Why I love Help Board Shop: A Mother’s Perspective
What do I like about Help Board Shop? Why do I support it? Easy. The purpose, the staff, the programming, and it doesn’t involve a screen.
The purpose of Help Board Shop is to provide youth a safe, positive environment where they can belong, be introduced to Jesus Christ and be engaged in discipleship. This is particularly important to me because I believe we have been created by God and are designed to know and glorify Him through a relationship with Jesus Christ. I believe our fulfillment comes in using our gifts for God’s glory. That’s what the staff at Help are doing.
The staff at Help Board Shop are young men who genuinely care about my son and not only want to teach him new skating skills but want to mentor him in living out his faith. The staff at Help are young enough to be hip but are old enough to have lived through some life lessons. They are honest, caring, hard working and genuine. Kids have questions about living out faith. They want to know what that looks like. They have questions about how to trust Jesus with the things they are facing. Through spending time skating and talking with the guys at Help, they learn that these guys care and can handle honest conversation.
Help’s purpose has taken the staff to other parts of the world, as well. Their ministry JSAW has helped to build or rebuild parks, minister to youth, and encourage leaders in India, Guatemala, Dubai and Panama within the past year. Traveling to another culture with the purpose of serving its people creates empathy, deepens understanding, compassion and perspective. Serving others is counter to our youth’s self-indulgent “selfie” culture. It is refreshing and encouraging to see them living and sharing their lives with integrity and intentionality.
The variety of programming is great. Open skate, skate camps, field trips, wake boarding…I love that every day there are open skate hours where my son can just pop in and skate. The Wednesday night Bible Study has been a weekly highlight for Benit since the first time he attended. He values the time to learn from older guys, eat man food, grow in his relationship with Jesus, and yes, skate some more. I also appreciate the new membership option which allows me to pay monthly rather than each time he skates.
The fact that Help offers a screen-free activity rain, sleet, snow, ice or scorching heat is a bonus. The coordination and balance involved in skating is something that helps Benit in other sports as well. I love that he can get a great workout while having fun. A physically exhausted boy is a happy boy! As a mom, having young men in my neighborhood who want to come alongside and disciple my son on his journey is invaluable. Priceless. Truly a gift. Help is the jewel of the neighborhood.
-Jadi G. (a local skaters mom)