This stop is also our Season Finals and Annual Awards. Thanks to everyone for another great year of good times, good friends, and ripping skating.
This year, we sent out 24 checks to help people travel to their cancer appointments and sent out/gave out approximately 50 GFL care packages. Mike was able to meet people and skate at all 6 of our “Grind For Life Series” skateboarding competition events. He also competed in the Dew Tour in the “adaptive” division and helped coach some of the younger adaptive riders. We also set up the GFL booth at Dew Tour to talk to people and share Mike’s story. Mike runs a free “community night” at Cocoa Beach skatepark twice a month and helps the local kids/teens/families with free raffles for skateboards and such, skateboarding news and a “best trick contest on your own level” where they show Mike what new skateboarding skill they learned recently and get a prize like a t-shirt, socks, stickers. Skateboarding keeps kids active and healthy.
The “Surfing Santas” event was on Christmas Eve morning in Cocoa Beach. Thousands showed up at the beach and over 100 people dressed in Santa suits braved 30 degree temperature to go surfing. This fundraiser raises thousands of dollars for GFL each year and gives Mike the opportunity to talk to hundreds of people about surviving and battling cancer.
The Dew Tour, the Tampa Pro, and Vans “30 Year Anniversary of The Half Cab” were the only big skate events attended this year. Normally, there would be closer to a dozen. The Vans event was the last big skate event Vans will be doing for a while. We realized that most of the large scale skateboarding events have been/are being canceled. This started during/post pandemic and seems to be that way for 2023. Mike normally sets up the GFL booth at events to meet people and sell t-shirts and such to raise funds, so the lack of events is causing us to re-evaluate how we raise future funds to help people.
Thankfully, our “Grind For Life Series” of skateboarding competitions is scheduled to host 6 events in 2023. (side note: Some of the 2024 Olympians learned to compete from the GFL Series) Thank You Everyone for your Great Work and Support #grindforlifeorg #gflseries
Charleston's stop had to get moved the the following weekend due to Hurricane Ian. Thanks for working with us, everyone.
Never Surrender: Mike Rogers Grinds on Post Sarcoma to Help Others Beat Cancer
Our first rained out event! We had a nice long decade run around the world dodging weather. Of course the first one happens in our own backyard with these wild afternoon storms we get in Florida. We ran as many as we could before several hours of rain came.
On September 3rd 2003 I Had a 17+ hour surgery, a cranial-facial resection with a brain-lift, removal of right eye, cheekbone, and half of the roof of my mouth and some of my teeth. Moved 3 of my stomach muscles into my face to fill the space. Everyday is a Gift. Take Nothing for Granted. Since 2007 GFL Has Given Out $362,598.00 to Help People with Travel Costs When Traveling a Long Way for Cancer Treatments. Thousands of Care Packages Sent Out and Given Away at Events. I Have Been at almost 1000 events Meeting People and Sharing My Story to Give People Hope. Thank You Everybody for Supporting GFL
Thank You Dew Tour and Everybody for your Great Work and Support Photo By Bryce Kanights
And That’s How You Do It Thank You Everyone for Doing Skateboarding at It’s Very Best Repost from @usaskateboarding We check in with @grindforlifeorg’s Mike Rogers for a Grind for Life Adaptive Skateboarding 2022 Mid Season Recap Presented by USA Skateboarding & Toyota. Watch as adaptive skateboarders @justinthebishop, @asfvision, @danthemancina and @thetiapearl speak on the importance and impact of adaptive skateboarding contests.
: @joekrolick / @peacocksk8
@toyotausa @teamtoyota #teamtoyota #usaskateboarding #olympicskateboarding #adaptiveskateboarding #theboardr
We returned to New Smyrna, Florida for another stop this weekend. Chaz has photos and Bowser has video.
Thank You Everybody for your Great Work and Support
The city of Zephyrhills, Florida hosted another stop of the Grind for Life Series last weekend. Chaz has photos and Bowser has video. Thanks to everyone there who made it another fun stop.
St Pete set a new record for entries at a GFL Series. With 231 entries at this stop, our day that started at 7am didn't end until well past 9pm. Photography from Chaz and video from Bowser are below along with results. The next stop is Zephyrhills on March 19th.
Grind for Life's Mike Rogers and The Boardr's Ryan Clements take us through the Grind for Life Adaptive Skateboarding 2021 Year in Review Presented by USA Skateboarding and Toyota.
Grind For Life has Been Able to Do It’s Mission But It has Not Been Easy for Last Two Years with Coronavirus Pandemic . No Big Fundraising Events Like @clashatclairemont and Other Big Events Canceled. Not Able to get Products for fundraising because of shortages But This Year GFL has been able to Help 34 Patients, 4 received multiple checks 48 Care Packages and giveaways to Patients and Families at Events 20 GFL Community Night Events at Cocoa Beach skate park 8 skateboard contests #gflseries @theboardr Throughout Florida plus Charleston South Carolina YMCA Re-Grand Opening and YMCA GFL Day with @alexsorgente @dewtour Des Moines Iowa GFL Booth Kindhumans] Filming for GFL Documentary with #goproforacause Tampa Pro and Tampa Am GFL Booth @spottampa Skateboard Camp June, July, December Surfing Santas Event GFL Booth @surfingsantas @floridasurfmuseum Thank You Everyone for All Your Years of Love and Support #grindforlifeorg #gflseries @usaskateboarding Kindhumans]
Super Nice Donation from @surfingsantas @floridasurfmuseum Thank You Everyone for Your Great Work and Support #grindforlifeorg #gflseries #surfingsantas #cocoabeachflorida
Thank You Everyone for great Work and support in Helping People with Cancer
The last stop of the year for GFL Series is in Tampa right here at The Boardr HQ. It's also our Annual Awards for the year. Thanks to everyone who supported GFL Series all year, especially our sponsors: Marinela, New Balance Numeric, Jain, Jessup, El Yucateco, Igloo, Red Bull, Zumiez, ProTec, GoPro, Element, and Bones..
GFL Series at Charleston had the most entries of all time with 89 in bowl and 132 in street. That combined with rain delays had us at the park from 7am and well past the 12 hour mark by the time we were done. Thanks to the Charleston scene and everyone who came from all around to be part of another GFL.
We returned to Fort Lauderdale for another stop this weekend before we head to Charleston, South Carolina on October 2. Check some photos and video
Fighting cancer is physically, mentally and financially exhausting for the individuals who are diagnosed and their families, friends and support systems.
It was our first stop at West Melbourne with 160 entries. Thanks to everyone who came through, pushed through the heat, and had a good time with us. See you in Fort Lauderdale at the next one.
The Men’s Adaptive Park competition presented by Toyota kicked off Sunday’s final at Dew Tour Des Moines, with each competitor bringing their A-game to the table. Standout moments include Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham’sdrop-in gap from the top of the Toyota extension, Evan Strong’s bean plant to fakie in the deep end, Brandon White starting his run with a nose pick from the Toyota extension, and many more. Watch all the highlights in the video above featuring Mike Rogers, Daniel Pelletier, Mike Minor, Oscar Loreto JR, Daniel Edmonson, Evan Strong, Vinicios Sardi, Justin Bishop, and Felipe Nunes.
