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Roots advocates for youthOur mission is to foster lasting improvements in society, with an emphasis on helping children. We do this by promoting high quality, public skateparks throughout the state of Hawaii. While we realize that not every area can afford to build big, expensive skateparks, we feel strongly that public skateparks should be designed and constructed by experienced contractors to ensure safety. We also believe that local officials should treat public skateparks the same way they treat public basketball courts or tennis courts, meaning that anyone may show up and use them anytime, unsupervised. Our organization primarily considers skatepark projects that:
Youth on the island of Hawaii are facing a diminishing recreational environment and subsequently fewer opportunities to occupy free time and avoid the growing epidemic of substance abuse.In 2005 the effort to build Roots Skatepark began. A committee was organized in 2007 when land was donated to build the skatepark. Roots Advocates for Youth was established as a 501(c) 3 non-profit specifically to raise funds to construct the skatepark and continue forward with a year round youth recreation program .The Roots Skatepark Committee is comprised of six volunteers from the local community. Members of this committee are also affiliated with Kohala Coalition Against Drugs, The Barn Arts and Education committee, UPLINK after school program at Kohala Halaula Middle School, The Arc of Kona, North Hawaii Drug-Free Coalition, and has received the support of the local Hawaii Police Department.
With your support, the construction and completion of Roots Skatepark will target two primary objectives: first, the addition of a modern and long lasting youth based recreational facility and second, the increase of after school activities resulting in a significant reduction of unsafe and/or unhealthy activities among our youth. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in an April 2007 Survey, the greater the number of activities, the lower the use of cigarettes, alcohol, or illicit drugs among youth. The need for a skatepark is straightforward. It is a very popular, positive activity and there are currently no safe or appropriate legal places to skate. County Councilman Pete Hoffman states, “I am a strong supporter/advocate for safe skatepark facilities in every community, particularly in rural North Kohala. In my opinion, a well-constructed skatepark permits youth and young adults an exceptional location for local outdoor recreation.”
Roots Skate park’s “phase one” will be completed and available to our 1,000 school aged children to skate by June 2010 with your generous support and encouragement of like minded local foundations and organizations. If you are an interested business, foundation or private funder who would like to donate $5,000 to help us achieve our $150,000 matching grant goal for phase one, please see our contact information below. Mission Statement:
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Roots
Skatepark Committee is dedicated to constructing this
facility and has gained substantial support from
volunteers within the community and elsewhere. The total
amount to construct the skatepark is $450,000 dollars.
The land has been donated to build the skatepark at a
value of $280,000 and the construction site is adjacent
to the golf course at Kamehameha Park in Kapa’au. The
committee has received $50,000 dollars worth of in-kind
donations and has raised over $25,000 in cash donations.
A matching grant has been identified to help raise
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