Newark holiday giveaway benefits skateboarders
Published: Sunday, December 12, 2010, 5:45 PM Updated: Sunday, December 12, 2010, 8:59 PM
Holiday giveaways for Newark skateboarders Jon Lodge grew up skating the streets of Newark. Now, 21, Lodge is in a position to give back. Through his company Certified Skateboards and donations from other outfits such as Supra Footwear, Lodge handed out free merchandise to dozens of teens at Newark's only skatepark. (Video by Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger) Watch video
NEWARK — At this holiday giveaway, there were no toys, and no tots. Just a scrappy bunch of skateboarders, tumbling over one another to grab skater gear tossed from a giant red bag by a 22-year-old "Santa," in a crime-ridden neighborhood in Newark.
"This is skateboarding — we’re used to throwing things around," Jonathan Lodge said with a shrug, as he opened his bag to lob T-shirts, posters and skateboards at a few dozen boys who leapt and scuffled for the freebies.
The event was held at Jesse Allen Park on Avon Avenue, home to Newark’s only skate park, on Saturday afternoon. It was organized by Lodge, who was born in Brooklyn, but grew up in Newark and West Orange. More than 30 skateboarders turned out, via Facebook and word of mouth.
The 260 items given away included skateboards from the company Lodge founded while a freshman at Pratt Institute, where he got his fine arts degree last summer. In addition to Lodge’s Certified Skateboards, sneakers, T-shirts and hats came from Vans, Supra Footwear, CCS Accessories and Dr., Jays.
"These kids, they don’t have much," Lodge said. "All they have is skateboarding. This park gives them a place to practice and stay safe and do something positive. I know a lot of them won’t have the greatest Christmases, and I hope this will be something that makes it a little bit easier."
Darren Blakney of Linden drove his 10-year-old son Eric to the event. Blakney was relegated to stand guard over several free T-shirts and hats as his son raced back and forth into the mob.
"Dad, hold my skateboard — I’m going in!" Eric hollered.
Lodge said Certified grossed about $60,000 this year, with half a dozen part-time employees, selling through the Dr. Jays chain and skate shops like Nine Lives in Jersey City.
When he and his friends started skateboarding a decade ago, it was still perceived by some as a white sport, and Lodge said he was once beaten up by black youths in Newark.
"They thought I was like a white kid, like, ‘What are you doing over here?’" he said. "Where we were from, we were some of the first skaters of color."
"Now," he said, "we have a voice."
Staff writer Steve Strunsky contributed to this report.
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