Its our birthday!! Its our birthday, get busy!!
Today, June 27 marks our second birthday. To date, we’ve served 65 youth from New Jersey and New York, empowering them through snowboarding. Special thanks to all of our supporters, volunteers, participants and their parents for helping us reach this milestone! Who knew turning 2 would be so fun! LOL!
Click here to read our interview on Action Sports Now!
Our founder, Elizabeth “Liz” Royster was recently featured in the May issue of Fitness Magazine. Fitness Magazine is women’s fitness magazine that focuses on health, beauty, skin care, and success stories to motivate readers to become strong in mind, body, and spirit. The best part of Fitness magazine is that it empowers women to embrace fitness as a lifestyle, not a size and become healthy, not skinny.
We would like to thank the writer Anna Davis for the opportunity, as well as photographer Amy Postle, Marianne of The Hidden Valley Club of Vernon, NJ for letting us have the photo shoot on their slopes, and all of the participants and their parents for coming out on that bitter cold morning.
Read the article in its entirety here: Pay Fitness Forward
On Saturday, April 9th at 12 p.m., Shred Love is offering a lunch and learn session on Life Insurance, compliments of Prudential. The event will take place at Soul Flavors, 354 Grove St, Jersey City, NJ. Seating is limited, so if you are interested, please RSVP by emailing info@shredlove.org/wordpress.
Hope to see you there!
Liz
Edward and Armani Rae were recently featured in the Jersey Journal for being positive teens in Jersey City. Check out the article here!
Congratulations to you both for second year participants in Shred Love, as well as being exemplary teens! Thank you Dr. Barbara Milton for the beautifully written article.
Sunday, 2/27 officially marked the end of our snowboarding season. To say it has been great, is an understatement! Over a total of 6 days (7 days if you count our photo shoot at The Hidden Valley Club), we visited 3 different mountains, served 40 students, and made a bunch of life long memories.
I would like to thank everyone for making this a huge success! With everyone’s dedication, we were able to make such a great impact on the youth’s life, as well as our own. The experience as a whole was great for both the participants and the volunteers. As we worked with the students on linking turns, safely loading and unloading the chairlift, we were able to gain a greater insight into how patience and consistency plays a role into developing solid relationships. I know that sounds like common sense, but with the fast pace of life, we sometimes forget the value in making people a priority.
It was also great reconnecting with our friends at Windham Mountain, as well as making new friends at The Hidden Valley Club, Mountain Creek and Anchor House. In addition, with the tremendous support of the instructors at the mountains, Snowboard Addiction and Aratik USA, our group was able to take their riding to the next level. More students ventured on to the chairlift, to the top of the mountain, and in racing (snowboard cross).
Therefore, it is my pleasure to present to you our graduating class!
Congratulations Jackie!
Congratulations Armani Rae!
Congratulations Alexis!
Congratulations Taralyn!
Congratulations Elijah!
Congratulations Tyson!
Congratulations Jordan!
Congratulations Jordan!
Congratulations Savion!
Congratulations Cornelius!
Congratulations Khaliq!
Congratulations Masai!
Congratulations Brandon!
Congratulations Makhii aka 50!
Congratulations Isaiah!
Congratulations Edward!
Congratulations Julius!
Congratulations Darius!
Not pictured – Nathaniel, Isaac, Marcel, Xavier, and Malik. Congratulations!
And to the world’s best volunteers, thank you!
Thank you Shanelle!
Thank you Sarah!
Thank you Jerrie!
Congratulations Geneva!
Thank you Ming!
Thank you Mel!
Not pictured – Rhosheema and Rob, thanks for your support!
I’m so looking forward to what next season has in store, but in the meantime, be sure to check back, as there is more to come. 😉
We all know February 6th was Super Bowl Sunday, but for us, it was just another Super Sunday at Windham Mountain. With 21 students in tow, we were on the mountain by 10 am, ready to tackle new trails and tricks.
Harlem Shake it Up, hahahaha!
Savion, Zaakirah, and Jackie laid their first tracks down on What’s Next? and White Way. (By the way, did you know all of Windham’s trails start with a “W”?)
Savion
Zaakirah
Jackie
Mr Ollie Kid aka Khaliq showed us how its done. But Khaliq don’t get too comfortable, Armani-Rae and Alexis have been nailing ollies too! 🙂
Let's Get It!
Jerrie’s group ventured off to the K Lift for the first time.
Heeyy Ms. Jerrie!
Jordan & Nathaniel
Tyson
Makhii gave the Aratik USA board sport trainer a try and looked good doing it!
Makhii
Sunday. February 27th will wrap up our season. I have to admit, it has been the best. We’ve had a chance to meet great, new people, reconnect with old friends, serve more youth and had more time on the mountains. And with all of the fresh snow Mother Nature has dumped on us, the season as a whole has been every skier and snowboarder’s dream.
There’s a ton of pictures on our Facebook page, so go take a look. And if you aren’t already, follow us on Twitter!
Cheers,
Liz
Hey everyone, we are officially at the mid-point in our Learn to Ride program. Like last year, our 4 day Learn to Ride program takes place at Windham Mountain. On our first day, Sunday, 1/23, Windham celebrated 50 years of service. Check out the cool ice sculpture:
Despite the freezing temperatures, Windham gave us a warm welcome back. They were just as excited to see us, as we were them. Our eager participants wasted no time gearing up for their first lesson of the year.
For the first day, we focused on courage and how it relates to snowboarding and everyday life. Everyone shared their definition of courage and gave examples of they were courageous. Day 2, we focused on discipline. Needless to say we got some interesting definitions for that one, lol!
Day 2 was filled with great surprises: the staff at Windham Mountain donated tons of gear to us, our first snowboard race, and Edward conquered the Green trail.
Marcel, Khaliq, Edward, & Brandon
Elijah from our Snow Monsters group came in first place.
After just learning to link turns, Elijah came in first place!
Two of our Snow Angels came in second and third.
Taralyn came in second!
Mani aka Ms. Beastin for like 5 Hours, lol!
Malik, Isaac, Alexis, Jackie, Taralyn, Makhii, Justin, and Isaiah moved up to the Willpower trail, riding the chair lift for the first time. Jerrie and Shanelle also took the plunge and gave Willpower a shot as well. I’m willing to bet Jordan and Masai will be there next Sunday as they were the last to leave the slopes.
Jordan
Malik
Isaac
Snow Angel Alexis
Justin
Be sure to check out our Facebook page to see all of the pictures from Day 1 and Day 2. Til next time!
On Saturday, January 15th, The Hidden Valley Club welcomed Shred Love and Anchor House. Based in Trenton, New Jersey, Anchor House is a multi-service agency for runaway, homeless, abused, and at-risk youth and their families. Best known for being “family friendly” and the place, “where family memories last a lifetime”, The Hidden Valley Club made all of us feel welcomed. When we arrived at the Rental Shop, all of our gear was laid out and waiting for us.
Shanelle & Jerrie
Following the format of our 4 day Learn to Ride program, the Anchor House group attended their first lesson…
but it didn’t take long for the magic to start.
No, your eyes aren’t fooling you, and yes Felix landed it! I was amazed by everyone, not just by their skills, but by their determination to get it. We’ve all heard stories of people being psyched about their first day of snowboarding, only to fall once and give up. But as in life, you can’t stop the first time your knocked on your “bum”, you have to dust yourself off and try again. That very lesson is the foundation of Shred Love.
For the 2010 – 2011 winter season, our focus will be on progression, goal setting, and developing creative problem solving skills. I know some may read “creative problem solving skills” and think, huh?! But if you really think about it, there is more than one way to skin a cat. And instead of accepting ‘no’ for an answer or taking the easy route, we’re planning to teach our participants how to find the best solution. I’ll stop there, because I could go on for days about setting goals, but I will leave you with this quote:
All that we are is the result of what we have thought. – Buddha
Think big, and then think bigger!
Special thanks to The Hidden Valley Club and Marianne, our board member, Mel Young for suggesting we reach out to Anchor House, everyone at the Anchor House, Russ, & Amy, Phil, and Tom of the NJ Herald.
And finally, a big thanks to our volunteer Jerrie and our teen mentors: Khaliq, Marcel, and Shanelle for their dedication.
Shred Love & Anchor House at The Hidden Valley Club
Shred Love proudly introduces you to one of our more advanced riders, Khaliq!
Name: Khaliq
About me: I play sports and dress very well and I’m a Holliboy!
What made you join Shred Love? (I joined because) my aunt loves me and asked me, so I did.
How has Shred Love changed your life? I do better at other things.
Firsts
First time I went snowboarding was at Blue Mountain.
First trick I landed snowboarding was a butter.
First trick I learned on a skateboard was an ollie.
Shred Love 