Union of Youth

Here is a LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS that is constantly being expanded:

Late June 2006 – First interest meeting held at the Key; Different youth groups agreed to work together on this issue because many youth interested in it — local skaters, Northfield Union of Youth, Mayor’s Youth Council, & YouthPlus

Summer 2006 – Skateboard Coalition formed; group started meeting every Wednesday at the Key

July 2006 – Skateboard Coalition members brainstormed what they would like to see in a park; local skater Charlie Hussman took these ideas and turned them into a concept design

August 2006 – Skateboard Coalition provided opinions on design; Charlie revised it to include their additional thoughts; whole Coalition approved updated design

October 2006 – Skateboard Coalition members spoke at open mic at the Park and Recreation Advisory Board about the need for a skate plaza

November 2006 – Skateboard Coalition developed a 45-page proposal, which included a list of what they hope the new park can have, as well as letters of support from many community groups; Skateboard Coalition members also visited additional skate parks in other communities

December 2006 – Skateboard Coalition presented their proposal to Park & Rec Advisory Board

January/February 2007 –
* Skateboard Coalition presented to Rotaract service club
* Skateboard Coalition members volunteered as ushers at the community event for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., sponsored by the Human Rights Commission
* Skateboard Coalition held two fundraising concerts at the Key (including Twin Cities hip hop artists Kanser and Carnage), each attended by more than 125 youth -
* Skateboard Coalition members designed donation jars and distributed them to 15 businesses throughout the community, in hopes people will donate spare change for the skate plaza
* Skateboard Coalition members sold candy during lunch at Northfield High School
* Skateboard Coalition members volunteered at Friday Family Fun Night event at Bridgewater Elementary School
* Skateboard Coalition members went to Women In Northfield Giving Support (WINGS) grant workshop
* Skateboard Coalition members collected signatures from local youth interested in park
* Skateboard Coalition members went to a meeting with the City about working with Ice Now and other groups

March/April 2007
* Skateboard Coalition members wrote and submitted a grant application to WINGS
* Skateboard Coalition held demo and volunteered at YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day
* Skateboard Coalition member Ruth Ammerman wrote Guest Column for the Northfield News
* Skateboard Coalition member Joe McGowan was a guest on Locally Grown podcast
* Skateboard Coalition attended monthly meetings of Park and Recreation Advisory Board
* Skateboard Coalition presented to American Legion, who offered to host two fundraising breakfasts for a new skate plaza
* Skateboard Coalition members attended the City’s Comprehensive Plan community meeting at the Northfield Armory
* Skateboard Coalition met with representatives of TruRide skate company and Peterson Manufacturing
* Skateboard Coalition member Taylor McCloskey sent donation requests to local community members

May/June 2007
* Skateboard Coalition presented for the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation (NDDC)
* Skateboard Coalition sold tickets for the May 20 Omelet Breakfast fundraiser
* Skateboard Coalition presented at St. John’s Church in Northfield
* Skateboard Coalition raised around $1500 at the American Legion omelet breakfast fundraiser
* Skateboard Coalition participated in The Northfield Union of Youth’s Sundaes on Mondays fundraiser at Northfield Chiropractic
* Skateboard Coalition presented to Northfield City Council
* Skateboard Coalition teamed up with Grezzo Gallery for a skateboard art show and demo on Bridge Square
* Skateboard Coalition received $200 check from Northfield Rotoract
* Skateboard Coalition met with Mayor Lee Lansing and City Administrator Al Roder to work on timeline
* Skateboard Coalition met with representative from Solo Ramps
* Skateboard Coalition met with architect of Zero Gravity Skatepark in Mound Minnesota and tested skateparks of Mound and a Solo-built park at Armitage Park in Minneapolis

July/August 2007
* Skateboard Coalition gives 5 hour demo and sells t-shirts for Crazy Daze
* Skateboard Coalition participates in National Night Out by giving multiple demonstrations
* Skateboard Coalition attends Park Board master plan

September/October 2007
* Skateboard Coalition participates in Defeat of Jesse James Days Parade with The Key
* Skateboard Coalition named a winner of the “2007 Red Wagon Award” for youth civic engagement and youth leadership
* Skateboard Coalition updates City Council on summer progress
* Skateboard Coalition attends phase 2 on the Park Master Plan
* Skateboard Coalition has omelet breakfast fundraiser at American Legion

November/December 2007
* Skateboard Coalition meets with architect and goes over skatepark design
* Skateboard Coalition featured in a national video profiling outstanding youth development efforts in Northfield.
* Skateboard receives matching grant from the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI). For every dollar that is raised between October 1, 2007, and April 1, 2008, HCI will match it, up to $10,000.
* Skateboard Coalition presented with Red Wagon Ward, one of three organizations in the state to receive award

January/February 2008
* Skateboard Coalition revisits potential locations for the park.
* Skateboard Coalition continues to attend Park Master Plan discussions and City of Northfield Park and Recreation Advisory Board meetings.
*Skateboard Coalition attends Park Board’s open house/public meeting on skate plaza and potential locations
*Skateboard Coalition raises $650 at a pancake breakfast at Applebees
*Skateboard Coalition attends Park Board meeting in which Park Board recommends Ames Park as skatepark location (contingent on MnDot approval)
* Skateboard Coalition send out requests individual donations from local groups and community members
* Skateboard Coalition receives pledge from Northfield Union of Youth to raise funds to meet challenge grant

March/April 2008
* Skatepark Coalition members sell candy at high school
* Skatepark Coalition and the Northfield Union of Youth hold acoustic concert, raising over $300
* Skatepark Coalition raises over $900 at omelet breakfast at American Legion
* Skatepark Coalition receives $500 check from American Legion
* Northfield City Council votes 4-3 in favor of Ames Park as skatepark location
* Skatepark Coalition successfully raises $10,000 for Northfield Healthy Community Initiative challenge matching grant

May/June 2008
* Skateboard Coalition raises $1000 in the First Annual 5th Bridge Community Garage Sale
* Skateboard Coalition awarded recipient of Waste Management Green Team award for May-July 2008

July/August 2008
* Skateboard Coalition skates and researches skateparks in Stillwater and Oakdale
* Skateboard Coalition updates City Council on recent activities and progress of the Coalition
* Skateboard Coalition cleans up riverwalk and designs reusable canvas bags for Waste Management Green Team Award
* Skateboard Coalition performs 3 hour demo for Northfield’s downtown Crazy Daze celebration
* Skateboard Coalition receives check from Waste Management for Green Team Award

September/October 2008
* Skateboard Coalition participates in Defeat of Jesse James Days Parade
* Skateboard Coalition receives Northfield News article about skateboard art display with downtown businesses
* Skateboard Coalition skates and researches park in Rochester
* Skateboard Coalition agrees to help out with the Northfield Seatbelt Challenge