We just want to ROLLER SKATE!

About this campaign

My name is Shauwney. My family and I are currently working on opening a roller skating rink here in Frederick, Maryland for our community. We need your help.

About a year ago, I began this journey of mine that was put on the back burner for almost 30 years. I’ve been an avid roller skater since the age of 4. I was introduced to roller skating not in a rink, but on my mom’s kitchen floor when I was a toddler. My cousin and I would roller skate in the kitchen for hours on end until my mom finally got sick of us and took me to an actual rink. And that’s where it all began... my love for the sport. I taught my daughter how to skate when she was 4 years old, and we still skate together to this day; this is an activity that will stay with you for a lifetime, provided that you have the avenues to exercise this talent ( check us out on Instagram and YouTube - shameless plug).

Over the years I’ve seen almost every roller skating rink that I have patronized closed down. Wheel-a-While, Rockville, Congressional, Rockville, and Great Skate, Gaithersburg to name a few. I couldn’t understand why something that was so much fun, and something that I considered to be one of the simplest ways to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF, was disappearing. Everywhere around me.

In my late teens, when Great Skate closed, I started a petition, and even wrote a business plan to try and keep it open. I told myself then that I would own my own rink. And I need to own that, because I understand just how important roller skating is.

The older that I became, the more I began to realize that roller skating was and is a predominantly African American past time, and this may have been why, among many other reasons that roller skating rinks almost always never survive in certain areas of the country, for more reasons than I care to mention here (watch the documentary mentioned below, and remember the part about changing the stigma?).

But roller skating is a sport that everyone can and do enjoy. Young, old, black, white, brown, green, indigo. You get my point.

My intent is to change the narrative - the stigma that comes with this sport that has reinvented itself since the 1800’s.

After watching the documentary United Skates, I learned a lot. I suggest that everyone take a moment and watch it. It is a powerful documentary that delves into the history of roller skating, and the African American community. Roller skating is an active sport for everyone. Some people believe that roller skating has become irrelevant since it began to gain momentum in the 70’s with the disco era. This is simply not true. There are avid roller skaters across the country and the world who still love roller skating, they just do not have a venue. As Reggie Brown from the United SKates documentary stated, “Roller skating has continued to survive partly because of the African- American community and our ability to open up the culture to others who want to learn how. “

This is why I’m here. Pushing, fighting, demanding.

Frederick needs roller skating. Frederick needs a home for Roller Derby. Frederick needs a home shuffle skaters. Frederick needs a home for jams skaters. Frederick needs a home for roller skating clubs. It will survive and thrive here because Frederick has a vast roller skating community that patronizes outside of the city because we have nowhere to skate.

Frederick is also welcoming of all people: all denominations, all races. This is a community that is open to change, open to diversity and inclusion. This will also provide a safe and fun environment for children, teens, and adults alike. We NEED this now more than ever. Roller skating is also generational. We need to continue to pass the torch on this much needed activity that so many forget about, simply because it’s not accessible.

Our family is no longer trying, we WILL open a roller skating rink for our community in Frederick, MD, and we are fundraising to help with start-up costs.

Roller skating is one of America's favorite past times, and has been around for centuries, and is always being reinvented. It's been 22 years since Frederick has had a skating rink; with the exception of Libertytown, which has since closed. We need this in our community to promote healthy lifestyles, exercise, and a great extra-curricular activity for both the young and old; this is one sport that the whole family can do TOGETHER. I've got the formula, the recipe, and the expertise to open, run, and operate a successful roller skating rink. And it's going to be right here, in our community for all of us to enjoy. But we need your help to get there...

We need to raise an additional $50,000 (a portion of the 10% down payment) to show good faith with the lenders. This is not an impossible nor unreachable goal. Once community comes together, anything is possible. I believe in my community. I know you will help us get there.

OUR MISSION

This campaign was started in hopes to gain a little support to engage the younger population by introducing them to a lifelong pastime that has been around since the 1800's, and has proven to be one of the most invigorating sports of all time.

Not only is rollerskating fun, it's great exercise! Roller skating is relevant, worthy enough to be considered an Olympic sport, is not a dangerous sport, is easy to learn, is in high demand, is enjoyed by children AND adults alike, and is multi-cultural.

MISSION STATEMENT

To change the narrative and the common stigma that comes with roller skating.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle

It's the sport that has been around since the 1800's that always seems to find a way to re-invent itself. That's because roller skating has excellent health benefits, and is something that potentially the whole family can enjoy together. Family togetherness has become a thing of the past unfortunately; it's time that we get back to/promote what really matters - family. The roller rink will also have many other activities for the whole family to enjoy!!

Encouraging Healthy Activities

Today, children, young adults and adults alike will often need encouragement to stay in shape and live a healthy lifestyle. We’ve become accustomed to being stagnant with the introduction of social media, home consoles for video games, and bigger, brighter, televisions with a plethora of ‘reality’ t.v. options.

Roller skating provides a great way to exercise and, you get to do what most like to do more than anything in the world, but haven’t done in a long time: be with friends, and listen to great music!

Some may not realize that while they are socializing with their friends on skates, the activity itself is better than running the same distance.

This is a sport that stays with you for a lifetime. Most people who began skating at an early age, are still roller skating to this very day. I happen to be one of them!

Demographics

The closest roller skating rink is 30 miles to the north; over 50 miles south of Frederick. Our area is in need of more varieties of entertainment that not only is fun, but is closer to home. Youth groups of all kinds are always planning activities and we intend to provide a choice that will fill the need for a safe, well supervised facility that is fun. Activities will include: Birthday parties, roller skating lessons for beginners, miniature golf, arcade and soft play areas, pool tables, and adult lounge, and much more! Please show your support for something that can help the whole community. This is not just a dream, but a life long passion of mine. I can see it clear as day. I need your support to bring this to fruition. Every single person who donates to this cause will have their names engraved on our wall in the skating rink named "The Wall of Thanks".

My sincerest "THANK YOU" for supporting me and my little dream! http://www.myskatepalace.com

Donations can also be mailed to:
Shauwney's Skate Palace 4001 Buckeystown Pike #154 Buckeystown, MD 21717