Skateboarders set to jam in Lunenburg
by
Robert Hirtle
Veteran local skater Vaughn Whynot
has taken the lead in organizing Spring
Into Skate Jam, slated to take place at
the Lunenburg Skateboard Park April 6.
With spring just around the corner,
it's time for skateboarding enthusiasts of all ages to dust off their
boards and start getting the kinks out for the upcoming season.
One thing that is sure to help them brush off the rust is an
event entitled Spring Into Skate Jam, slated for the Lunenburg
Skateboard Park April 6 beginning at noon.
The event is being organized by veteran South Shore skating
aficionado Vaughn Whynot, who says the idea is to stage a no-cost
skating event that will allow adults and youth alike to come together,
show off their boarding prowess "and just have a good time.
"What a skate jam is, compared to a skate competition, is that kids
would [have] to pay to enter a contest," Mr. Whynot explains. "[But] a
skate jam is groups of friends getting together … [to] just skate and
have fun. What people started doing was saying hey, why can't we do
that and give prizes out for the best skater in the group."
With that idea in mind, Mr. Whynot solicited several local
businesses as well as the Lunenburg recreation department, which
graciously donated prizes for the winning skaters.
Those will be awarded in a variety of competitions which will be
staged for three different skill levels - peewee, intermediate and pro.
He is also looking for volunteers who might be willing to video and
photograph the event as well as individuals "who can help out and just
make sure everything is fine and going smoothly.
"We're kind of hoping some bands would donate their time to come
and play a little bit. That would serve as advertising to them and
bring a little bit of music for the kids. If we did have bands, it
would put a lot more of a feel to the event," he says.
Mr. Whynot says that while skate jams have been held in Lunenburg
before, this event will be different as it will be used as a kickoff
for the summer skating season.
A similar event held in Lunenburg in 2007 attracted over 100
skaters, and he is anticipating that number to double as expressions of
interest have come from as far away as Newfoundland for this year's jam.
"And I'm working on trying to get at least one or two pro
skateboarders to come down just for the weekend to sign a couple of
things and that sort of thing," he adds.
For more information on Spring Into Skate Jam, contact Vaughn Whynot at vaughnwhynot@eastlink.ca or call 530-5870.
