CAMDENTON, Mo. — Twenty-three members of the Sk8 Renew Team attended the Camdenton Board of Aldermen meeting Dec. 19 to talk about their group and ask for assistance with installing lights at the Camdenton Skatepark.
Several teens addressed the board during the citizens' comment portion of the Tuesday meeting.
“As skaters, we strive to show people we are more than just hoodlums that gather at the park,” said Sk8 Renew Team Member Nathan White. “Skating is a team sport. We want to, with your help, improve our community by making our skatepark more efficient and enjoyable for kids, not just kids in Camdenton, but across mid-Missouri.”
The group plans to invite other teams to competitions and trainings at the Camdenton Skatepark. White said he thinks the impact of the skatepark could be large.
A Sk8 Renew team member catches air on a trip to the Springfield skatepark.
“I am here to ask the big question,” Sk8 Renew Team Member Isaac Fewell said. “Will you provide lights for the Camdenton Skatepark?”
Sk8 Renew Business Manager Sebrena Bowlin explained in a separate interview that, “The lights are needed for safety and security. Some of our team members work and the only time they have to skate is late afternoon and evening.”
Along with lights, the team also wants to install curbs for grinding - a trick which involves scraping along an object using the skateboard's trucks, a metal attachment connecting the axels and wheels to the deck.
So far, the team has raised approximately $2,000 for improvements. The funds were raised at a cruise event in October at the park, through t-shirt sales, food truck revenue, and donations from business sponsors.
Sk8 Renew Team Member 4-year-old Elijah Bowlin skates at the team’s car cruise fundraiser event Oct. 14, 2023 at the Camdenton skatepark.
Sk8 Renew plans to do community service by shoveling driveways for donations this winter. They will also hold a competition and training camp for kids in March 2024 with awards and prizes. National Skate Day will be celebrated as well on June 21, 2024, in the park to bring the community together. The team asked the city to assist with the promotion, planning, and execution of the events.
Ross Morgan, a Sk8 Renew member highlighted the benefit of exercise and how this activity creates strong bonds.
“Skateboarding is important because it gives kids exercise and gets us out of the house,” Morgan told the board. “It also teaches kids important life skills like self-discipline and perseverance, and it gives kids who are not a part of something at school a sense of community.”
Local Business Owner Jason Dampier addressed the board saying, “My son Mason used to play football. He was good. Then he decided to go into skating. I thought it was a fad. I wanted him to stay in shape and be athletic. After watching him skate I thought, 'Wow, these kids work hard!' As a coach and athlete myself, I don’t know if I have ever worked as hard as they do, singularly, at one thing. Anyone who has ever played basketball…try doing a lay up for three hours, 1,000 times, and miss every single time! They work their butts off to get one trick. They are relentless.”
Dampier continued, “I have been to the skatepark in Lebanon, and I see a lot of Lakers here, and I gotta tell you, the Yellow Jackets (Lebanon High School) have a better skatepark.”
He advised the board to make improvements in the already invested area. “The cheapest investments are ones that already exist. The kids have worked hard on the skatepark. They want to make it nice. It is a good investment.”
Mayor John McNabb addressed the group following their comments, saying he has discussed with multiple city officials about improving the skatepark.
“I was not aware of the idea of lights, but I certainly think it is something we can look into, with some kind of timing system,” McNabb suggested. “We have also talked about recommending to the board that the City match the amount of funds Sk8 Renew raises towards the purchase of new equipment. Most of the administration are in agreement. I am looking around and I am not only seeing big kids, but some little kids that are going to benefit from this in the long run. We look forward to making next year’s October Cruise event even bigger.”
Sk8 Renew has a Facebook Group, a GoFundMe page, and a Venmo account. Tax deductible donations can also be made at the Oak Star Bank. For additional information call Sebrena Bowlin at 573-410-6364.
Mayor McNabb ended by saying, “I appreciate you all taking the responsibility to try and make things better. Let’s move forward and see what we can do. We appreciate you being here.”
