KALISPELL — A non-profit skate park in Kalispell is helping youth in the community by having a safe space for kids to go to.
They just received a big gift to help make their goals possible.
"We're plugging in our community and we're serving our community getting shoes on the feet of these kids,” said Serious JuJu operations manager Randy Beckstrom.
Serious JuJu, a non-profit indoor skate park in Kalispell, received a $5,000 donation to give skate shoes to kids in need in the skate community.
“And for some parents, this may be the only way they can get a pair of skate shoes to these kids. So we're very fortunate that we can serve some of the less fortunate people and skaters in our community and get shoes on those kids as well,” said Beckstrom.
The donation was provided by MVEMT skate shop in Bigfork to help the youth that utilize Serious JuJu’s shelter, nutrition and life lessons support.
“I feel in my heart that this is just the beginning. And we as long as we can provide stuff like this things like this programs like this will continue to give,” said MVEMT skate snow and surf owner Chuck Sisler.
While the shoes are free to anyone at Serious JuJu who needs them, they must do something to help the community to get the shoes.
In order to get a free pair of shoes, kids must write an essay explaining how Serious JuJu has helped them or their parents must donate food or time to the program.
“And so when we we’re giving out shoes were like, well, how can we get people to participate in our program? How can we benefit our community? And so not only does it put the shoes on the feet of them, but it gets our community involved in what we're doing as well,” said Beckstrom.
MVEMT has donated gear in the past to Serious JuJu, but this is the biggest donation so far. And you may ask why donate shoes?
“I mean, if your feet aren't happy, you're not happy. So riding a skateboard. You can ride anything. If you don't, you know you write in any clothes, but if you don't have the shoes and it's not going to be real fun,” said Sisler.
