Last month Tony Hawk and the Birdhouse team dropped by San Francisco’s SOMA West Skate Plaza to show a few of his donors exactly what the Tony Hawk Foundation does. Tony broadcast the demo live to his Facebook followers and 2.5 million people reportedly watch. Damn.
The plaza, a 2011 recipient of a Tony Hawk Foundation skatepark grant, was full of Saturday-morning users when Tony and the crew showed up, and right behind them was a contingent of THF staff and foundation supporters. Tony arranged to spend the day with them as a thank you for supporting THF’s work, including its contributions to parks like SOMA West.
To watch the demo (a little after the fact) and for all the official details, please follow the jump.
TONY HAWK SKATES SURPRISE DEMO IN SAN FRANCISCO
Supporters of his foundation receive a special thank you as new projects apply for funding.
11 May 2016 (San Francisco, CA) — An impromptu session at San Francisco’s SOMA West Skate Plaza last month was broadcast live to over 2.5-million viewers as Tony Hawk and the Birdhouse Skateboards team rolled into the space and onto the screens of facebook Live viewers around the world. The plaza, a 2011 recipient of a Tony Hawk Foundation skatepark grant, was full of Saturday-morning users when Tony and the crew showed up, and right behind them was a contingent of THF staff and foundation supporters. Tony arranged to spend the day with them as a thank you for supporting THF’s work, including its contributions to parks like SOMA West.
Video of the Tony Hawk facebook Live session at SOMA West Skate Plaza can be seen here: tinyurl.com/hubcn33
Later that day, Tony disclosed via social media that his personal ramp was going up a few blocks from SOMA West, and that he would be joined for a vert demo by an all-star crew, including Steve Caballero, Elliot Sloan, Kevin Staab, Amelia Brodka, Evan Doherty, Lincoln Ueda, and THF Programs Manager Alec Beck. Also on deck was DJ Z-Trip, who mashed up a soundtrack for the intense session.
“It was a blast skating with the locals at SOMA West, and to be able to show our gratitude to foundation supporters with a vert demo and dinner with our gracious hosts, Stephanie and Tyler Mitchell,” said Tony Hawk. “Amelia and the guys were ripping at the demo, and it was fun to see so many people show up right after I blasted the location on social media. I consider the day a huge success for our mission at THF.”
Check out the RIDE Channel video featuring highlights from Tony Hawk’s San Francisco vert demo: https://youtu.be/WlFkuKMGpCQ. Also see photos from the event on THF’s facebook page: tinyurl.com/jf8pqw6
Tony has been finding unique ways to thank THF donors since establishing the foundation in 2002, and their support has helped THF assist communities across the U.S. create free, quality public skateparks through critical technical assistance and funding.
THF has awarded more than $5.5-million in construction grants to 572 projects in all 50 States, and also supports international programs that enrich the lives of youth through skateboarding in some of the most challenged places on Earth.
Communities in the U.S. that are pursuing free, concrete skateparks are encouraged to learn more about the process at www.publicskateparkguide.org, and to apply for Tony Hawk Foundation construction grants. The deadline to submit the online application is June 15, 2016. To learn more about THF grants or to access the application, visit www.tonyhawkfoundation.org.
