A perfect fit : Skateboarding's therapeutic effects on children with autism (ESPN)Skateboarding saves lives. That statement has been repeated millions of times because it's plain and true. Whether it serves as an escape from a life of drugs and violence, sanctuary from a rough home life or means of overcoming poverty, skateboarding constantly finds ways to make people's lives better.
And the most beautiful thing about skateboarders that have been saved? They pay it forward. Off the top of my head I can think of dozens of examples of skaters giving back: just to name a few there's Skatepark of Tampa's Boards For Bros program giving underprivileged kids skateboards, Etnies donating thousands of shoes to Downtown LA homeless and Deluxe Distribution donating proceeds from decks designed for special causes in their Actions REALized series.
One cause Deluxe recently championed is treatment for autism. Last year Deluxe's Jim Thiebaud teamed up with long-time Eastern Skateboard Supply sales representative, John Pike. "When it becomes personal is when I get drawn in," says Deluxe's Brand Manager, Jim Thiebaud. And it got personal real quick.
John Pike is 41, been skating for 30 years. His son, Gianni, age 7, has the spectrum disorder autism. "He wasn't developing like a typical kid, he wasn't speaking when he was diagnosed at age 2," said Pike. "We had a pediatrician that didn't blow us off because a lot of pediatricians will be like, "He's a boy, and he's just developing late. Don't worry about it." She put up a red flag and got the help we needed."
"Speaking with Pike about his son a year or so ago really gave me a sense of what kids with autism go through and lending a hand was easy," says Thiebaud. Real issued an Action's REAlized deck for autism and sold over 1,000 of them raising $9,000 for Autism Speaks, a non-profit dedicated to autism awareness and funding research into the causes, prevention, treatment and eventual cure for autism.
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