Thanks for supporting skateboard fund-raiser

To the editor: The family of Kyle A. Cabral would like to thank everyone who participated and supported the Skate for Life competition that was held on Oct. 6, at the Robert Newhard Memorial Skateboard Park in the four divisions of the competition. Approximately $1,500 was raised and will be sent to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Kyle’s memory. The competition ran from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with numerous local vendors and music to entertain the participants and spectators. During the event a special dedication of a “Woodward” skate bench was made on behalf of a very generous donation from the NYU School of Medicine, Department of Environmental Science. A very special thank you goes out to Kyle’s close friend, Jess Alexander, who came up with the idea of a skateboarding competition to help support to keep Kyle’s memory alive by doing the one thing he loved most to do. Jess also made wonderful T-shirts in Kyle’s memory that were sold during the day with the proceeds being donated to AFSP. In addition, we would like to give a special thanks to Joe Raia of Garage Boardshop & Apparel for taking Jess’s idea and running with it. Joe organized the event by recruiting close to 20 local sponsors/vendors and the free entertainment, as well as ordering and receiving the skate bench in time for the dedication. We would also like to thank NYU for their continued love and support to our family. The bench is wonderful and now there will always be a memory of Kyle at the skate park. Finally, we would like to thank the community at large for their continued support and look forward to making the skateboard competition an annual event. Ken, Kammy and Kean Cabral