There is a new non-profit in Henderson, Kentucky and it's pretty rad.

Meet Gift

Gift Skateboarding is a new non-profit in Henderson, Kentucky that is focused on making the sport of skateboarding available to anyone and everyone regardless of age, gender, or economic status. According to their Facebook page,

Gift Skateboarding is a non-profit organization committed to providing safe and accessible community spaces and programs centered around skateboarding.

 

Free Skateboarding

Gift will host Henderson's only totally free indoor skatepark where skaters can borrow loner boards and protective gear if they don't have their own, all while skating and grinding in a safe environment. They will even offer free lessons regularly with some of the city's most experienced skaters.

I've never met a skateboarder whose path in life wasn't directly influenced, in a positive way, by the lessons they learned from skating. - Matt Glick, Executive Director of Gift Skateboarding
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Photo by Niket Nigde on Unsplash
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Why Skateboarding

When asked "Why skateboarding?" Gift Executive Director, Matt Glick tells us,

There are a multitude of reasons to support skateboarding and the skate community, regardless of your personal connections to it. For one, the activity is a path toward better mental and physical health. Aside from the cardio and core strength that skating inherently builds, it requires you to develop problem solving skills and resilience. People vastly underestimate the amount of nuance and time involved in mastering the simplest of skateboarding maneuvers. These traits always translate to other areas of a skater's life, even decades later. I've never met a skateboarder whose path in life wasn't directly influenced, in a positive way, by the lessons they learned from skating.

Matt Glick
Deconstruction of the former skatepark. Photo: Matt Glick
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Getting a New Location

Gift Skateboarding came around after the owner of the now-since-closed Cure Skate Shop realized the need to make skateboarding accessible to everyone. Formerly housed inside the same location as Cure Skate Shop on North Green Street in Henderson, Kentucky, Gift is getting a new, and larger facility. The former skatepark underwent a deconstruction (pictured above) as the nonprofit plans to reuse as much of its existing build resources as possible.

What to Expect

The new location will offer a great deal more space once construction is complete and the non-profit will continue with its mission to make skateboarding accessible to the youth in the community. If you would like to get involved or make a donation to help Gift Skateboarding continue its mission of providing a safe place for the community to skate, you can learn more by visiting GiftSkateboarding.com.

Matt Glick
The new space. Photo: Matt Glick
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Visit Gift Skateboarding

Tentatively, the estimated completion date for the new skate park location (pictured above) to open its doors is October 10, 2022. Want to visit Gift Skateboarding once it opens the doors to its new home? You'll be able to find it at 2480 US 41 North, Suite 170 in Henderson, Kentucky

Skateboarding is Illegal in these Downtown Evansville Locations

If you love to skateboard, you need to know that there are some locations where it is actually illegal to boardslide or bonk. Every violation could cost $25, and if the offender is under 18, parents get to pay the ticket.

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