Surf Diva hosts fundraiser

Surf Diva raised nearly $2,000 at its Aug. 9 “retail therapy” fundraiser for Freedom Is Not Free, which supports military men and their families by providing travel expenses and “burn beds” and helping to refurbish the Wounded Warriors Barracks at Camp Pendleton.

The event was a kickoff to a weeklong Little Warriors Surf Camp, organized by Jay Kopelman, executive director of FINF, and put on by Surf Diva.

Izzy Tihanyi, founder and co-owner of Surf Diva, said shoppers came to wine and dine on hors d’oeuvres catered by Pacific Coast Grill, buy items in a silent auction and make purchases at the boutique, which donated 20 percent of the proceeds to the nonprofit. Among the shoppers were supermodel Carolyn Murphy, celebrity casting director Jennifer Starr and retired San Diego Chargers offensive guard Aaron Taylor. La Jollans who attended included Shelby Stanger, Yassi Mesbahzadeh, India Kern and Viridianna Henley.