How do you give back to skateboarding?

[Yoshi]

By not being an utter dick to someone who is clearly trying to get into skating.  Encourage those kids who want to get into it instead of being a ‘cool kid’ because you have been doing it longer

[RichardBarkley]

Expand Quote

Rub bricking , lacquering and waxing curbs is gods work

[close]

I have really gotten into that during the pandemic!

I have also joined a skate club. We use that club to lobby for new public skateparks. We are currently working on getting a new one built. In Germany having a Club („Verein“) is basically required to be taken seriously by the local governments. Being in a club kind of sucks, because you need to follow a bunch of legal guidelines, but it also feels good to get things done and skate a park you have helped to get build.

Check out our club:
https://instagram.com/concreteskate?igshid=jkv9gby10uh7
http://concreteskate.blogspot.com/?m=1

Right on

Side note, have you ever been to Robert Johnson?

Always been on my to do list

[moneen]

give old decks to rippers at the park who need them.

[S.]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Rub bricking , lacquering and waxing curbs is gods work

[close]

I have really gotten into that during the pandemic!

I have also joined a skate club. We use that club to lobby for new public skateparks. We are currently working on getting a new one built. In Germany having a Club („Verein“) is basically required to be taken seriously by the local governments. Being in a club kind of sucks, because you need to follow a bunch of legal guidelines, but it also feels good to get things done and skate a park you have helped to get build.

Check out our club:
https://instagram.com/concreteskate?igshid=jkv9gby10uh7
http://concreteskate.blogspot.com/?m=1

[close]

Right on

Side note, have you ever been to Robert Johnson?

Always been on my to do list

Yes, i have been there like twice. It was alright I am not that much into clubbing. People tell me the music is really good there.

[johnes]

Expand Quote

[

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

jesus christ dude

[close]

You choose faith based acts of kindness? I've never chosen that path and I'm a devout athesist, but there is no denying the good that individual believers have shared. Do you proselytize or just perfrom acts of kindness based on your internal beliefs? I do struggle with the use of skateboarding as a recruitment tool for any religion, cult or populist opinion. What are your thoughts?

[close]

I’ve never before felt the urge to tell someone to focus their account...I guess I won’t start now.
I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning or something.
Anyhow, I give old skate stuff to people or leave the stuff at the park. If there’s people I don’t know at the park and we are all vibing having a good sesh, I’ll hand out stickers.

[close]

I feel like you were fuming with hatred and anger for a second, and then you took some deep breaths and exhaled all of that negativity. That's a positive! It's great to hear that you are helping out by giving away old boards and stickers! We need more people like you! take care

Ha it’s actually extremely rare for me to feel the emotion of anger and this was not one of those times. The whole response of mentioning religion because the guy said Jesus Christ just annoyed me. I’ve also been out of my anti depressant for 4 days and have been getting annoyed fairly easily the last couple days and feeling really foggy. Picking up my meds in an hour tho!

[IUTSM]

keep creating through skating. skate n create, you know what I'm sayin?

[lk130]

Ridechannel really gave skateboarding something different

[cky enthusiast]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

[

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

jesus christ dude

[close]

You choose faith based acts of kindness? I've never chosen that path and I'm a devout athesist, but there is no denying the good that individual believers have shared. Do you proselytize or just perfrom acts of kindness based on your internal beliefs? I do struggle with the use of skateboarding as a recruitment tool for any religion, cult or populist opinion. What are your thoughts?

[close]

I’ve never before felt the urge to tell someone to focus their account...I guess I won’t start now.
I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning or something.
Anyhow, I give old skate stuff to people or leave the stuff at the park. If there’s people I don’t know at the park and we are all vibing having a good sesh, I’ll hand out stickers.

[close]

I feel like you were fuming with hatred and anger for a second, and then you took some deep breaths and exhaled all of that negativity. That's a positive! It's great to hear that you are helping out by giving away old boards and stickers! We need more people like you! take care

[close]

Ha it’s actually extremely rare for me to feel the emotion of anger and this was not one of those times. The whole response of mentioning religion because the guy said Jesus Christ just annoyed me. I’ve also been out of my anti depressant for 4 days and have been getting annoyed fairly easily the last couple days and feeling really foggy. Picking up my meds in an hour tho!

i hope u feel better!!

[chrisskates808]

Just leave your old decks at a park for the kids and call it a day

I do quite the same. Except, I leave my used boards at the shop and they either give it or sell to a kid for cheap.

[j....soy.....]

I leave the boards in my car until I see the right person.....it's a bit for me, but it's a bit for connection and thats what builds community, and community is one of the best parts of skating.  Skating is sort of in a place now where you don't really have to fuck with anyone....to me that's just wasteful for myself and bad for skateboarding.  I try to be mindful of that and when I have a chance, connect with people. 

[Petes friend Slimer]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

[

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

jesus christ dude

[close]

You choose faith based acts of kindness? I've never chosen that path and I'm a devout athesist, but there is no denying the good that individual believers have shared. Do you proselytize or just perfrom acts of kindness based on your internal beliefs? I do struggle with the use of skateboarding as a recruitment tool for any religion, cult or populist opinion. What are your thoughts?

[close]

I’ve never before felt the urge to tell someone to focus their account...I guess I won’t start now.
I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning or something.
Anyhow, I give old skate stuff to people or leave the stuff at the park. If there’s people I don’t know at the park and we are all vibing having a good sesh, I’ll hand out stickers.

[close]

I feel like you were fuming with hatred and anger for a second, and then you took some deep breaths and exhaled all of that negativity. That's a positive! It's great to hear that you are helping out by giving away old boards and stickers! We need more people like you! take care

[close]

Ha it’s actually extremely rare for me to feel the emotion of anger and this was not one of those times. The whole response of mentioning religion because the guy said Jesus Christ just annoyed me. I’ve also been out of my anti depressant for 4 days and have been getting annoyed fairly easily the last couple days and feeling really foggy. Picking up my meds in an hour tho!

Nothing but love Johnes. I hope you know that my comment wasn't meant to offend you. Coming off anti-depressants (or running out) is an awful feeling. Most of us have been therre. Stay strong Brother

[Madam, I'm Adam]

Expand Quote

i wrote an ode to skateboarding for solo tuba that i play from the top of the highest hill in the county once a year on go skateboarding day

[close]

This is the laugh I needed during a snow day.  Thank you.

Seconded and gnarred.

i get wheelbite in the rain

This also made me giggle inordinately.

[Logic]

Once a year I'll sacrifice a goat at the local to help ward off the scooter riders.

[FUBAR]

I’ve started up so many curbs...and I leave decks and whatever at the park.

[cucktard]

Lots of passion, energy and love for skateboarding here.

The beautiful rise of social concious skaters, skate companies and causes over the last 5 years has me wondering how members have given back to the cause over the years? Brag a little!

I skate as little as possible so i don’t bum people out with my atrocious trick selection and lack of style

[6000 sux]

i cop clearance gear on zumiez and other non-core online retailers

[Trashcon]

Try my best to go out of my way to shop with online core shops (Shops who have online sites). Instead of going with the big shops. There's no local shop where I live, nearest skate shop (Pacific Drive and Route 44) is about two hours away.

Hook up under privileged locals (also across the border in Mexico) by handing down gear that's in great shape (wheels, trucks, bearings, etc.).

Buy physical copies of videos. I love dvd's. Last couple I got were Slave-Radio Silence and Lurkville- It Came From Lurkville.

Support core brands and DLX. Lurkville Skateboards, Spitfire Wheels.

Not sure if subscribing to Thrasher counts. Been subscribing since before they blew up and everyone wore their gear. 

[DaleSr]

I used to be super aggro and shitty at parks and now that I'm older i just try and be more gracious to others at my local park, police stupid behavior like starting fights and lighting things on fire so we don't have to get the cops involved ever, and encourage younger kids who have the courage to talk to the 30 year old guy yelling at his board like it's the board's fault. I dunno, just put out good energy, call out kids calling things "gay" or using other slurs since I'm older than them and impressionable kids listen to older skaters for some reason. If me being able to do a pivot to fakie and telling you to not call someone a f****t makes you stop then I'm happy with my impact on my local scene

[Oaf]

In the past:  built wood stuff for the old park.  Helped fund raise for the current concrete local.  Volunteered a ton during construction.

These days it’s a broom, leaf blower, picking up trash and painting over swastikas and misogynistic crap at the local.  I get many thanks but barely anyone actually lifts a finger to help.  Hopefully one or two kids learn by example eventually.

I try to talk to the most nervous kids at the park and make them feel like they belong.  Pass on some gear, sometimes.

Thinking about starting to find people to fund raise with and gather support for an expansion at the local or just skate dots.  The park is almost too busy to skate sometimes with scooters, bikes and kids.  Not even enough room for a flat ground session.  Street spots barely exist here, so the park is super important to our local scene.  It would be good for the current crop of kids to actually hustle and earn something through work and cooperation rather than just shit on what they have, too.

Ordered a rub brick and a couple cups for my cordless grinder to prep a few curbs and ledges.

[SneakySecrets]

I get many thanks but barely anyone actually lifts a finger to help.  Hopefully one or two kids learn by example eventually.

You expect a bunch of teenage skaters to voluntarily help you perform manual labor?  Come on now...

[Oaf]

Expand Quote

I get many thanks but barely anyone actually lifts a finger to help.  Hopefully one or two kids learn by example eventually.

[close]

You expect a bunch of teenage skaters to voluntarily help you perform manual labor?  Come on now...

No!  Of course not.  I have a 13 year old at my house and understand that forced labour camps for children are the only way.   I’m talking about kids’ parents and 20 something skaters.  Fuckers generally just sit there and make excuses for their kids.  I saw one kid litter repeatedly so I talked to his mom.  “He must have forgotten or done it accidentally.”  Meanwhile I JUST told her I watched her kid whip trash into the bushes for the third time.

The other thing I had a parent tell me is “Park employees are paid to do that, and they’re lazy.  It’s not something you should take on.”  Like I’m going to skate around piles of trash and rocks in a park I helped build and just wait for some other guy to come clean some of it up in a day or two.

I got old at some point, goddammit.

[RichardBarkley]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I get many thanks but barely anyone actually lifts a finger to help.  Hopefully one or two kids learn by example eventually.

[close]

You expect a bunch of teenage skaters to voluntarily help you perform manual labor?  Come on now...

[close]

No!  Of course not.  I have a 13 year old at my house and understand that forced labour camps for children are the only way.   I’m talking about kids’ parents and 20 something skaters.  Fuckers generally just sit there and make excuses for their kids.  I saw one kid litter repeatedly so I talked to his mom.  “He must have forgotten or done it accidentally.”  Meanwhile I JUST told her I watched her kid whip trash into the bushes for the third time.

The other thing I had a parent tell me is “Park employees are paid to do that, and they’re lazy.  It’s not something you should take on.”  Like I’m going to skate around piles of trash and rocks in a park I helped build and just wait for some other guy to come clean some of it up in a day or two.

I got old at some point, goddammit.

Littering is my pet hate in or out of the park.

Your doing gods work

[somethingmustbreaknow]

don't litter, keep spots and parks clean.
don't behave like society expects skateboarders to behave.
that'll do as a bloody sacrifice to feed almighty skateboarding.

[KoRnholio8]

Good thread. If everyone chipped in to make skateboarding better somehow, then we would be less dependent on shady sponsors to keep the industry going. Basically, what the DIY scene is already doing. Keep it self-sufficient, rebuild when needed.

Anyways, I always carry my backpack to a skate session complete with wax, spare parts and a collapsible broom (I cannot understand people that show up to a session without water even). The latter is worshiped at my local skatepark that gets covered in seeds from nearby trees most of the year.

And on the days that I don't skate, I work on the skate mag archive (so much work to be done).

[Fhk]

Giveaway anything skate related that I have no use for..including new parts I thought I would like but didn't. My first setup and skate shoes were given to me so it's only right to continue to do the same.

[livin on a speyer]

I buy core shoes.

[TheLurper]

Leave old boards at local shop.

Buy shop or local board every place I visit (most of my wall boards are shop boards not pro boards).

Buy local videos as often as possible (I'm getting tired of people telling me to go visit thrasher or youtube).

I could probably do more, but these are easy things I can do on my own.

I also started petitioning the city council to renovate the park in my old town...had fliers and a local business backing me and everything...but I moved away in a hurry and let that slip.

Oh, I also had a meeting with the head of parks and rec in a major city trying to convince them not to add a fee and more security to the park...my meeting developed a relationship and displayed to the city not all skaters are super dumb, but didn't save the park from fees and extra security.

[Youoverthere]

I only ride local boards.
When I buy gear online, it’s still from a skateshop.
Clearcoat ledges where you live so you don’t have to go to a park.
Remind everyone that Nike Sb is made by Uyghur slaves and has no place in skateboarding.

[xandeo]

Moved to a smaller town in my country in Central Europe, which had ridiculous skatepark. The obstacles were fine but were way to big/close to each other in order to skate them properly (funbox was 1.5 meters coming off from the QP, and one had to curve around the park to get space to do any flatground trick in a game of skate).

The opportunity came up to move the park to a new location in the town, I took the responsibility for it and re-arranged the obstacles accordingly, as well as took the opportunity to get some extra cash from the town for new obstacles. All the curbs were pretty big and not for beginners, now there is a manny-pad and a smaller DIY skatecurb which the local kids love.

Also engage with the local kids (I'm in my mid-30's) with games of skate, and have plans for skate BBQ etc once the pandemic is over. I opened an instagram account to keep the fellas hyped on filming and learning new stuff. Even some girls got excited to start skateboarding, so all in all a pretty cool thing to be involved in.

[pizzafliptofakie]

I've been helping at my local DIY for years, and I was also on a committee to have another park built nearby. And lucky me, I live about a mile from both of them!