SkaterAid, a skateboarding, music and art festival, returns for the eighth year to Decatur this September. The festival features skateboarding contests and demonstrations, music by local teen bands and a skateboard deck art auction. All proceeds generated by the event are donated to famalies who are battling pediatric brain cancer. The event will be held Sunday, September 30 from 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at East Decatur Station at 109 New Street, Decatur, GA.
SkaterAid was started in 2005 to celebrate the life of Ian Wochatz, a Decatur teen and avid skateboarder who succumbed to brain cancer on July 4, 2005 at age 15. The event has now grown to become a tradition in the community. Several area businesses have pitched in to support SkaterAid, such as the Brick Store Pub in Decatur square, which provides food and beverages for the event and displays the skateboard art for several weeks prior to SkaterAid. Stratosphere Skate Shop in Little Five Points provides ramps, decks and prizes for the event as well as publicity and oversight of the skating portion of the event.
SkaterAid's mission is to support families who are dealing with the tragedy of pediatric cancer. Since 2007, all proceeds from SkaterAid have been donated to the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children (BTFC.) Established in 1983 in Atlanta, GA, the BTFC was the first nonprofit organization in the United States to focus specifically on the issue of brain tumors in children.
SkaterAid provides a place for young people to celebrate their youth, whether flying through the air on a board, playing music, or hanging out with friends. SkaterAid is now actively recruiting volunteers, auditioning bands and seeking donations of used skateboards. Contact us through our web site at www.skateraid.net or become a fan of SkaterAid on Facebook.
