JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Sunday, local veterans gathered at the Artist Walk Skatepark for a unique dual celebration of Go Skateboarding Day and Father’s Day. Hosted by the Wounded Warrior Project, the event provided service members the opportunity to learn new skills, bond with fellow veterans, and take home custom-designed skateboards.
The gathering focused heavily on the therapeutic power of community and physical activity. Organizers designed the event to ensure that all participating veterans could connect, move, and engage with their peers, regardless of the nature of their illness or injury.
For participant Leslie De La Serna, gliding across the concrete and attempting tricks alongside fellow service members carried deep personal significance. He noted that skateboarding has integrated directly into his personal recovery journey.
“It’s a good feeling, especially when you’re among fellow warriors,” De La Serna said. “It’s helping me with my mental state and of course, physical.”
Creating that exact sense of holistic healing was the primary goal for the Wounded Warrior Project. By introducing the veterans referred to as “warriors” to skateboarding, the organization sought to open doors to unfamiliar forms of physical recreation. Roughly 35 veterans were anticipated to participate over the weekend.
“It’s about movement,” said event spokesperson Jonas Harmon. “Movement is medicine, and it’s about showing these warriors that despite injury or illness, they can get out, try new things, have fun while doing it, connect with others, and maybe learn something that they can continue to do beyond this event.”
In addition to receiving free skateboarding lessons, every participating veteran was gifted their own skateboard. The boards held special meaning, featuring custom underside artwork created by other veterans through “Warriors on Board” a specialized program that uses art therapy with physical exercise.
According to Harmon, the creators of the artwork “painted on the bottom of these skateboards what they were feeling, what they’re going through,” transforming the equipment into personal symbols of shared resilience and recovery.
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