Skaters from all around the Glassboro community came together to celebrate Thanksgiving. The event, held by the Rowan Skateboarding Club, was on Nov. 18, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Thanksgiving Skate Jam, an event with free entry, was located at the Rowan D.I.Y. Skate Courts.
The event also included sponsors from two groups called Antics and the Garden Skate Project. Antics is a skate shop located in Haddon Heights, N.J., with its purpose being to promote skateboarding in South Jersey. The Garden Skate Project was another sponsor and they created custom affordable skate ramps, all handmade by their team. The Rowan Skateboarding Club received a custom ramp from the Garden Skate Project, as a way to give back to the skating community. Mike Kuzma, a member of the Garden Skate Project, was able to express why the Rowan skate park received this donation.
“We think it’s awesome that Rowan University supports the skate community by creating a safe place for the people to skateboard,” said Kuzma. “I don’t think people realize how much it means to the skateboarding community that Rowan University supports us, so to show our gratitude, we figured it was the least we could do.”
The skate jam also had a special trick contest for all skaters daring to show off their skills. The contest began at 2 p.m. and consisted of three different parts, with all parts held in three different sections of the skatepark. Judges, which were two local skaters and another a member of the Garden Skate Project, chose the winners based on what they thought was the hardest skill to pull off and how well it was executed.
The live music started at 1 p.m. and lasted from 3 p.m, each hour a different band played. Those bands were Luna, Memorycore, and Intro to Insolence. Attendees got to enjoy some snacks, watch skaters compete, skate themselves, and also watch the bands perform.
Matthew Millroy, the Rowan Skateboarding Club president, announced the winners before the last band played. He has new hopes for this club after it was restarted by him and other skaters at Rowan, one being hosting events like these that invite skaters from all over the community.
“There’s a ton of people who skate here in the community at Rowan, and also locals, and we have no funding, so it’s deteriorating.” said Millroy “We threw this event to show people that the club is back in business and we’re trying to get money for the park. We’re trying to bring everybody together.”
The club was restarted with the help of the new e-board members. Ash Sawyer, the club’s risk manager, also believed that these types of events are going to bring the community together. They also have private meetings that are only for members of the Rowan Skateboarding Club.
The event is just the first that the club will be hosting, open for all local skaters, as it continues to grow in members and receive more support.
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