While Sk8 Church is only 3 years old the history started back in 1993! Founders Buck & Tara Chavarria met while they were in their high school years in Temecula, California. Like most teenagers they felt that they already knew about life and all it had to offer. They were heavily involved in drugs, alcohol, and each other, and had become hardened and jaded by the young age of 16. High school seemed like a waste of time and partying started to consume all they had. By the time they were 17 the road they were on together was going nowhere.
As things were quickly spiraling downhill 2 separate, unrelated families saw the need Buck & Tara had and took them in. Tara remained in Southern California and Buck moved to Denver, Colorado. Both families provided love, rules, structure, and required that both Buck & Tara get back in school and graduate. It is scary to think of where they would be now without the love and help of these families.
After graduation Buck moved up to Steamboat Springs to be a ski bum and Tara tried college, but ended up working the corporate ladder, trying to find happiness in success. In 1996 Buck had a child (Hunter) with a girl in Steamboat and faced with the reality of being father at 20 years old so started his quest to become a better person. This proved to be very difficult since there was years and years of bad behavior and thoughts ingrained into him, but eventually his search led him to a little country church by the name of Euzoa Bible Church where he started to find God. Tara was struggling to hang on to lasting happiness and continually searched for it in success, relationships, and alcohol. None of these things were working so she took a job transfer to Denver, Colorado to try and start over.
In 1998 Tara moved to Denver, and Buck’s relationship with his son’s mom had ended. They found each other again and began a relationship. This time their behavior was the same, but Buck started talking about Jesus and this new relationship he had with Him. Tara was slow to attend church with Buck, but eventually she went with him and together they started to experience small life changes and learned new ways to think about and do life. In 2000 Tara left Denver to move to Steamboat and start a life with Buck. There was still a ton of old behaviors that they needed to work on and healthy relationships were difficult for both of them, but as they dove into church, God, and His word things started to change in them.
In 2001 they were married and made a commitment to get involved in church and raise their family with Jesus at the center. In 2003 they had a daughter (Courtney) and 13 months later they had another daughter (Chloe). Life was very full and busy when God called them to do something radical!
In the summer of 2005 Buck & Tara had a large going away party for some friends. The following day there was a ton of food left over and while Tara was in the kitchen the thought “take the food to the Sk8 Park” kept popping in her head all day. Not sure if she was going crazy or if God actually was talking to her, she decided they better listen. By the time Buck got to work all the leftovers were packed into the Suburban and they headed to the Sk8 Park. What they found were so many lost kids and young adults. They were starving for food, but also for guidance, mentorship, and direction. The drug deals and use, alcohol use and language were among just a few of the many issues that they experienced. With a background of skateboarding and tough living it was a natural fit for Buck & Tara to be at the skate park. They related to the lifestyle the kids were living and God gave them a burning desire to make a difference. That was a Thursday 3 years ago and today you can still find them serving food every Thursday! There have been many amazing relationships formed, tons of victories and an equal amount of heartaches. The work is slow at times, but the seeds of change are being planted and lives are being impacted and changed!
Buck & Tara started doing Sk8 Church as their full time jobs in January 2008. They have an amazing volunteer staff that they couldn’t live without! There is much more work to be done in this valley to see people set free from addictions, hurts, hang ups, and destruction. Sk8 Church is here to make a lasting difference and it all started when God saved 2 people and brought them together to make a difference!
