Union of Youth

The Skateboard Coalition still has numerous skateboards for sale of which the proceeds are to be used to recover the costs for their Christmas Sharing donation. Many of theses artistic boards were sold to purchase 16 brand new skateboards to the United Christmas Sharing program, run by the Northfield Community Action Center. The Christmas Sharing program provides holiday gifts to local youth from families who are struggling financially. We have NUMEROUS boards waiting to be hung on your wall. The boards are as follows:

If you would like to make a purchase of one of the boards, please contact Zach Pruitt at Healthy Community Initiative at 507.664.3524. Prices are below.

The first thumbnail of the giant mouth (#1 if you can read sideways) is $50 or best offer. The second and third thumbnail of the top row (skateboard #2) can be purchased for $100 or best offer. This is a front and back. Thumbnail four on the top row (skateboard #3) can be purchased for $80 or best offer. Row two of thumbnails shows a front, a back, and a closeup (skateboard #4) of the “gasmask” skateboard. This can be purchased for $60 or best offer. The first two thumbnails in the bottom row (skateboard #5) show the “woman in grip tape” skateboard. This can be purchased for $50 or best offer. The last thumbnails in the bottom row are of the “representative journalism” skateboard which can be purchased for $35 or best offer. Once again, please call 507.664.3524 if you would like to make a puchase.

I meant to send this postcard on the trip. It isn’t as cool as the postcard I sent last year, but what can I say? I did get about 3 hours of sleep before taking this photo because the beach was windy and the pickup flatbed was hard and pointy. I know the youth like it when I suffer, so I thought I would also say that I was stung by a jellyfish and pinched by a family of crabs.

A pretty full house was present at the December 9th Ames Park Open House held at the cafeteria of the High School. This was a public meeting and about 30 youth and 25 adults crowded around to address questions, concerns, field questions about the future skatepark at Ames Park. The Coalition has been working hard for 2 1/2 years to make this dream a reality. The goal for the skatepark is to break ground and complete in 2009.

This article is written by Zach Pruitt and can be found on the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) website:

Members of the Northfield Skateboard Coalition donated 16 brand new skateboards to the United Christmas Sharing program, run by the Northfield Community Action Center. The Christmas Sharing program provides holiday gifts to local youth from families who are struggling financially.

This summer, the youth in the Skateboard Coalition heard from a community member that skateboards were one of the most-requested items by teens at the Christmas Sharing program. The youth in the Coalition then raised money by holding a series of fundraisers this summer and fall, including the Painted Skateboard contest. With the funds, the Coalition was able to buy 16 new boards, which they helped to assemble before donating them to Christmas Sharing. Along with the new skateboard, each child also received a coupon for a free helmet.

The Key helped out with Winterwalk again this year but had a slightly different role this year. Members of The Key still helped out with The Chamber of Commerce luminarias (lighting and clean up) but focused more of their attention on the red luminarias from the new Art Quarter group, recent recipients for a community riverwalk arts grant from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). The Key placed bags, lit them, lit them again (it was windy) and cleaned up around 9:00pm. The riverwalk areas looked extraordinary with the radiant red lights flickering along the river. After the cleanup a few of the gang had a root beer at the Contented Cow (also our drop off for the candles and bags). Why some of the helpers went shirtless is a mystery for the ages. I think I can see state rep (and Adult Board member) David Bly in one of the photos.

The Key took part in an overnight sleepout on Bridge Square as part of late November’s Homeless Awareness Week. On Thursday the 20th about 7 or 8 braved the cold weather to sleep out on Bridge Square. This event is a yearly tradition organized by the Community Action Center (CAC) with participants usually coming from the CAC, both colleges, The Key, and concerned townspeople.

I can only see 15, but I guess there are 8 more underneath that you cannot see. I do see some arms and legs that don’t go with the heads. That breaks the record for the brown couch by 6 (previous record 17). Normally I would never put this on the website, but I promised.

The Key’s Writing Workshop program, guided by program instructor Olivia Frey, recently went on a field trip to Chicago’s Columbia College to view Jack Kerouac’s original manuscript scroll of On the Road.

On the Road was written in 1951 and published in 1957 and is largely based on the experiences of Kerouac and his friends during numerous road adventures during the late 40s and early 50s. Many critics and fans consider On the Road the defining work of the Beat Generation which sprang up in the aftermath of World War II.

Seven youth and two chaperones made the trek to Chicago, traveling by Megabus and staying overnight in a hostel in Greektown in central Chicago. Participants explored many different districts of Chicago including Chinatown, Greektown, The Loop, the Pier, and other areas via foot, subway and “the L.” Participants even came across a Gay Pride Parade at the Federal Building on the way to Columbia College.

More photos here.

The Northfield Skateboard Coalition and the Northfield News are teaming up for a city-wide contest that is available to anyone who enters. The competition is simple: find 6 of the painted skateboards by November 20 and you can enter to win a drawing for $50 in Northfield Chamber bucks. Simply email the location of six boards to Jaci Smith at the Northfield News (jsmith@northfieldnews.com) or drop off the completed form below to the Northfield News office (115 W. 5th Street). But hurry now! Time is running out! All skateboards are visible in certain Northfield downtown businesses.

All of the skateboards are for sale. Money raised from their sale will be used to buy skateboards to give out to low-income children as part of the Community Action Center’s Christmas Sharing program. If you see a skateboard hanging in downtown Northfield that you’d like to own, call 664-3524.

The lost art of silk screen has made its way back to The Key. This Art Project was done on an almost monthly basis years ago, but has hidden by the wayside as of late. Glad to see it is back. If it wasn’t for Art Projects of the past I wouldn’t have my “two weeks” shirt, my “Free Cat Sevens” shirt and a friend wouldn’t have his “I hate every ape I see, from Chimpan A to Chimpan Z” shirt.