Skateboarding, music and food was the highlight this past Saturday at the La Sierra Community Center. A music fundraiser was being held at the La Sierra Skate Park, looking to raise money to help keep the park open.

With the ongoing financial struggles throughout the city, including the skate park, it's essential that fundraisers be held.

Elizabeth Crisante, Recreation Supervisor for the La Sierra Community Center, is adamant on doing what needs to be done to keep the skate park open.

"The skate park was actually slated to close July 2011 due to budget cuts," explained Crisante. "But with donations from local businesses and the implementation of some revenue producing ideas, we were able to keep the park open on a modified schedule during the school year."

A music fundraiser is just one of the events that the skate park holds to help bring not only donations to the park, but also awareness that the park is not self-sufficient and that the help of the community is always needed.

The bands that participated in the fundraiser on Saturday were local Sacramento artists including: Adrian Bourgeois, Isaac Bear and Genrenaut. The music was a mixture of pop and rock and was a great addition to the fundraiser.

Adrian Bourgeois, local pop artist, enjoys playing for fundraisers like these to help spread the awareness of a good cause.

"That's kind of the main reason I do music," explained Bourgeois. "I think it's a great way of illuminating certain causes and I think concerts to benefit various events can be a really powerful tool."

From keeping kids off the streets to staying active, the La Sierra Skate Park enables young skaters the ability to do what they love the most in a safe environment.

Bobby Kerr, the Recreation Coordinator for the skate park, has passion for doing what needs to be done to make sure the park stays open.

A skateboarder and musician, Kerr is motivated in making sure that the youth in the area will have a safe and fun place to skateboard.

"This is what I want to do," explained Kerr. "I've been here long enough to know what needs to be done in order to keep the park open and I feel like it's my duty to stay here."

By looking at the talent that these young kids have, it's motivation for anyone to give what they can to make sure this park stays open.

Mike, a 17-year-old skateboarder started off at the age of 9 at the La Sierra Skate Park.

"I used to play baseball and would look at the skate park and see how much fun everyone else was having," explains Mike. "That's when I quit baseball around 9 and have been skating ever since."

From marveling the skate park from afar, or seeing other friends skateboard, everyone here had their own way of getting into the sport.
JD and Andrew, both 15-years-old, have been skating for three years.

"We got started skating because of our friends. We saw tricks and wanted to try it," said Andrew and JD.

Over the years, the La Sierra skate park has created an abundance of good memories for those that have used it and it's important to keep a place where people can remember when they started skating as well as a place to skate safely at.

"This place helped me grow with basic skills," explained Mike. "It's definitely a memory place, we always reminisce. I'd be sad to see it go."

11-year-old Trevor, one of the younger skateboarders at the park shows that starting young and having a place to start is important.
"I've been skating since I was 6-years-old and got into skateboarding because of my dad," said Trevor.

Not only does the La Sierra Skate Park give these kids a safe place to skate but has started future dreams for the youth.

"I like to film here, I film a lot of the guys skating," explains Mike who has decided he wants to go to film school. And young Trevor has dreams too. "My favorite skater is, Curren Caples. I'd like to be a pro skateboarder when I get older," explained 11-year-old Trevor.

From memories and friends, La Sierra Skate Park is a place that generations will remember as the first place they started skating, or where they decided they wanted to become a professional.

That's why it's important to let the community know of this great place, and what needs to be done to make sure it's always open.

From giving donations to supporting annual fundraisers being held for the park, it's essential for the community to stay in tune with how the park is doing financially and seeing if there is anything they can do to pitch in.

"I hope our participants enjoy the music and have a great time," explained Crisante. "While also bringing in additional revenue, every little bit helps."

Making events like this music fundraiser and other occasions known, the community can experience the great influence it has on the youth and their future.

"I always tell the older kids here that there is a new generation and we need to make sure that this is here for them too," says Kerr.