How You Can Help Support the Snowboard Community – A Letter from George Carpenter

The following letter was written by George Carpenter, son of Burton founder Jake Burton Carpenter and Donna Carpenter.

When COVID hit, our family knew that Burton would have to work hard to support our people, and we’re excited to roll out a new way for us to support the global snowboard community.

Our first step of action was to unite our team in a message about staying at home. Next, we were all concerned about the lack of medical equipment and support for our front-line medical workers. My mom and the folks at Burton quickly mobilized our teams and supply chain to create 500,000 KN95 masks, 6,600 face shield brims, and 21,000 shields, and supported goggles for docs where we donated 1,600 pairs of goggles while encouraging our community to join in by donating their own. Everyone’s ability to pivot so quickly, donate so many necessary items, and truly make a difference was incredibly inspiring.

Taylor and I knew that our snowboarding community was going to need help in order to survive. We mobilized and called our friends in the industry: snowboard shop employees, photographers and filmers, amateur and pro snowboarders, and people who live in mountain towns. We asked, “How can Burton help right now?”

We listened and took notes. The most important feedback we got was that snowboard shops are first among the people and institutions that we should help in order to keep the wheels turning. These people are our friends, our brothers and sisters, and have also been there for us forever.

We grew up as snowboarders in Stowe, Vermont. Throughout my adolescent years, our crew of friends would ride all day and then go hang out at Darkside, our local shop. We practically lived there. They had a rail setup in the back that we had daily sessions on. They played snowboard movies all day long and were a part of our crew. We all looked up to the people who worked there, and they taught us about snowboarding. Hanging around the shop not only made us happy, but it immersed us in the culture. It brought us all together in a way that I wouldn’t fully appreciate until I was older. Taylor hung out there so often that he begged the manager for a job, and at 14, he was Darkside’s youngest employee. He worked there part time for years and loved it.

We want to support snowboard shops through these hard times. Burton has a large and loyal community, and these shops need our love. Now more than ever.

We are giving 23 of our pro riders’ personal boards to 23 shops around the world. These boards have all been a part of snowboarding history, and the same goes for the shops that they will be available at. Think of all the inspiration that has come from these riders. Think about all the inspiration that has come out of these shops. We are really proud to make this happen. And in case you can’t get one, we’ll also be giving each shop one to hang on their walls to make it a part of your scene. If your local shop isn’t a part of this list, we are sorry. Please go in anyway and share the love.

Thanks,

George Carpenter

We kicked things off in Australia, New Zealand and now we are rolling out the riders boards and the shops in North America - details below.

These shops are open and they're in the heart of the season. We are hoping that they can set an example of how we can ride together during season.

We would love for you to enter to win one of these boards, but more importantly we want you to feel like you’re a part of the local snowboard community by supporting these shops. So, make sure to go into your local shop this winter. Introduce yourself. Talk about snowboarding. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook. Tell your friends and family about them. Rock their sticker on your board. Show the love. We want you to feel that same sense of community and passion for snowboarding that all these shop workers have. The love is infectious!

Empire - @thinkempire / Enter to Win

Rude Girls - @rudegirlsshop / Enter to Win

Sanction - @sanctionskate / Enter to Win

Radio - @radioboardshop / Enter to Win

Gravitee - @graviteeboardshop / Enter to Win

Darkside - @darksidevt / Enter to Win

Boardroom - @boardroomeville / Enter to Win

Edge of the World - @edgeoworldnc / Enter to Win

Zombie - @zombieboardshop / Enter to Win

Focus - @focus_boardshop / Enter to Win

Wave Rave - @wave_rave / Enter to Win

Surf Side - @surfsidesports / Enter to Win

Backwoods - @backwoods2005 / Enter to Win

Good luck, support local snowboarding, and have fun shredding.