Sibley churches to host X-TREME youth event

By KATIE LEFEBVRE. Globe staff writer
Posted Sept. 26, 2002

SIBLEY - St. Andrew's Church and the other churches in Sibley will be hosting an X-TREME DAY at Skateboard Park on Oct. 5. The community will welcome two Christian skate boarders that will teach youth how to skate and share their faith.

"We have a lot of active youth groups in our community with all the churches so we decided to pool our resources and put on an event together," said Corinne Kruse, youth minister at St. Andrew's Church. "We want to encourage the less active kids in our community to become involved in a youth group."

The churches involved in the planning are the First Reform, Trinity Reform, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and Christian Reform.

Along with the two skaters from California, Anthony Carney and Luke Braddock, there will be two bands, "Passing Through" and "Different" and prizes, such as T-shirts and CDs, will be given out throughout the day.

The pro-training will begin at 10 a.m. and go until noon for the youth that would like to learn to skateboard or just to refine their skills.

The rest of the afternoon the youth will be given the opportunity to practice for the evening competition.

At 6 p.m. there will be an X-TREME competition. The competition will be judged by Carney and Braddock. The first place winner will receive a pro-board from King of Kings Skateboard Company. The second place winner will also receive a board.

Following the competition, Carney and Braddock will show what they can do. Carney most recently took second place at the Phillips/Fusion Mastebowl Pro Invitational Street Competition in Huntington Beach, Calif. Braddock received second place in the Mountain Dew Milpitis Vans Competition.

The opening band, "Different", from Rock Valley will start at 8:30 p.m. followed by "Passing Through," a Christian Rock/Grunge Band from Minneapolis.

"During the bands' performances, the two skaters are going to give a talk," said Kruse. "They will be talking about God in their life and why they chose their ministry to come out through their skating."

All students within 60 miles of Sibley were sent fliers about the event. Each denomination went to their area churches to spread the word. The event is free to all and youth can show up the day of the event to register.

"The students that come will register and have a wrist band with a number," said Kruse. This will be how the youth will win prizes and participate in the competition.

The park is located on 5th Street in Sibley between the high school and the elementary school. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held indoors at the fairgrounds on 9th St., west of the stoplight.