Skateboarders to start canvassing

Area residents may be hearing a knock at their door starting this week as local skateboarders begin canvassing to raise money for the proposed skate park project.
Kiwanian Steve Maki, who is spearheading the venture, said Monday that he’s hopeful the event they’re collecting pledges for—a “skateboard-a-thon” slated Dec. 14 at the ’52 Canadians Arena—could bring in a lot of money for the project.
“We expect a large contingent. We had 60 kids sign up just at Robert Moore,” he remarked. “With those kind of numbers, we could have 200-300 kids out there.”
Maki said people should know that if a youth comes to their door while canvassing, the fundraiser is legitimate and an explanation can be found on the official pledge form.
Anyone making a donation over $10 will get a receipt.
“Parents know that their kid playing any sport costs money. It can cost $1,000 a year to play hockey,” Maki noted.
“If parents of skateboarders donate just $500, it’s a worthwhile investment,” he said, adding the donation could be in the form of post-dated cheques to spread the payments out.
Skateboarders from all local schools, including Fort High, and Alberton, Donald Young, and Crossroads, have been notified of the fundraiser, which will see them will do laps around the upper part of the ’52 Canadians Arena from 2-4 p.m. that Saturday (Dec. 14).
Registration will be at 1 p.m.
As an incentive for kids to drum up pledges, Gord McQuarrie of Skates and Blades here has had 11 skateboards donated as prizes for the top pledge-getters at each area school.
The Kiwanis Club’s fundraising for the skate park so far has reached about the $50,300 mark—$4,800 of which was donated by the now-defunct Rotary Club and the balance by the Kiwanis and Town of Fort Frances (which included $500 donated by Ted Brockie of Brockie’s Jewellers).
The aim of the project is to see a 13,000 sq. ft. concrete park built on the former arena ball diamond next spring.