KALISPELL — A Kalispell skatepark is more than a place to practice tricks, for thousands of local kids, it's a lifeline.
WATCH: A Kalispell skatepark has been a lifeline for thousands of kids for nearly 20 years — but it's running out of room. Here's how you can help.
Serious Juju, a free community skatepark and nonprofit, has been serving Flathead Valley youth for nearly 19 years. But the space is running out of room.
The organization started out of a garage with a simple idea: no kid should be left without a place to belong. It quickly became a refuge for any child who needed it.
"Serious Juju's mission is to see, feed and strengthen the youth and community of the Flathead," Managing Director Randy Beckstrom said.
Today, Serious Juju is a full nonprofit organization. Beckstrom said 6,000 kids walked through the doors in 2025 alone. Through camps, open skates, and therapeutic skateboard groups, the impact has rippled across the entire valley.
"Parents will tell you my kid is not the same kid today he was six months ago and it's because of skateboarding,'" Beckstrom said.
One of those kids is Layla Hamilton. Just two weeks in, she is already hooked and has a new favorite trick.
"Dropping in on the halfpipe," Hamilton said.
Hamilton thinks anyone curious about skating should check it out.
"They'll help you learn how to push, pump and have a good time on the ramps," Hamilton said.
But the current space can only hold so many. Beckstrom wants every kid who needs the space to have a spot on the floor.
"We're maxed out at Serious Juju. I have skate nights during the Winter where we see 30 to 50 people here and I can only allow 15 kids on the floor at a time. I hate turning away anyone at a place like this, the community needs it," Beckstrom said.
Beckstrom's goal is to build a world-class indoor skatepark big enough for every kid who needs it, but he needs the community's help.
"We just wanted our community to know about this. We feel the right people in our community hear or see what we're doing and they can get behind serving our kids," Beckstrom said.
To help make that dream a reality, visit seriousjuju.com.
