CALIFORNIA CUP SERIES SUSPENDED FOR 2008 - BACK IN 2009

The California Outdoor Rollersports Association has been going through a metamorphosis. We are now a non profit corporation registered with the State of California and the Internal Revenue Service.  We are now ready to move forward and carrying out a plan to reinvigorate skating in the San Francisco area and California.

David Miles Jr. has officially stepped down as C.O.R.A. President.  At the last Board of Directors meeting a new President of C.O.R.A. was elected. Congratulations to Chris Duderstadt. He has long been a strong advocate for skating and will be a great President. Lainie Monsef was elected as Vice President. Both will serve the skating community very well. I have not quit the organization. D. Miles will continue to serve as Executive Director of the organization. The direction of the nonprofit will be determined by the President and the Board of Directors. As Executive Director, Miles will carry out the tasks set forth by the Board.

C.O.R.A. is basically starting over with a new effort to develop new skaters. In order to do this, we need support from those of you that would like to be a partner with us as we move forward. We are putting together a new C.O.R.A. membership package. We will be able to serve you discounted prices on skates, wheels, bearings and other skate equipment. It is your membership in this organization and your support for this effort that will help bring more people both young and old into our community of skaters.

CORA EVENTS CALENDAR

One of the problems with promoting skating in 2008 is there are no sponsors willing to help with cash support. Product is fine, but you can't pay permits fees with it.  The current efforts of wrangling the same skaters into a limited number of national events will further limit the numbers of skaters in those events that can not afford to be in the loop. That will result in fewer people discovering skating and eventually fewer skaters in those bigger events with no reinforcements on the horizon. At the rate skating's growth is going right now, we'll be lucky to have 3 events that are worth mentioning by 2010.

C.O.R.A. Board of Directors has decided to suspend the California Cup Inline Racing Series for one year. That means we will NOT be presenting the Greg Levien 50 Kilometer Memorial Roadskate, the Crystal Springs Inline Marathon or the GodFather's 100 Kilometer Challenge in 2008. These events will be back in 2009. We will take 2008 and build up our resources. We plan to raise enough money in 2008 to present a proper Cal Cup Series in 2009. We will become self sufficient. We will invest in our own chip timing system and help other groups to become self sufficient as well as new skater groups become allied with our efforts.

We will present the Napa Valley Inline Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday July 13, 2008. We have a new course on the Silverado Trail between Oak Knoll Road and Oakville Cross Road. This is a much smoother portion of the Silverado Trail. We are thinking of presenting the "Do You Know The Way To San Jose Roadskate" this summer.  It's 50 miles and focuses on skating as alternative transportation.

HOW WE WILL REBUILD

We are doing a massive PR campaign for C.O.R.A. through the Skate Against Violence Campaign and Roadskate. The Campaign is a three pronged effort to strongly raise awareness of the positive aspects inline skating can bring to the lives of youth and to give young people a fun, healthy alternative they can enjoy.  It includes the SAV Roadskate from San Francisco to Santa Monica, http://www.cora.org/SFtoLA2008.htm  The C.O.R.A. SkateFit Program, http://www.cora.org/CoraSkateFitProgram.htm and  "Healthy Saturdays". http://www.cora.org/HealthySaturdays.htm

The SAV Roadskate is a rolling anti-violence campaign designed to showcase the health, social and ecological benefits of skating as recreation, physical fitness and alternative transportation. This may not end violence in the street, but it can have an enormous impact in the minds of young people who will benefit from the social interaction and the physical conditioning skating will bring into their lives. We will try to draw attention to people out there looking to discover the joy of skating and get them involved through the SkateFit Program.  We will use the example of Healthy Saturdays so that every community in California can have a road closed off for recreational purposes.  This will create a new breeding ground and new beginning for growing the sport.

I am finalizing plans for the SAV Roadskate as we speak. Here are the names of those who are planning to skate with us. We leave on Monday, April 14.  We will post the route so people who live along the route can join us for a while. I am putting together a webpage complete with skater bios. Here is who is going so far:

1. Michele Knowels
2. Mike Riddle
3. Ming Lee
4. Jonathan Seutter
5. Michael Garvin
6. Tom Vick
7. Jack Fong
8. Chris Bohren
9. Robert Motta Jr.
10. Robert Wurgaft
11. John McKnight
12. Barrie Hartman
13.  Dennis Cummings

We are promoting a big roller disco fundraiser on April 5 at ISA High School. http://www.cora.org/SAVParty2008.htm The school donated the gym for the party free to show their support for us. I think realistically we can raise $3,500 towards the skate through that event. I am trying to do another event on Sat. April 12. Maybe an all girl roller derby game.

Any little donation helps!!! C.O.R.A. has a tax ID number where the donation is tax deductible. http://www.active.com/donate/SkateAgainstViolence

We have what it takes to make something happen for skating in a big way. We are going to reinvigorate skating. Don't be a poser. Don't wait for someone to do it for you. They won't. Get involved and truly show some support for this effort.

Keep Rollin',

D. Miles Jr.
Executive Director
California Outdoor Rollersports Association
http://www.cora.org