Furniture Quad Cities

Five lessons learned from skateboarders

 “Behind the oversized pants that hang too low and skateboard wheels, there lies a hidden, quiet sort of wisdom in skateboarders.”

So speaks Pennie Kellenberger. She learned lessons of life after taking 28 young Quad-City guys on a tour of five Midwest skateparks in four days.

Skateboarders revel in tricks.

Think it over as you wait your turn in traffic, or sit in the cool comfort of your family room. Is not all of life a trick, in some form or another?

The skateboarders — and three adult chaperones — were from The Center, a  faith-based social service agency that has a skate ministry and four floors of ramps in the mammoth former Wayne Montgomery furniture store building at 1411 Brady St., Davenport.

Pennie, director of the Center, says “Our skateboarders traveled on a chartered bus on a low budget trip. We camped out some nights.

“I spent four days straight, watching and listening to these 28 boys, a few of them young men.  The wisdom comes from falling down, getting hurt, getting up and doing it all over again,” she says.

Tricks of the skateboard can apply to life, in one way or another, be you a teacher, a sales clerk, a truck driver or someone who has just lost a job.

Pennie’s feelings are told in The Center’s July newsletter in which she says, “Life’s reflections were so evident on our trip with these young people to skateboard parks in Rockford, Ill., Milwaukee and Warren, Wis., Minneapolis and St. Cloud, Minn.”

In order are five handfuls of her thoughts, gleaned from “travels with skateboarders.” I add a few of my own meanderings:

1. ALWAYS SUPPORT your friends. When friends accomplish something, make good noise. When they fall, the more noise you make will help them (next time).

2. DO IT AGAIN. If you can’t land a trick the first time, try it again — no matter how the first attempt failed. Life is a trick. If you still can’t land the trick, keep trying no matter how the first 100 attempts failed.

3. TAKE TURNS. You must always wait your turn on the ramps. Life is taking turns. If you lose track of who goes next, there will be people around that will remind you. You learn to do the right thing faster that way.

4. CONCRETE is hard, and it hurts. When you land on concrete, it’s a hard knock.  Life can be full of hard knocks. Don’t whine too soon.  No one likes to be around whiners.  (Purely personal, I regularly think of one of my Dad’s favorite homilies: “Blessed is the man who doesn’t bellyache.

Patio Furniture Quad Cities | Redwood Furniture

All-weather protection for your outdoor umbrellas. The Eco Patio collection is an Eco-friendly fabric, excellent performance and upscale style. Constructed with post consumer recycled fibers, finished with PVC free coatings and packaged in a reusable tote. This elegant line helps protect furniture and the planet. The tough interlocking seams add strength and durability along with the special treatments that ensures fabric wont crack in cold weather. Includes click-close straps to snap over legs and secures cover on windy days, the air vent reduces inside condensation and wind lofting. Color Pebble, Sage and Cyprus tones Reusable tote Zippered closure for easy fitting and removal Fits most patio and market umbrellas up to 10′D Weight 2 lbs Three year warranty Features padded handles for easy fitting and removal, elastic hem cord with a toggle that allows adjustment for a tight and custom fit. The elegant color styling allows these attractive covers to blend into any home decor palette as well as natural outdoor settings. All-weather protection for your patio chairs. The Eco Patio collection is an Eco-friendly fabric, with excellent performance and upscale style. Constructed with post consumer recycled fibers, finished with PVC free coatings and packaged in a reusable tote. This elegant line helps protect furniture and the planet. The tough interlocking seams add strength and durability along with the special treatments that ensures fabric wont crack in cold weather. Includes click-close straps to snap over legs and secures cover on windy days, the air vent reduces inside condensation and wind lofting. Pebble, Sage and Cyprus tones Reusable tote Fits Chairs with Backrests up to 20″H Dimensions: 28.5″L x 25.5″W x 26″H Weight 2.5 lbs Three year warranty Features padded handles for easy fitting and removal, elastic hem cord with a toggle that allows adjustment for a tight and custom fit. The elegant color styling allows these attractive covers to blend into any home decor palette as well as natural outdoor settings. All-weather protection for your patio chairs. The Eco Patio collection is an Eco-friendly fabric, with excellent performance and upscale style. Constructed with post consumer recycled fibers, finished with PVC free coatings and packaged in a reusable tote. This elegant line helps protect furniture and the planet.

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