As more than 50 underserved children in
the Providence, R.I., area take the ice for their
lessons, their focus is not on the scrutiny of a
judging panel, how many points their elements
are worth or how much longer they are required
to practice. Instead, participants in the Skate for
Joy program lace up their skates grateful for the
opportunity to glide across the ice each week
simply to experience the true joy of ice skating.
“It is great to see the kids succeed, gaining
confidence in their abilities even over just the first
hour,” said Liz DeMetro, Skate for Joy’s executive
assistant. “I even had one brand-new skater say
she wanted to live at the rink.”
Providence Mayor Angel Taveras awards a Skate for Joy participant a medal of participation.
Skate for Joy targets low income families in
the Providence area, providing ice skating lessons
to children who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity
due to financial difficulties. Now in its
11th year, the non-profit organization strives to
inspire and engage underserved youth from all
backgrounds in an after-school U.S. Figure Skating
Basic Skills Program.
“This season, one mother came to us after
she had to pull her daughter out of dance class because
it had gotten too expensive,” DeMetro said.
“Our program provides a fun, affordable opportunity
for those families. We provide 14 weeks of
on-ice instruction along with skates, helmets, life
skills speakers and healthy snacks. We also have an
annual Skate with Santa party and an awards banquet
at the end of each season.”
Prohibited by the cost of ice time, skating instruction,
equipment and transportation, inner-city
children seldom have the opportunity to discover
the joy and important life skills the sport
has to offer including perseverance, confidence,
teamwork and a sense of achievement.
Skate for Joy fills the gap between outdoor
fall and spring after-school sports/activities, providing
no- or low-cost Basic Skills instruction as
a weekly Learn to Skate Program each December
to March.
“We have been working all summer to expand
our program, hoping to offer more services
and serve more kids,” DeMetro said. “We also
have two new staff members this year. I am the
executive assistant and Karen Short is our on-ice
coordinator. Last week we got all of the kids onto
the ice, and for most of them, it was their first
time ever.”
In addition to staff expansion, Skate for Joy
has added basic hockey skating lessons to their
program this season.
Funded only by grants and donations, Skate
for Joy operates thanks to the ongoing generosity
of the City of Providence Department of Parks
and Recreation. The organization also partners
with several schools and community service organizations
throughout the city, including Paul
Cuffee School and South Providence Neighborhood
Ministries.
“The smiles that arise on the faces of students
when they talk about the program give me
the first hint that Skate for Joy is succeeding,”
Michael C. Obel-Omia, Head of Paul Cuffee
School said. “The laughter that fills downtown
Providence’s skating rink as they glide along the
sheet of ice affirms that Skate for Joy is exceeding
its goals.”
For more information or to make a
donation, visit www.skateforjoy.org, call
401-751-4569 or “like” them on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/SkateForJoy.
by MIMI WHETSTONE
38 JANUARY 2013