Eau Claire Skaters Association tackles handrails and mental health at 'Skate and Create'
EAU CLAIRE — On Sunday, the weather was warm, the skies were clear and skaters were filling up Boyd Park. Although some came on their own, others were invited to check out the Eau Claire Skaters Association’s “Skate and Create” event for all ages.
The event offered an opportunity to introduce people to skateboarding and connect people, but it also centered around encouraging positive mental health.
“We wanted to have a kickoff event for the year since it’s spring. We’re going to be starting our lessons program here soon… and May is Mental Health Awareness Month,” said Gabe Brummett, the organization’s founder. “We can talk about mental health and skateboarding, but that has a limited appeal. So, we are just trying to show people that there are other activities that coincide with skateboarding that can have positive effects on your mental health.”
One way of influencing positive mental health is through building that community of support with skaters from all different backgrounds.
“We’re all here because we love doing the same thing,” said Brummett. “We each do it with our own individual style, but we’re supportive of each other. That is a great metaphor for how to have a healthier society.”
Kicking off the season with the Skate and Create event is one way to continue building that community, as creating a common interest means that they can build something positive for everyone to be a part of.
Furthermore, it also works to break down the stigma that is often associated with skateboarding, as the sport builds community and encourages kids to get outside.
At Sunday’s event, participants got to paint skateboards, help create a community mural, meet therapy animals and take part in free skateboarding lessons at the stake park within Boyd Park.
On top of hosting the event and activities, Brummett said they also had free boards available for participants who did not have their own.
One of the original goals of the Eau Claire Skaters Association was to advocate for skate parks in the city. With the success of Eau Claire receiving a few skate parks, Brummett said their hope is to continue getting more parks in the future while also taking care of the ones they have and promoting everything good about skating.
This event serves as a way to fulfill all of those objectives, including an opportunity to talk about what is great about skateboarding.
“There’s so many good aspects to skateboarding, and it goes back to the mental health thing of skaters being a diverse field of people. Yeah, we’re artists, we’re musicians, we’re writers, we’re professors,” said Brummett. “We encompass a wide area, but we all come together for this one thing. It’s great to have a shared common interest that can help build something positive for everyone.”
As spring begins this year, the Eau Claire Skaters Association is looking at starting up lessons later in May.
With interest staying popular throughout the years, Brummett hopes that continual interest in the sport can lead to a big community in Eau Claire where skaters have both support and opportunities surrounding them.
