Derek Kaye
Castlegar News
Spring is here and the Castlegar Rotary Skate Park is full of action as skateboards and bikes roll over the smooth concrete.
Kids dreaming all winter of finally getting to practice and share their tricks with buddies are finally getting to do so. Two of these kids are also dreaming of something else.
Tyler Amaral and Chase Butula are Grade 12 SHSS students with plans for college. Tyler wants to be a millwright and Chase is seeking an electrical trade. We all know how expensive post-secondary education is, and so the Sk8Shoes4Kids society has decided to help these young lads pursue their dreams. The society, formed in the memory of Castlegar pro skateboarder Josh Evin by his brother Justin and mother Elaine, has been providing skate shoes for children and youth in need while nurturing their growth and development through community events. These two donations are the society’s first direct donations of cash to specific individuals.
Justin and Elaine told the Castlegar News, “We have given out 200 pairs of shoes in the last three years; this was Josh’s dream for the kids to have good skate shoes on their feet.” They are donating to Tyler and Chase because of all their positive impact in the skateboarding community and their good work at school.
“They fit the bill,” Elaine said. This first bursary to Tyler and Chase is something the society wishes to continue as it gives back to the community in Josh’s name.