Spreading Rolligion To Nairobi
Donation protected
My name is David Miles Jr. I am known as the "GodFather of Skate" in San Francisco. I have been the driving force behind the grass roots outdoor roller skating movement for 36 years. Skating is my life, skating is my "rolligion" and I have been working very hard spreading rolligion everywhere I go.
http://www.cora.org/dmiles.html
In the summer of 2014, I came across a group of skaters in Nairobi, Kenya that were trying to organize. They were not really organizers or anything like that. They were just young people trying to roller skate. They were asking skate companies through e-mails and Facebook to help them to bring roller skating to Nairobi. I saw the messages and thought they would surely get a response. About a month goes by and I saw there was no responses.
I began communicating with Victor Kaptien of the Ungem Skate Club in Nairobi. He explained to me how he and his group really loves roller skating. They know of me and follow me on Facebook. They watch the videos, mimick the skate moves and racing techniques. Not many of them actually had skates, but they share and they have a great time. In talking to Victor, I knew he needed my help.
Among the many hats I wear in skating, I run the Black Rock Roller Disco theme camp at the Burning Man event in Nevada. We build a roller rink in the middle of the desert complete with rental skates. I had a about 25 pairs of really great inline skates that was supposed to go to Burning Man, but I packed them up and sent them to Victor on my dime. It took a while, but the skates arrived and there was an event where the public was able to try on a new pair of inline skates and experience the joy of skating!!!
http://www.churchof8wheels.com/ungem.html
Victor sent me pictures of the skates as he had lined them up for all to see and use. All the happy faces, the kids, everything looked very similar to what I have created in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park every Sunday. I truly believe that Victor and the Ungem Skate Club could be that force that brings the fun, inclusive and healthy aspects of skating to Nairobi, but they need to come to the source - San Francisco, Ca.
I want to bring Victor Kaptein and two of his club members to San Francisco from July 8, 2015 to July 13, 2015. I want them to experience four specific events that I have created all of which have had an effect on roller skating and inline skating in the U.S and worldwide and then return to Nairobi to duplicate it.
1. San Francisco Friday Night Skate
http://www.cora.org/friday.phtml
Since 1989, l have led a group of skaters through the streets of San Francisco on a 12 mile route around the City. Other cities like Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and more have created their version of the skate. This was the inspiration for the bike event, Critical Mass.
2. Skatin' Place, Golden Gate Park
http://www.cora.org/skatinplace.htm
In 1985, I helped convince the SF Recreation and Parks Dept. to take a street in the park and transform it into a roller skating area. It has served as the center of our skating energy. It is the prototype that we believe every city should have.
3. The Church of 8 Wheels
http://www.churchof8wheels.com/
In November of 2013, I took a 125 year old Catholic Church and transformed it into the Church of 8 Wheels, San Francisco's Roller Disco. I want the skaters to see how they could duplicate this in Nairobi
4. The Napa Valley Inline Marathon
http://www.cora.org/2015NapaIM.htm
Look at any big marathon event and you'll see a Kenyan runner winning. Can that be the same in an inline skate race? For the past 23 years I have presented the Napa Valley Inline Marathon and Half Marathon. We close of a 7 miles portion of the Silverado Trail for a fantastic skate race. I want the skaters to experience the event, interact with the top speedskaters and take the techniques back to Nairobi to teach others.
You can give people fish or you can show them how to fish. I want to bring the Ungem skaters here to soak up the experience and knowledge to spread rolligion to Nairobi Kenya and throughtout Africa!!!
http://www.cora.org/dmiles.html
In the summer of 2014, I came across a group of skaters in Nairobi, Kenya that were trying to organize. They were not really organizers or anything like that. They were just young people trying to roller skate. They were asking skate companies through e-mails and Facebook to help them to bring roller skating to Nairobi. I saw the messages and thought they would surely get a response. About a month goes by and I saw there was no responses.
I began communicating with Victor Kaptien of the Ungem Skate Club in Nairobi. He explained to me how he and his group really loves roller skating. They know of me and follow me on Facebook. They watch the videos, mimick the skate moves and racing techniques. Not many of them actually had skates, but they share and they have a great time. In talking to Victor, I knew he needed my help.
Among the many hats I wear in skating, I run the Black Rock Roller Disco theme camp at the Burning Man event in Nevada. We build a roller rink in the middle of the desert complete with rental skates. I had a about 25 pairs of really great inline skates that was supposed to go to Burning Man, but I packed them up and sent them to Victor on my dime. It took a while, but the skates arrived and there was an event where the public was able to try on a new pair of inline skates and experience the joy of skating!!!
http://www.churchof8wheels.com/ungem.html
Victor sent me pictures of the skates as he had lined them up for all to see and use. All the happy faces, the kids, everything looked very similar to what I have created in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park every Sunday. I truly believe that Victor and the Ungem Skate Club could be that force that brings the fun, inclusive and healthy aspects of skating to Nairobi, but they need to come to the source - San Francisco, Ca.
I want to bring Victor Kaptein and two of his club members to San Francisco from July 8, 2015 to July 13, 2015. I want them to experience four specific events that I have created all of which have had an effect on roller skating and inline skating in the U.S and worldwide and then return to Nairobi to duplicate it.
1. San Francisco Friday Night Skate
http://www.cora.org/friday.phtml
Since 1989, l have led a group of skaters through the streets of San Francisco on a 12 mile route around the City. Other cities like Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and more have created their version of the skate. This was the inspiration for the bike event, Critical Mass.
2. Skatin' Place, Golden Gate Park
http://www.cora.org/skatinplace.htm
In 1985, I helped convince the SF Recreation and Parks Dept. to take a street in the park and transform it into a roller skating area. It has served as the center of our skating energy. It is the prototype that we believe every city should have.
3. The Church of 8 Wheels
http://www.churchof8wheels.com/
In November of 2013, I took a 125 year old Catholic Church and transformed it into the Church of 8 Wheels, San Francisco's Roller Disco. I want the skaters to see how they could duplicate this in Nairobi
4. The Napa Valley Inline Marathon
http://www.cora.org/2015NapaIM.htm
Look at any big marathon event and you'll see a Kenyan runner winning. Can that be the same in an inline skate race? For the past 23 years I have presented the Napa Valley Inline Marathon and Half Marathon. We close of a 7 miles portion of the Silverado Trail for a fantastic skate race. I want the skaters to experience the event, interact with the top speedskaters and take the techniques back to Nairobi to teach others.
You can give people fish or you can show them how to fish. I want to bring the Ungem skaters here to soak up the experience and knowledge to spread rolligion to Nairobi Kenya and throughtout Africa!!!
Organizer
David Miles
Organizer
