Founded by Buck and Tara Chavarria in 2005, the Steamboat Sk8 Church has long offered young people in Steamboat Springs and the surrounding communities a safe, sober space where they can skate and hang out with friends.

Executive Director Marco Cuevas doesn’t have to search far to see the impact the church has had on the community, but he also admits that the faith-based skatepark faces several challenges — including coming up with more than $8,000 a month in rent for the 5,000-square-foot space.

“We provide this place for a community, but we don’t make money,” Cuevas said. “It’s not an unreasonable amount for the size, but it’s also a lot of money for us with our rent being between $8,000 and $9,000 a month.”

Cuevas said the church depends on donations to cover the rent and other operating expenses. He is also optimistic that a fundraising effort on July 4, featuring at least 16 local businesses that will donate a portion of their proceeds to the church, will help keep its doors open.

The church will also host professional skater Tim Burns in November to talk about his life with youth groups at the Sk8 Church. Burns said the event will be for a younger crowd and will be free, but the church is asking for donations. The next night, Burns will take part in a more formal fundraiser at the Steamboat Christian Center.

“The mission of Sk8 Church is seeing lives changed, and we do that through relationships and through providing a free place,” Cuevas said. “(The SteamboatSk8 Church) is a place where they can be with their friends. They’re safe and it’s sober for people of all ages. We have people that work on the mountain, and they want a place where they don’t have to drink and can just come and hang out with friends, and we have middle schoolers who want a safe place where they can skate, play video games or just hang out with their friends … It’s safe and provides a sense of community and family.”

Cuevas said skateboarding is a great way to connect with young people in the community, and the Steamboat Sk8 Church offers a number of programs such as open skating sessions, middle school skate church, ladies Sk8, and a skateboard sessions for high school aged students and up. The church also offers addiction recovery meetings, as well as mission trips.

Cuevas stepped in as executive director in January, taking over for Noah Blumenberg. However, Cuevas has been involved with the Steamboat Sk8 Church since moving to the area 10 years ago. He was a member of the board of directors for four years and a volunteer.

For more than 20 years, the Steamboat Sk8 Church has reached out by meeting the physical and spiritual needs required to change lives. The church understands that the Yampa Valley faces an ongoing battle with drug abuse, suicide and depression among youth, which is why the Sk8 Church provides a safe and sober environment for anyone regardless of background, religion, race or gender.

Cuevas said the church does face some financial challenges, but asked if it would have to close its doors, he was quick to respond.

“Not today,” Cuevas said. “We are faithful and we’re hopeful and we have our educational beliefs, and we know we’re supposed to be here. We also know that Steamboat supports the Sk8 church. When I talk to people, they say, ‘The Sk8 church is amazing. It helped my nephew. It was really important for my neighbor.’ It’s touched so many people over the years it’s been here, and how many businesses have been here more than 20 years?”