Email contacts for skateboard companies?

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

This seems like an odd fanboy stalker type request, but let me explain. I work at a school in a pretty gnarly area of Los Angeles. In the past two weeks there have been fights right in front of the school that involve gang members, knives, and guns being pointed at people's heads. The kids involved have all been 14-15 years old.
I just started a skate club at the school and a lot of kids want to get involved, like 20 or so. I really want to get them all a chance to go out and skate, and have been trying to get together old set ups, because most of these kids can't exactly just go out and buy a $100-$120 dollar set up. I've got 3 together so far, which obviously isn't enough. Some kids have skateboards already, but it still leaves like 15 kids and 3 boards.
So I figured why not try to e-mail a few companies and try to see if they'd be willing to donate some boards to us and help out. I've been trying to e-mail companies, but haven't had much luck finding e-mail addresses. Apparently at some point, the "contact" button disappeared from websites.
Also, if anybody in the LA area has any old stuff (particularly trucks and wheels!) that they are willing to donate, hit me up!

Thanks,
Your friendly neighborhood 40th President of the United States
P.S.- if you hate me, think about it this way, I already got a nice set up, this stuff isn't for me. And yes, I have been spending money to buy stuff as well, but there is only so much I can spend.

[The Donger]

May not be the right thing to do, but I used to jack boards from kids. Spoiled rich kids with sick set ups who couldn't even ollie. They would spend all there time getting high at the skatepark/spot, talking, texting and bullshitting. They would have a new set up the next day or so. I was a poor kid who saved my lunch money for 3 weks so I could buy a shop blank. I know it's not the right thing to do but I don't see anything wrong with it. If I were you I'd take from the rich and give to the poor, they will actually enjoy it and it will keep them out of trouble. Selling drugs is a good way to make money too.

[skate_bored]

im 100% positive that if you can get the emails or numbers of sales reps in your area (go to the shop and explain, they'd be down), then these sales reps or company contacts would be down to donate some shit out of their promo budget.

ill see if i get you something tomorrow

[Prison Wallet]

I wonder if Whitely or Randozzi could help you out with contacts. I Suck! is know to be pretty generous too. You might want to write something professional sounding up on school letterhead to fax to companies. Ask your office manager for your school's TIN (federal tax ID number) to include in the letter so companies can write off the donations. Also get the ethnic breakdown/free and reduced lunch percentage to show you're working with an under served population.

I don't know how long you'll be at that school but I'd be willing to bet you could pretty easily chase down some health/wellness/anti-obesity/preventable disease grant money. A good amount of tobacco tax money is mandated to go towards shit like that. I pull in about 3 grand of tobacco money every year for some school horticulture programs I head up; it's pretty easy money.

[VictoriousOG]

Though I can't help out at all, I just wanted to say that I really like this idea of yours and respect you for it. So keep up the good work and I hope it works out in the end.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Thanks for the well wishes and good advice to all so far, especially PW. I don't think Jamie likes me though after I talked all sorts of shit on zero. C'est la vie. I'll think about what bridges I'm burning next time.

[Prison Wallet]

I'd still try him out. With all the shit people talk he probably doesn't even remember. Chris N. is another person on here that might help out. Grim too, isn't he down with the DLXSF guys?

And go after all the whack companies who can afford to kick down product... Zumies, Active, CCS, and whoever else you can think of. Eastern, Southshore. Once you get a nice form letter you modify here and there go after everyone.

[Omamori]

I'll send an e-mail to a shop. They won't be able to give products away but I'll try to get contact info to companies. I hope things work out, those kids deserve more than what they get.

[BriDen]

Lame as it might be, hit up the berrics. I'd be willing to bet sTeve could find a way to make a huge deal about charity and give some stuff up (you know there's tons of shit lying around) for the free publicity.

edit: also, have you tried facebook? Almost every company is on there in one form or another, and they're more likely to avoid an email than to avoid a public message that thousands of their fans will see.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Lame as it might be, hit up the berrics. I'd be willing to bet sTeve could find a way to make a huge deal about charity and give some stuff up (you know there's tons of shit lying around) for the free publicity.

edit: also, have you tried facebook? Almost every company is on there in one form or another, and they're more likely to avoid an email than to avoid a public message that thousands of their fans will see.

It's funny, because the Berrics is kind of near my school. I should hit him up for a session there for the kids 

those kids deserve more than what they get.

That's for damn sure. Most kids in the ghetto aren't gangsters or super wild, they are just kids, and half the ones who are gangsters aren't evil, they are just frightened kids looking for security and stability.

[the whompler]

Thanks for the well wishes and good advice to all so far, especially PW. I don't think Jamie likes me though after I talked all sorts of shit on zero. C'est la vie. I'll think about what bridges I'm burning next time.

damn, i am pming cotg this quote personally, though it prob wont' change anything.

and i'll pass the word along to some of my homies and see if they can do anything. sounds like a rad cause, i wish you the best my friend.

[Prison Wallet]

Update Gip?

[Omamori]

Sorry, I forgot...got caught up with college.  I'm sending an e-mail tomorrow, then I'll send you a pm.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Not much to update. Don't really have time to figure out a lot of it these days. Been doing students report cards and other important stuff that comes around this part of the quarter, so its been mostly just searching online to figure out contacts when my attention span can't stay on grading and stuff. Bought 3 sets of trucks, 3 sets of wheels, and 3 sets of bearings to hook up to some old decks I have lying around, so now, including two set ups made of donated stuff I have 5 set ups. Its far from what we need, but at least we have some stuff for the kids to work on. I think that we are going to get a cool lot to build some stuff this week too, and then after that hopefully everybody can chip in and we can start building some ramps and boxes together to make the place our own. I have a friend who set up a skate club up in Oakland, and he said he might be able to help me out, as he was able to get help from Jim Thiebaud at deluxe for his club, as well as a few other companies.
The thing is, I am at a new school with a really weird experimental program, so I am still trying to figure that out a lot, and feel bad spending more time on my club than on my kids curriculum/work/drama/whatever, so its not coming along perfectly, but we got a few set ups, a spot to skate, some kids who are into it, and a teacher willing to run the club (me) so we got something. Thursday is our first after school session, so we'll see what happens.

[marginal way]

im 100% positive that if you can get the emails or numbers of sales reps in your area (go to the shop and explain, they'd be down), then these sales reps or company contacts would be down to donate some shit out of their promo budget.

ill see if i get you something tomorrow

this. companies get hit up for product A LOT, usually by pretty worthy causes, too. you gotta have personal contact if you want your cause to get noticed. talking to a rep in person is 10000000x better than blindly emailing the company. when we need product for fundraisers, it's the reps that come through every time.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Expand Quote

im 100% positive that if you can get the emails or numbers of sales reps in your area (go to the shop and explain, they'd be down), then these sales reps or company contacts would be down to donate some shit out of their promo budget.

ill see if i get you something tomorrow

[close]

this. companies get hit up for product A LOT, usually by pretty worthy causes, too. you gotta have personal contact if you want your cause to get noticed. talking to a rep in person is 10000000x better than blindly emailing the company. when we need product for fundraisers, it's the reps that come through every time.

Good to know. By the way, if I put clear lacquer on cinder blocks, would that make it grind, or would my trucks just chunk right through it still?

[Omamori]

Ok I got an e-mail from them, I just sent you a PM.

[marginal way]

so did i.

[the whompler]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

im 100% positive that if you can get the emails or numbers of sales reps in your area (go to the shop and explain, they'd be down), then these sales reps or company contacts would be down to donate some shit out of their promo budget.

ill see if i get you something tomorrow

[close]

this. companies get hit up for product A LOT, usually by pretty worthy causes, too. you gotta have personal contact if you want your cause to get noticed. talking to a rep in person is 10000000x better than blindly emailing the company. when we need product for fundraisers, it's the reps that come through every time.

[close]

Good to know. By the way, if I put clear lacquer on cinder blocks, would that make it grind, or would my trucks just chunk right through it still?

you would grind right through. throw some angle iron on there and it'll work perfect. and i talked to a buddy and he can shoot you some decks if you still need them. but he'd wants to deliver them in person. when and where are you guys meeting at?

[P Casanova]

I might be able to help......shoot me an email

[Why God Why?]

I would love to see 15 kids on selfish boards.