Welcome to another week of Comacan Questions, we have another special guest today. This week we are joined by a company focussed on giving back based on experiences very personal to the owner. We consider ourselves fortunate to have sponsored events hosted by our guest and to have helped spread the word when we can. Please enjoy this week’s interview with Skate4TheBrain.
Where does the name Skate4Thebrain come from?
Skate 4 the brain comes from, well, me having an acquired brain injury from being hit by a car as a pedestrian when I was 9. Skateboarding is what I learned to do and fell in love with very quickly, it helped me deal with all the therapy and doctors’ appointments I went through for 15 years.
How long have you been running Skate4TheBrain?
If we are counting covid years then I’ve been doing this for 7 years.
What makes Skate4TheBrain special?
Skate 4 the brain is more than just a skateboarding competition. It’s a message, a message to keep pushing in life and to never stop because we are all pushing up hill, the minute we stop we will go downhill.
At any events there are tons and tons of product tosses, giveaways of all kinds. The last event was at CJ’s and Y108 radio station was a part of the event. Skate 4 The Brain is a powerful message, sharing anything is possible in life and skateboarding is what showed me that.
How does Skate4thebrain give back?
Through every skate 4 the brain event all the money that was raised through the event is donated to the Ontario Brain Injury Association. This is to help fellow brain injury survivors and their families. I have raised 10,000.00 in cash donations and over $20,000.00 in product donations.
What is your dream with the company?
My dream for Skate 4 The Brain is to keep doing what I am doing but to reach outside of Ontario and to grow bigger and bigger raising more brain injury awareness and to motivate as many people as I can, proving to everyone anything is possible as long as we keep pushing.
What else are you involved in?
I am a sports photographer/cinematographer and content creator as well as a dad:)
How did you adapt running Skate4thebrain during the pandemic?
I had to go to an online competition but that was very hard with restrictions and cost of shipping prizes worldwide.
What does skateboarding mean to you?
Skateboarding means everything to me. Skateboarding is just like life, it’s a lesson. We must keep pushing forward we must keep trying to achieve our goals, every fall is a chance to learn how to land our tricks clean and to learn how to fall. The more mistakes we make the harder tricks we learn the more we learn from them. The bigger gaps we try we learn how to brace our falls or get hurt and learn how to deal with pain so next fall isn’t as bad. I use these fundamentals of skateboarding throughout my daily life.
Anyone you’d like to thank?
I’d like to thank everyone who has come to one of our events or have liked a post or have even just noticed us. You’re learning about life through skateboarding.