Sisters' dream comes true in form of skatepark

By: JENNIFER KABBANY - For The Californian | Sunday, November 18, 2007 9:36 AM PST ∞

WILDOMAR - A combination of determination and community support - with a dash of divine intervention - helped make two Wildomar sisters' dream a reality Saturday as a skatepark was built from scratch at Cornerstone Community Church.

The Delgado sisters, 17-year-old Mickylene and 15-year-old Priscilla, have been working to get a skatepark built in Wildomar for more than a year.

To actually see their efforts come to fruition felt amazing, the girls said.

"We still can't believe it," Mickylene said.

More than a year ago, the teens began an effort to get a skatepark built in the community after continually being kicked out of area strip malls and schools where they liked to skateboard, they said.

They lobbied local parks committees. They circulated a petition. They raised money.

Their efforts did not go unnoticed or unappreciated, as members of the Wildomar Parks Formation Committee said they wanted to build a skatepark, too, but were not sure it was feasible or affordable at the time.

"When they first came I was like, 'I don't want you two to think it can happen overnight,'" said parks committee member Bridgette Moore.

But recently, a Christian skateboard company, Glory Skateboards, and Cornerstone Community Church banded together to help make the skatepark happen sooner rather than later. The company agreed to help build ramps, and the church agreed to house it.

On Saturday, members of the company, the church, and several teenage volunteers, including the Delgado sisters, came together to build and paint ramps made of wood.

Seventeen-year-old Josh Conyers, a junior at Elsinore High School, was one of the volunteers.

"I just want to help," he said. "At a school we skate at, we get kicked out every day."

The group started at 9 a.m., and by midday had built seven ramps of various sizes, their sides painted candy apple red.

"We didn't want to do this just for us," Priscilla said. "We wanted to do this for everybody, to not just have to go on the streets and get yelled at."

Tim Underdown, a member of the Wildomar parks committee, also was volunteering Saturday. He said the skatepark will be a great addition to the community.

"It's another way to reach out to kids," he said. "It's someplace for them to go."

The sisters said they hope others who hear about their success might be inspired. When they first began their efforts, they thought it might take many years to accomplish. They said it's surreal but gratifying to see the skatepark come together while they still have plenty of time to take advantage of it.

"If you want to accomplish something, never give up," Priscilla said.

"Not just adults can do things - children can, too," Mickylene said.

Jonathon Mills, owner of Glory Skateboards and a Canyon Lake resident, said he decided to get involved with the effort after his wife, Elizabeth, heard of the girls' plight and urged him to help. He helped lead the constuction efforts Saturday.

Glory - a Christian ministry - manufactures skateboards, clothing and ramps and conducts skateboarding demonstrations and other high-profile events.

During demonstrations, the skateboarders share their Christian testimonies.

The company donated its time, labor and expertise to build the ramps Saturday, while recent fundraising efforts by the girls and their supporters paid for the materials.

The church will house the transportable skatepark on its basketball court. But the ramps also can be put away into storage whenever necessary.

Mills and the church's youth pastor, Burke McMahon, said they believe divine intervention played a role in bringing everything together so seamlessly.

They said the skatepark will not only serve as a safe environment for young people, but it also may serve as a venue for creating opportunities to reach out to teens with a Christian message.

Mills said he also is opening an indoor skatepark in Lake Elsinore early next year that will complement the Wildomar facility nicely, especially when it rains or becomes exceedingly hot outside. At the indoor park, he said he plans to host some sort of skateboarding church as well as camps and lessons, among other activities.

The Wildomar skatepark is slated to open in early December with a big grand opening party and skateboarding contests for all ages.

Debbie and Armando Delgado, who were also helping Saturday, said they are very proud of their daughters and feel blessed everything came together the way it did.

"It's great what they have been able to do," Debbie Delgado said. "Some people said it couldn't be done."

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