raise awareness and inspire others to care for the ocean.

Thank you so much for supporting. Every donation helps. Sharing this means just as much.

Preston Lilly

Instagram: @paddlingforpalisades