OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE - Vista, CA (4/17/08) – The Tony Hawk Foundation announces the recipients of its Spring 2008 Skatepark Grants, as selected by an expanded Board of Directors.

As the Foundation’s programs and fundraising efforts continue to grow, the role of its Board has also evolved. At its Spring meeting, THF introduced five new Board Members who each bring vast experience from their respective fields to the group, helping to round out the nonprofit organization’s governing body. Kent Dahlgren (founding member of Skaters For Public Skateparks), Sandy Dusablon (CFO of Tony Hawk, Inc.), Bobby Kotick (CEO of Activision), Erica Zohar (CEO of American Groove, Inc.), and Lior Zohar (CFO, COO, and General Counsel of American Groove, Inc.) join Tony Hawk, Pat Hawk, Lenore Hawk Dale, Steve Hawk, Jared Levine, Mike Vallely, and Miki Vuckovich in the effort to help low-income communities build free, quality public skateparks.

The group wasted no time in voting to award $251,516 to 29 applicants for Spring 2008 Tony Hawk Foundation Skatepark Grants. Three projects won the top award of $25,000, each demonstrating the economic and social challenges their youth face, strong local support for a skatepark, success in their previous fundraising efforts, and the involvement of local skaters in pursuing an ambitious, landmark skatepark. In particular, Oceanside, California’s decision to implement to a multi-skatepark system demonstrated the city’s forward-thinking solution to the growing need for safe, sanctioned places to skate. Oceanside will begin with three skateparks, which will be built in the next year.

Tony and the entire Board of Directors congratulates each of the following communities that have been working hard to build free, quality skateparks for their youth.

Spring 2008 Tony Hawk Foundation Grants

$25,000

Oceanside, California

Columbus, Georgia

Erie, Pennsylvania

$15,000

Mount Shasta, California

Kirksville, Missouri

$10,000

Waldron, Arkansas

Crawfordsville, Indiana

Augusta, Maine

Ironwood, Michigan

Pascagoula, Mississippi

Mexico, New York

$5,000

New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Pembroke, Georgia

Onawa, Iowa

Oblong, Illinois

Goodland, Kansas

Melvern, Kansas

Bethel, Maine

Mayville, Michigan

Boulder, Montana

Beulah, North Dakota

Ellenville, New York

Hyde Park, New York

Winnsboro, Texas

Jonesville, Virginia

Chester, Vermont

La Farge, Wisconsin

Milton, West Virginia
$1,516
Myrtle Creek, Oregon

In addition to its Spring round of grants, the Tony Hawk Foundation also awarded $50,000 to the town of Nederland, Colorado in tribute to Nathan Lazarus, the nine-year-old who was key in helping Tony win $175,000 for the Foundation on the Fox Television game show “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?” last year. His contribution will allow the Foundation to award grants to dozens of communities across the U.S.

Including a grant in 2007, the Tony Hawk Foundation has awarded $75,000 for the Nathan Lazarus Skatepark of Nederland, Colorado, which is expected to open later this year. The occasion will celebrate the extraordinary efforts that Nederland youth have contributed to the skatepark, as well as the contributions of individuals like Nathan, who despite their age have the opportunity to impact the lives of other youth, both in their communities and across the country.

Applications for Fall 2008 Tony Hawk Foundation skatepark grants can be accessed after August 15 via the Foundation’s Web site at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org. Applications must be completed by October 1, 2008.

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