Pro Skateboarder Opens Indoor Skatepark for "Shreddin and Spreadin" Gospel to At-Risk Youth

Sheridan, CO, July 16, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Fascinated by the excitement and creativity of skateboarding, Uriel Luebcke has been skating most of his life and turned pro at age 21. Although he had been raised in the church, he fell into many of the negative traps of the skater counter-culture.

Unhappy with the person he had become, Luebcke made changes in his own life and became a “missionary with a skater style.” He started SkateMinistry.org in 2007, a Denver-area nonprofit that works with at-risk youth in the skateboard community. For years, the group shared warehouse space with another ministry where they built a small indoor skatepark.

Saturday, July 19, Skatuary Skatepark & Youth Center will hold a grand opening from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for its new, 20,000-sq. ft. indoor facility in southwest Denver (3535 S. Irving in Sheridan, near Highway 285 and S. Federal Boulevard). The free event is open to the public with free skating all day.

7Twenty Boardshop, which has a retail location inside Skatuary, also will be holding a skateboard contest on July 19 with an entry fee of two canned goods to benefit Sox Place, an organization that provides food and shelter to homeless youth in downtown Denver. Contest sponsors include: Asphalt Yacht Club, Bones, Chocolate, DC Shoes, Girl, Independent, Skatuary, Skull Candy, Vision Street Wear and Von Zipper.

“Skatuary offers the only indoor skateboard park in the Denver metro area with adult supervision,” explains Luebcke. “Kids enjoy the challenge of skateboarding and it’s a good way to make friends and express themselves. Our new facility was built with donations and volunteers to allow us to serve more youth. Christianity doesn’t have to be boring, and skateboarding is a great way to reach youth with our message.”

Skatuary features an epic skatepark for young beginning skaters as well as “core rippers,” a snack bar, game room and concert stage. The facility offers free skating and church on Friday evenings as an alternative to other weekend youth activities. It also offers open skating with low-cost admission fees, camps, clinics, after-school programs and lessons throughout the week, and the facility can be rented for birthday parties or other events.

Skateministry Founder, Luebcke has been featured in prominent magazines including Transworld, Thrasher, and Slap, and in over 15 skate videos. He has participated in numerous skating competitions, including the Globe Wild Card series in Los Angeles and the Globe World Cup in Australia. Luebcke is married and has two children.

For more information about Skatuary Indoor Skatepark & Youth Center, visit www.skatuary.com, email staff@skateministry.org or call 303-284-9178.