After living a life carefree, he was diagnosed again with the same cancer 25 years later. This time, though the operation was so complex that no doctor in his home state — Florida — could perform it. In an effort to save his own life, he ended up wiping out his retirement savings to travel out of state for an operation that would lead him to be cancer-free.
Upon returning to Florida and being financially devastated, his group of common skateboarders united for the first Grind for Life event to raise money for his return. After realizing that the event could be a sustainable resource, Rogers officially established it as a non-profit organization in hopes to help those in need, just like he was.
Since then, Grind for Life has raised over $150,000 for nearly 200 cancer patients traveling long distances for treatment, and paired up with local skateboard production company The Boardr in 2013 to help make this happen. Eight different cities in Florida and Tennessee have hosted Grind for Life, with over 200 contest divisions and 1,900-plus entries.
This Saturday (Nov. 5), Grind for Life will make a stop in Lakeland.
The event will aim to bring skateboarders of all ages together, whether they be toddlers hand-in-hand with their mothers or fathers or old dudes breakin’ out their boards for a good run — skill level doesn’t matter, setting this skateboarding event apart from the rest.
The Boardr co-founder Rob Meronek described it best as “a family affair where the nerdy kids and the cool kids” can get together for a good cause.
“It’s a cool experience, being a kid and going to your first contest,” he said. “It’s stuff that hits you right in the heart. We all remember our first contest experience, and that’s never going to go away, as long as you’re skating your entire life — the introduction to the culture, everything, it’s pretty rewarding to have that.”
In an effort to introduce children to the skateboarding culture and have them be a part of something founded upon humanity and generosity, The Boardr will be waiving the $35 entry fee for kids who have never entered a Grind for Life contest.
Those in attendance can expect a few vendor tents and a shitload of skateboarding.
Contests start at 10:30 a.m. sharp, with the youngest group going first, and will run until 5 p.m. with small breaks in between. Prizes awarded to those who place in the top five of their runs.
This is one hell of a way to spend a Saturday — what else could be better than teaching your kids how to pop an ollie while fighting to beat cancer’s ass?
Those looking to hit the half pipe in an effort to fight the good fight against cancer should head over to TheBoardr.com/GFL for more information.
This article appears in Nov 3-10, 2016.