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Sports

Skate and Rock at Vintage Faith Church Grinds Out Hunger

The youth skated from all four corners of Santa Cruz County to the Skate and Rock event at Vintage Faith church off Highland Drive to benefit Grind Out Hunger.

Pulling into the parking lot on the side of Vintage Faith Church on Saturday, the BBQ is running full steam, kids are skating and the free swag is flowing. A signed skateboard deck from legendary pro skater Steve Caballero, Pro Model VANS Half Cab shoes, Gear from Livin It, Bills Wheels, Live Oak Skateboards, Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop, Bucci Sunglasses and DVS Shoes all to raise food for kids in Santa Cruz County.

Others included: Ohana Board Shop and NOTW.

Jesse West the Youth Director for Vintage Faith is passionate about reaching the youth and what better than a Skate and Rock event. The fourth in a series, the kids are loving it.

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(See Jesse West video interview to the right.)

Grind Out Hunger brought its mobile skate park and from 12 to 8 skaters came and went all while donating food for the cause.  Tons of raffle prizes, food and great skating gave way to the musical piece of Skate and Rock. Rat Trap, The Angry Otters (see video at right), Funk Faction and Jupiter 7 all performed in the gym with a tightly packed crowd cheering them on. 

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At the end of the day mean games of S.K.A.T.E. were going down, pro skater Heath Sherratt  was skating it up with everyone and even giving tips to the younger skaters in the mix. Great youth rockers making sweet music and the over arching message was fun and altruism.

Total food raised for the day was over 500 pounds and with an anonymous matching donor that total jumps to 1000 pounds! Not bad for a day of skating, BBQ’s and Rock and Roll. Till next time!

Skate and Rock is all about connecting in healthy community and having fun! Chad Rideout and Jesse West dreamed up Skate and Rock in 2008 under the influence of caffeine from the Abbey Coffeehouse (which is connected to Vintage Faith Church), and has now become an annual event that we put on for the community.

Chad has since moved back to Seattle with his wife Emily -and now Kevin Desoto has stepped in to help with coordination of this exciting event. Jesse West the Director of Vintage Faith Youth says, “our heart is to host an event that really gives the students a place to have fun with friends in a healthy environment; it is a chill-out type event for the high school and jr high youth in Santa Cruz.”

Grind Out Hunger, a local non-profit will be bringing out tons of skate ramps to this years event. Skate and Rock is absolutely FREE, but we ask everyone to bring a few cans of food to donate to Grind Out Hunger that supports hungry kids in Santa Cruz County. 100% of Grind Out Hunger proceeds are donated to Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County.

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