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As a newcomer to the Sanuk team, Ronnie Dickson brings a unique element to the table. You see, Ronnie lost his leg above the knee almost six years ago.  Amputation required Ronnie to search for different ways to engage himself. Two years later and determined to stay positive, he found his new passion- Climbing.

We hooked up with Mr. Dickson through a series of fortunate events and soon found out he’s a rad dude with a big smile and even bigger dreams. Recently, the Sanuk Squad made their way out to Joshua Tree for an amputee climbing clinic hosted by Ronnie and his friends.

Today we’ve brought Ronnie to the blog to share some words on his story and the clinic. The following words are from the happyhead himself:

I started climbing four years ago as a recent above the knee amputee. I found climbing by chance, and have been hooked ever since. It brought together the traveling and adventure that I enjoyed with my life and also got me set with a new challenge to pour all my energy into. Climbing was cool because everybody has to learn the way their body works on the rock, and it didn’t matter that I had one leg.

I used to do all my climbing without a prosthetic leg, but over the course of the past four years I have rigged up some adaptive equipment and adapted my style to where I almost exclusively to all of my climbing with my leg on. I have accomplished things that I never thought were possible and have met many amazing people along the way.

It has always been my belief that climbing is an accessible sport for people with disabilities, so it has been my goal over the past two years to introduce as many people with disabilities to climbing as possible. I have been very successful in this, introducing hundreds of people with disabilities to climbing through various indoor clinics around the country.

My vision finally came to fruition on April 9th in the So Cal desert at Joshua Tree National Park. We were able to introduce 13 persons with disabilities to their first outdoor climbing experience. Everybody made it up to the top of the wall and was able to enjoy the mostly sunny day out in Josh after the weather settled down.

I have to say that it was wild, encountering a fifteen minute bout of snow in the fifty degree heat out in the otherwise cloudless desert, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

The clinic was made possible by many people and it was great to have the crew from Sanuk come out and join us for the day. The prosthetic foot that I have cannot be set up with sandals so it has been nice to finally find a pair of shoes that feel like sandals. There is nothing like going from a pair of climbing shoes into footwear that feels like walking on clouds.

I am already looking forward to next year. My vision has been to make this a series of clinics that travels around the country. It has been great to take my passion and be able to pass that onto others. Bottom line: If you have something that you are really excited and psyched about…

Check out the video from the event:

Smile…pass it on!

To follow Ronnie on his incredible journey visit www.takealegoff.blogspot.com

Got a case of the Mondays? Our friends at Walu International can fix that.

Walu International is a non-profit organization traveling the globe on a mission to create smiles for those living in the coastal communities of Papua New Guinea.

They’ve put together this lighthearted documentary to show just how they are making positive changes in peoples lives through education in water & sanitation, surfing, and smiling.

All smiles from these happyheads!

Groms of New Guinea.

Rahihi says, “Smile…pass it on!”

Learn more about Walu International: www.waluinternational.org

Smile with Walu International on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WaluInternational

Tweet with Walu International: www.twitter.com/WaluInt

We’d like to take this moment to introduce your to our dear happyheads over at Matt’s Trees- an organization in memory of the late Matt Sloan committed to rebuilding the hurricane-ravaged areas of New Orleans.

At the time of Matt’s untimely death this past June, he was working to rebuild homes in New Orleans that had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. It was his vision to establish a nonprofit dedicated to replanting trees and native landscaping that would positively impact the well-being of every returning resident. Matt’s friends and family are now taking his dream into their hands to fulfill.

“Matt’s Trees—Replanting New Orleans” is in the running for a $50,000 PEPSI REFRESH grant. Grant winners will be determined by the results of ONLINE and TEXT voting, and THEY NEED YOUR HELP!

Follow these simple steps to vote:

1. Visit http://www.refresheverything.com/mattstrees

2. Click “Vote for this Idea”

3. Sign in with your email (you won’t be solicited) OR use your Facebook login!

4. This will take you back to the Pepsi Refresh page

5. Type “Matt’s Trees” into the search bar on the top right

6. Cast your vote

7. Pass it on!

It’s as simple as that. Your vote could bring smiles to millions.

You can also VOTE EVERY DAY  by texting 104659 to 73774 (Pepsi). You can also vote everyday by downloading the Pepsi Refresh App onto your Facebook page—that’s three times a day to vote.

Voting end on December 31, 2010!

To learn more about how Matt’s Trees is rebuilding the soul (and soil) of New OrleanVisit their website at: www.mattstrees.org

THANK YOU for your support.

Smile…pass it on!

Eat your heart out Twilight. Take a hike Jonas Brothers- because Sanuk has a few fanboys (and girls) of their own. UpDowna (short for Up a mountain, Down a Beer) is a blog run by humanoids that live for all things backpacking, hiking, camping, climbing, wilderness survival, skiing, snowboarding, and (of course) ice cold beer.

In a recently in a post entitled “Happy Feet“, they gave us some big time unsolicited groupie love that rivals that of all those giggly Justin Beiber fanatics. The post reveals quite clearly that they are big proponent of our Sidewalk Surfers. Bunny (who is a dude by the way) notes how, “everyone is making a big deal over those 5 toe things. If you like them that’s your thing, but I’m sticking to my guns with the comfort of my Sanuks!”  Now that is what we’re talking about.

Bunny’s favorite uses of our swag including (but certainly not limited to) road trips, base camping, kickin’ around houses (and caves), picking up the mail box, making beer runs and “any other quick I need shoes situations”. For the UpaDowna crew, Sanuk’s are “not just footwear…but a must have piece of gear in [their] arsenal!”

photo via. UpaDowna

For the full post click here!

Seth Pettersen is about three things:

Surfing
Family
Music

and you can hear it in his music! Check out the song “Baby Buddah” which is featured during our very own Dave Rastovich‘s section in his new upcoming Australian surf film titled “Little Black Wheels”

Check out some of his videos, we dig his sound, how about you?