As summer approaches, the sounds of skateboard wheels can already be heard zooming up and down the sidewalks. While we are waiting to hear word about a possible downtown skate plaza, Virginia Mazgajewski, owner of Xtreme Wheels Indoor Skate Park, is waiting for a Western New York Skateboarding Foundation non-profit application to go through.
By applying for a 501C3 Virginia hopes that Xtreme Wheels can become a skate center for underprivileged youth during the summer months when kids are most likely to get into trouble. "Nobody else is offering an opportunity like this," she told me. "As I get more and more involved, I understand that the parents of the underprivileged kids are making major sacrifices to give their kids the opportunity to skate with the others. I spoke in front of a couple hundred kids at Lancaster William Street School yesterday and it was so incredible to hear their enthusiasm. JP from Sunday Skate spoke as well and all the kids wished him a happy third anniversary for his skate shop. This is our fifth year that we've been in business so it's time to give needy kids the equipment that they need and the dedicated personnel that's required to run the program... it's called Prime Time. I've had a lot of people who have contributed to the effort to defray the cost of establishing the non-profit, as the cost can run from $5,000 and $8,000. It's a time consuming and expensive endeavor, but we feel that it's important to provide skateboarding experiences for kids who can't afford it."
Xtreme Wheels' mission statement is: Unifying individuals, improving fitness, developing self confidence, educating with skateboard instruction, providing equipment and scholarship opportunities to qualified individuals in a non discriminatory environment. If you feel that this effort is something that you can identify with, then check out the XW Foundation at www.xtreme-wheels.com for more information.
Photo: Virginia and friends... Virginia, Murda, Sam and the B Unique/Dip Skate Crew
Xtreme Wheels Indoor Skate Park 356 Hertel Avenue Buffalo, New York 14207 | 716-871-9361