Heaven Skates grant letter

1145E N. Tennessee Street

Cartersville, Georgia 30120-7902

Office: (770) 387-9699

Cell Phone: (404) 312-0726

Dear _____________:

My name is Bill Mohler. I am the founder and President of Heaven Skates Inc., a faith based organization to at-risk young people. Heaven Skates was founded in March of 1997 and received 501c3 Status on June 21^st 2001. Please allow me to use this letter to tell you a little about what we do.

“Children spend more time watching television than in any other activity except sleep.”[1] Witnessing repeated violent acts can lead to desensitization and a lack of empathy for human suffering. “10% of all youth violence can be attributed to violent television.”[2]

The truth is that many young people today are desperately looking for a place where they feel they fit in. Almost all youth enjoy being identified with popular groups or idols. Some identify with bad idols, such as the recent school shooter in Minnesota who identified himself with Hitler. He killed 9 people and then committed suicide.[3] Some identify with music groups who promote suicide, violence, perversion, and other criminal activities. Suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death for young people nationally. For youth 15 to 19, suicide is the 2^nd leading cause of death.[4]

Heaven Skates offers programs to children of all ages, sexes, races or religions. One of our best and most rewarding programs encourages young boys and girls to become part of our skate team. In order to participate, these children must first submit a letter telling us what it would mean for them to be a part of our faith based skate team. The following are excerpts from some of these letters.

Thirteen year old L.K. says: “To be on the Heaven Skates team means that, I never curse, drink, use drugs or do anything that will hurt my body.”

Thirteen year old R.A. says: “I know this will come with great responsibility. I will have to learn more about ministry.”

Eleven year old D.V. says: “I want to show people that skaters are not bad people.”

Fourteen year old CT says: “I can skate board without being sucked into the heathen lifestyle.”

Fifteen year old E.W. says: “Being on a Christian skate team has many benefits. Such as good friends, great atmosphere, and fun skating.”

Each day I receive new calls from young people wanting to be on our team. These boys and girls are held directly accountable for how they act by their peers as well as by our staff. Three times a week they are encouraged to participate in meaninful Bible studies conducted in terms they themselves use and understand. This program gives them valued and firm moral standards to build their life around. Heaven Skates promotes Christian music to change the influences that these children are normally exposed to. We produce our own line of faith based skating items to provide them with a sense of contributing and something they can take pride in achieving. Our team encourages good grades at school. We firmly believe that skating is a great exercise and a means to safely and sanely release pent-up emotions and stress and develop important motor skills. The Heaven Skates program encourages team members to design and create faith based art we can use on our skateboard related products. Team members must prove their ability to behave properly in public and demonstrate a desire to perform. Then they are given an opportunity to travel with the Heaven Skates demonstration team. This team travels by invitation in our own bus all over the country. We go to talk with young people, at churches and youth events. As of this date the demonstration team has traveled to sixty locations in eleven states. We often take portable skate ramps with us and team members demonstrate skills they have perfected through the program. The team regularly draws large audiences, giving teens in other areas a positive example with which to identify. During these demonstrations we regularly pause the action for a few minutes to read scripture and talk about relevant issues today’s youth faces.

At Heaven Skates at-risk teenagers get plenty of exercise, they are exposed to a positive environment, and have a staff of caring and qualified volunteers willing to help guide them through hard times, even when all they need is someone to listen and care. Night or day, whatever the need, someone is there for them to call.

This letter would be much too long to post if we were to even try to mention all the activities and efforts that Heaven Skates uses to influence all children in our community. This program is currently housed in a rented 600 square foot office and warehouse. We have seriously outgrown our space and desperately need more room. We have a great desire for a place big enough so youth of all ages can sharpen their skills at skating in a specially designed area where they can skate safely and without creating a nuisance for the community. To effectively continue our outreach we ask you to prayerfully consider helping fund the purchase of a larger property, and additional salary for two full time people. We are confident that once we have a larger facility without the burden of lease or rental payments our organization will be self supporting. We simply need your help to grow right now.

Sincerely,

Bill Mohler