The first group of kids who completed eight weeks of skateboarding lessons at Newport Skatepark through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport County’s new Wheels Up! program received certificates from their coach, professional skater Donny Barley, on May 29. After the ceremony, the children learned they would get to keep their skateboards.
This generous gift was made possible in part by local businesses like Mission, Omen, and Rejects Beer Co., who raised over $1,500 through a series of fundraisers. Omen also provided the skateboards to the Boys and Girls Clubs at cost.
However, the program’s major financial boost came from the Maya L. Auchincloss Trust, which donated $25,000 to support the clubs. The donation followed the Trust learning about Thompson Middle School teacher Thomas Haut’s efforts to give his students access to Newport’s new state-of-the-art skatepark.
Keith Kyle, a local attorney and trustee of the Auchincloss Trust, explained how the connection happened: “I saw an article in Newport This Week about the school teacher. Then I saw Cheyne Cousens’ name in it, and I grew up with his dad, so I reached out to him.”
Kyle added that Cousens brought in Paul Marshall, a board member of Friends of Newport Skatepark, and his wife, Charlotte, who helped create the Wheels Up! program. Kyle also contacted Kelly Coen, the Boys and Girls Clubs’ chief advancement officer. He called it “a series of fortuitous events.”
Kyle said he had been looking for meaningful donations that could benefit the community. “This program gives kids who otherwise wouldn’t have access to skateboarding the chance to learn the sport with skateboards, helmets, and a great park to practice in,” he said.
The Auchincloss Trust also donated $200,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs scholarship fund, greatly increasing its impact.
Cheyne Cousens, owner of Omen, a skate shop in Middletown, highlighted a special feature of the program: lessons with Donny Barley, a legendary pro skateboarder. Barley was featured in a 1996 video that many consider the best skateboarding video ever made.
“People don’t realize how influential he is,” Cousens said. “He was one of the top skaters and made a big impact. It’s like having Scottie Pippen teaching basketball.”
Thanks to the new funding, the Wheels Up! program is set to continue for years, providing local youth with lasting opportunities to skate and grow.