Enjoy This Weekend’s

Skate Competition, Fundraiser

By Kendra Bobowick

Was it proud, matter-of-fact, and hopeful?

Tom Capozziello’s recent e-mail to The Bee had the edge of all three as he attached a photo of himself shooting upward off a short ramp, arms out for balance and knees bent to hold the board. With a quick note he indicated, “That’s me going off the ramp in the picture.” As his mother Lori Capozziello, among others, organizes this weekend’s Donate to Skate fundraiser at Dickinson Park, promising live bands including Johnny Steel Toe and the PPK’s, she is both nervous and excited, as she looks forward to the weekend.

Are skaters interested in signing up for competitions on July 26? According to the young man’s e-mail this week, yes. He added one last sentence to his note: “Most of my friends are talking about how excited they are to come to the fundraiser.” As Ms Capozziello has been hoping for more than a year, the community will attend the weekend’s activities, which will include children’s entertainment, vendors, skate demonstrations, competitions, and more. With a voluntary donation to enter, residents can contribute to efforts to fund a skate park for youth who otherwise resort to parking lots, backyards, or traveling out of town to practice their sport.

Feeling stressed this Monday as she faced a remaining week to generate interest, she wrote an e-mail of her own at last revealing the prizes and some activities for guests and skate competitors this weekend. Newtown Youth & Family Services is ready for the young children with “tattoos,” materials to paint murals, face painting, and $2 treasure boxes that the children can decorate and keep.

Vertigo Skate Park of Brookfield, an indoor skate park, will contribute prizes. First prize in the advanced category is a full deck, a complete skateboard; second prize is a half deck, a board without wheels; third prize is a Bern helmet and three-day pass to Vertigo. These prizes also apply to the intermediate and beginner divisions. The Bern helmets are coming from Bern Unlimited. Contestants will also be recognized for sportsmanship and best effort. Rampage LLC, a skate park design and construction company out of Bridgeport, will provide ramps and rails. So far the skateboard park fund is up to roughly $11,000. The park will cost an estimated $65,000. The event runs from 11 am to 6 pm. Visit DonateToSkate.com for details.

Volunteers with equipment or supplies should drop off materials in the entrance closest to the pavilion. Spectators will park elsewhere.