LAFAYETTE, La. — A newly-opened skate park at Thomas Park is not only giving local skaters a place to ride, it’s also becoming a hub for community support and inclusion.
KATC spoke with Femmes Sk82, a local women-run skating group in Lafayette.
“I was on the committee to get this started. It’s amazing,” said Lindsay Weekly, an avid skater. “Now my kids have a place to skate, we don’t have to be in the streets anymore.”
Every second Sunday of the month, the group meets and teaches others skating lessons for free. They also try to provide boards or roller skates to young children who may not have them.
Among the young skaters is Cylinia, whose family recently moved to Lafayette from France in search of a better life after experiencing discrimination in their home country. Cylinia's family said this is due to her mother being wheelchair bound from cerebral palsy.
According to Cylinia's father on Cedric's GoFundMe page, "Life in France for people with disabilities is really not ideal: limited accommodations, little to no employment opportunities, widespread discrimination, and unfriendly looks from others."
For Cylinia, she fell in love with the sport almost instantly.
"The first time I did it, I liked it. After I try my best to do as good as I can, I love it's my passion," she said.
Cylinia’s younger sister also joined in the fun, making the skate park a family affair, but while the girls roll freely across the park, Melodie, their mother, often watches from the sidelines.
However, Femmes Sk82 is working to change that.
The group has launched a fundraising effort to purchase a motorized wheelchair for Mélodie. Her current manual wheelchair is limiting and having a new electric one could make it much easier for her to get around the park.
“It’s nice for her to see her daughters skate and be a part of it,” Weekly said. “If she has this electric wheelchair, she would be able to go around and participate more with her family.”
For Mélodie, skating has become more than just a hobby for her daughters—it’s a way for her family to spend time together outdoors, building community and joy in a new country.
“Skating means a lot to our family,” she said in French. “It gives us a reason to be outside and enjoy the day together.”
The skating group is planning a fundraising event at the Blue Moon Saloon to help cover the cost of the wheelchair. You can stop by on May 17 starting at 2 p.m. There will be an auction of local art to support the family, along with live music and food. Entry is $15.
“We all support each other, you know when you learn a new trick you have your friends supporting you. I met my family here, to me skaters are home, skaters are family, and that's Louisiana culture," Weekly tells KATC. "You help out neighbors and everyone gets together. Why wouldn't you help your neighbors out?”
To learn more about Femmes Sk82 or to support the fundraising efforts, check out the flyer below.
