Boards for Bros is a group of skateboarders working together to collect and refurbish
skateboards so they can be redistributed back into the community for children who
cannot afford their own.
By helping the skateboard community give skateboards to those without the opportunity
to ride one otherwise, Boards for Bros works to show that skateboarding can help
children learn discipline, respect, and perseverance that will assist them throughout
their entire lives, while having fun and exercising.
Boards for Bros is the natural extension of an idea that formed one day in 2006
at the historic Bro Bowl in Tampa, Florida. Some skateboarders, their families,
and their friends were skating and the usual crowd of local kids stood by, watching
excitedly. Since the park had been built in 1979, the locals never seemed to have
their own skateboards, but were always stoked to borrow one of the visiting skaters'
boards.
This original group of skaters was Paul Schmitt, Ed Womble, and Ryan Clements. Realizing
they could be the ones to make a change in these kids’ lives, this group of skaters,
and by extension, the entire family at Skatepark of Tampa, organized the collection
of used skateboards, refurbished them, and gave them out to kids in some of the
sketchier areas of Tampa around the holidays. Boards for Bros was born.
Since that first year, Boards for Bros has been collecting and refurbishing hardgoods
for the kids in Tampa, and many folks in the skateboarding industry have noticed,
taking up their own collections and even donating complete boards.
In 2010, Emerica’s Wild in the Streets in Tampa
was held to benefit Boards for Bros,
raising money, awareness, and a bunch of gear to give to kids. That event
led to the formation of a long-term partnership between Emerica and Boards for Bros.
Wild in the Streets is about empowering kids, and by aligning with worthy causes
Emerica encourages kids to be part of something bigger than themselves, and even
bigger than skateboarding. All Emerica events will benefit Boards for Bros, and
the 2011 Wild in the Streets event in Los Angeles will be the launch of the first
Boards for Bros donation outside of Florida.
Boards for Bros Mission Statement: To inspire kids to use skateboarding as a gateway
to a healthy life by giving them refurbished skateboards through a joint industry
effort.
Participating Shops
The shops below are giving 10% off Emerica gear on the day you donate hardgood to Boards for Bros.
Active Ride Shop - all locations
Ambush, Kennsaw, GA
BC Surf & Sport, Littleton, CO
Billy's, Newhall, CA
Blue Tile Skateshop, Columbia, SC
Church of Skatan, Santa Barbara, CA
Clockwork Skateboards, Macon, GA
Epidemic Ride Shop, Cathedral City, CA
Escapist, Kansas City, MO
Fifty-50, Azusa, CA
Furnace, Cypress, CA
Goodtime Boardstore, Grass Valley, CA
Homebase Skateshop, Bethlehem, PA
Huntington Surf & Sport, Huntington Beach, CA
Identity, Anaheim, CA
IDS Boardshop, Los Angeles, CA
Index Skateboarding, Dallas, TX
K-5 Surf & Sport, Encinitas, CA
Kinetic, Wilmington, DE
Krudco, Rochester, NY
One Way Boardshop, Santa Maria, CA
Pacific Drive, San Diego, CA
Pharmacy Boardshop, Las Vegas, NV
Pharmacy Boardshop, Palmdale, CA
Pit Crew, Frederick, MD
Plus Skateshop, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Pride Surf and Skate, San Diego, CA
Rukus Boardsports, Baton Rouge, LA
Society Ride Shop, San Carlos, CA
Solstice, New Bedford, MA
Subsect, Des Moines, IA
Surfride, Costa Mesa, CA
Uprise, Chicago, IL
Vertical Urge, Raleigh, NC
Westside Skateshop, Tarpon Springs, FL
Boards For Bros Part One: Spread the Word
Monday, December 11, 2006
By Rob Meronek
This past weekend, we collected used skate stuff for when we return on December 23 to the Bro Bowl to give out boards to all the local kids in the area. Over the next two weeks, we're taking all the donated stuff, fixing and adding to it as necessary to make as many complete skateboards as possible. Below are a few photos from a fun session that went down while we were hanging out at the Bowl.
Little Timmy, when we come back in two weeks, Santa's bringing you a skateboard and a new shook nightie
We set up shop right next to the Bowl. Thanks to everyone that brought their used boards to donate
There was some other event going on there, too, including crazy four wheel drivers kicking up dust clouds that make the bowl nice and slick
Kyle Stone - no comply to tail
I'm not much of a carver, so I usually skate the Bowl like it's a bank. Old guys are gonna hate on me. Rob Meronek - 360 flip fakie
Skater Profile:
Rob Meronek
Little Timmy, when we come back in two weeks, Santa's bringing you a skateboard and a new shook nightie
We set up shop right next to the Bowl. Thanks to everyone that brought their used boards to donate
There was some other event going on there, too, including crazy four wheel drivers kicking up dust clouds that make the bowl nice and slick
Kyle Stone - no comply to tail
I'm not much of a carver, so I usually skate the Bowl like it's a bank. Old guys are gonna hate on me. Rob Meronek - 360 flip fakie