- Valley View News
Skating Mamas of SCV is bringing neighbors together
SANTA CLARITA, CA - A similar interest for roller skating keeps bringing this group of mothers back to Central Park every week. They call themselves Skating Mamas of SCV.
Dawn Walker is a Santa Clarita mom who wanted to teach herself how to roller skate. Using this opportunity to connect with neighbors, she posted in the Santa Clarita Community Facebook group to find others who might share her interest.
Walker could not have predicted how popular her post would become. “I think there was like a couple hundred messages. There is already like 700 comments on it. It’s huge,” she says.
The quick, positive responses to her post inspired her to start a skating group. Since beginning on Feb. 11, 2021, Skating Mamas of SCV has grown to 1.3K members.
She says the group has become one big family with everyone being supportive of each other, no matter the age or experience level. Walker emphasizes, “The people who have joined are just really nice people. They’re helpful to each other. Like if someone falls, everyone is rushing to them.”
Skating Mamas has attracted skaters of all kinds. Althea Berretta is a 23-year-old experienced skater who was looking for a group to join.
“I always wanted a skating group to go to…This was my opportunity to join one and I was really excited about it,” said Berretta.
Berretta has been skating for three and a half years. She started coordinating long distance skating events with other members of the group. Despite COVID-19 making it difficult to socialize, Berretta says meeting new people and being outside with this organization has been a positive experience.
Walker says anyone interested in skating is encouraged to join the Skating Mamas of SCV Facebook group. In addition to in-person meet ups, the group has started selling t-shirts with a portion of the proceeds going to feedSCV, a charity organization dedicated to feeding children in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Video, Savanna Birchfield
By Savanna Birchfield
With contributions from Skating Mamas of SCV and feedSCV
Photo, Savanna Birchfield
Video, Savanna Birchfield
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