THOMASVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) — When you put a skateboard under a young person’s feet, some exciting things get off the ground.
“Discouragement disappears. Creativity grows. They can discover who they are,” Steve Monroe said.
Monroe saw those things happen in his son, Travis.
When Monroe, who is also a pastor in Thomasville, was looking for ways to impact the community, he thought of skateboarding.
His son works for the Tampa, Florida-based non-profit Boards for Bros.
It repurposes skateboards and gives them to kids who can’t afford them.
“When you give someone a skateboard, especially someone who hasn't had one, maybe somebody who just saw it on the Olympics, maybe somebody who's wanted one for a long time, the feeling you get warms your heart,” North Carolina Boards for Bros Ambassador Ed Womble said.
Boards for Bros donated 56 skateboards to the Thomasville Parks and Recreation Department.
“So far, we've given away probably 10 to 15 to the community of people who have reached out, and we're just hoping to keep giving away more,” Parks and Recreation Program Director Molly Hussey said.
This outreach is about more than a sport. It’s a way to reach youth right where they are.
“I've lost count of the thousands of times that Travis has fallen, but he's always gotten up; gotten up in life and gotten up off the skateboard,” Monroe said.
“If we can take those lessons and pass it on to the kids in Thomasville, wow, what a difference we can make in those kids,” Monroe said.
If you want a skateboard, you can stop by the Thomasville Parks and Recreation Department’s main office on 1 East Main Street anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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