About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Our Story
We are a non-profit organization raising funds to open and operate a community wellness center that will host a local indoor skatepark and Health Club to be of service in an underserved community in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
We fell in love with skateboarding because of its parallels to life. It teaches resilience; no matter how many times you fall, if you get back up and keep pushing…any obstacle can be overcome. It fosters mental strength and flexibility; failure is frustrating but sometimes, looking at a trick from a new perspective is all you need to land on both feet. The love in the skate culture is also nothing like I’ve experienced in any other sport. Skaters celebrate each other at any level of experience. Whether it’s your first Ollie or a Lazer-Flip down a 5-stair, the love is the same. Your only competition is yourself.
There are a lot of local outdoor parks, but most have either been eroded by the elements, aren’t well maintained, very aggressive in design, or have no safety procedures in place or trained staff to enforce them which increases the risk of injury. Most skateboarding injuries occur in an unsupervised setting in driveways, streets, and public places. By comparison, indoor skateparks are relatively safe due to superior design, risk management controls, and staff on-site to react quickly to incidents. The most common reasons for injuries include improper design, improper construction, lack of maintenance, lack of safety equipment, lack of supervision, surface problems (seams, gaps, rough areas, slippery spots), and collisions with other skaters. Rhode Island also experiences extreme climates (humid high 90s and above and freezing lows. The US averages 28 inches of snow per year, whereas Rhode Island averages 35 inches of snow per year. These conditions make it other than ideal for skating outdoors for more than half the year.
We not only want to provide a safe space for the enjoyment of the sport, but we'd also like to foster growth and development in our communities that lack a self-sustaining foundation and spread love to all that cross our paths. We believe that genuine love and compassion aren't celebrated as they should be, and we would very much so like to change the narrative.
The diversity of Rhode Island is an asset; however, there are vast, persistent, and unacceptable disparities in children’s economic well-being by race and ethnicity. Disparities that affect child and family well-being include unemployment rates, family income, poverty, wealth, homeownership, and postsecondary education.
Our goals:
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Provide a fun and safe environment for the community to partake in activities that promote good physical and mental health.
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Provide employment opportunity
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Expand the local economy
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Promote community engagement
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Provide after-school programs, internships and scholarship opportunities
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Offer perks and incentives for students that excel in academics
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Offer free classes to the community on goal setting, financial literacy, and wealth building.
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Offer STEM education to the community
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Offer mentorship opportunities
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Positively influence our impressionable youth
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LEAVE THE COMMUNITY BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT
The park's profits will be used to provide safe spaces for creatives and wheeled enthusiasts (skaters, bikers, scooter riders, roller bladers), raise awareness about and fight against homelessness, mental health deficiencies, child neglect, and abuse.
Any donation of any amount would be greatly appreciated and will help us in our effort to strengthen our community one smile at a time.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
with love,
GSP
To learn more follow the link below ⬇️
source: The Skatepark Project
