Alberta skateboarders rolling into Mexico on goodwill mission
A group of Southern Alberta skateboarders will travel to Ensenada, Mexico, next week to build houses for needy families and also deliver about 120 grad dresses to a rescue home for girls.
The Medicine Hat Skateboarder Association (MHSA), along with a group of Calgary skateboarders, will build two homes when they arrive in Mexico, as well as undertaking electrical work, roofing and other renovations at the rescue home El Refugio.
The association has both children and adult members who have worked extremely hard in gathering donations for these endeavours, via fundraisers and bottle drives, said Davie James, a skateboard leader at MHSA.
“The Medicine Hat community has been more than accommodating to us,” said James “They have donated dresses and gifts for the girls at the rescue home.”
The last fundraiser the group did was a silent auction where about $14,000 was raised.
The skateboarders decided to help the rescue home after their bus driver told them about the Canadian couple who had opened El Refugio — a missions-based shelter for teens and pre-teens who leave situations of abuse, neglect or prostitution.
“We provide the girls with education, food, life skills and counselling,” said Sandy Huebert, who opened the facility 10 years ago with husband Randy.
“We’re very excited that the skateboarders are coming to help,” she added.
The girls at El Refugio are in need of special dresses so they can celebrate their Quinceanera, a traditional Latin American celebration held when a girl turns 15.
The skateboarders created a Facebook post that said, “Anyone with a used — but in good condition — grad gown, we will gladly transport it to Ensenada.”
The post has reached more 36,000 people, leading to the collection of 70 dresses; and, more have been promised from the community.
Local companies such as the law firm Stringam LLP have donated funds to help with the celebration, while online company Weddingstar has donated dresses and gifts for the girls’ Quinceanera celebration.
“This is a great way to work with Medicine Hat Skateboard Association to help young girls in need,” said Luke Day, a partner at Stringam LLP. “We want to make these girls feel special by being able to host this Quinceanera celebration.”
James says that it will be difficult to travel with more than 120 dresses, so any extra donated garments will be given to a local charity that provides dresses to graduates in need.
Ensenada, Mexico, has a local skate park and if the association has time, they will also work on a concrete pour at the site. MHSA has travelled to Mexico three previous times to build homes, as well as undertaking other good will missions to Nigeria and Los Angeles.
Many of the association’s members are 10 to 12 years old and for some of them, this will be their first international trip.
“For me, the bigger focus is how it’s going to affect the young kids (and) how they see poverty in everyday life,” said James.