LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. (KERO) — Tricks for Treats brought community members to the skate park in Lake Isabella for wholesome fun, candy, games, decorations, costumes, and prizes.
- The event received funding from the Neighbor-to-Neighbor grant, a sate grant awarded to Kern County to help throw community events in the Kern River Valley.
- Organizers say they hope this is the first of what will become an annual event.
- The Lake Isabella skate park officially opened this year after roughly twenty years of local efforts to get a skate park in the Kern River Valley.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“On Friday I came here to practice and now I’m in the competition,” said Elliot Richardson.
Richardson traveled all the way from Taft to come to the Tricks or Treat event in Lake Isabella - which featured a friendly trick competition.
“So my time has been really good, I made some new friends,” Richardson said.
Now nine, he’s been skating since he was three, and it was his father – who also went to the event – who taught him how to rollerblade.
“My dad bought me these when I was little,” Richardson said referencing his rollerblades.
The event was attended by people all ages - and that’s by design.
“They come here they watch their kids, the parents are out here skating with them. It's just fun all the way around for everybody,” said Teresa Contereras.
Contereras helped organize the event, which also featured a trunk or treat element – with residents getting festive and dressing up.
“Around Halloween I do an event called Tricks for Treats, and this year I couldn't do it in Ridgecrest,” said Bart Hufs, who attended the event.
Hufs, an event organizer and skater from Ridgecrest says Contreras contacted him about putting on a similar event in Lake Isabella.
“I was like oh that’s a great idea. We need to have something annual here so we can keep the momentum going with the skate park,” Contreras said.
Hufs says skating brings friends and family closer together.
“When people learn how to skate, they build more courage. It’s good for their mental health, and their friends and family coming to support them, gives them the power to continue to go.”
And one resident in attendance was honoring her family member in a unique way.
“Karen always said that she wanted a bench so she could sit down and watch the kids skate, so, I wanted to get her a bench so she can sit down and watch the kids skate,” said Ruth Frantz.
Frantz is the sister of Karene Williams, a resident who worked tirelessly for years to raise funds for the skate park.
“She worked for years for this thing, but she died last year so she didn’t get to see it completed, Frantz said.
Frantz is honoring her sister with a bench - which she was able to show off at the event – knowing her sister would have loved to see all the kids enjoying the park.
“She’d be amazed. She would have really liked to have seen this,” Frantz said.
The bench will soon be installed under a tree near the skatepark.
“I love driving by here and seeing the kids no matter what time of day it is, they're always out here having fun,” Frantz said.
The children had a blast - the winners in every age bracket in the trick competition received a trophy.
And kids like Elliot skated to their hearts desire.
“I came here to participate, try my best, and have the best time of my life,” Elliot said.
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