REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.-Earlier this week Sussex County lost a beloved member of the community. Sunday one of his food companies, "The Big Thunder Roadside Kitchen," provided food for the grand opening of the long awaited Epworth Skate Park.
The Epworth United Methodist Church is the home of the newly renovated Epworth skate park. The skate park is located on Holland Glade Road in the church's parking lot.
The free-access park is "skate at your own risk," but they do have 24 hour video surveillance to keep everyone safe.
Will Kelleher is one of many children who are thrilled that the skate park is finally finished.
"I like it. I like the bowl, and I'm glad that there's a skate park that I can go to everyday,” Kelleher said.
Fifty-year-old Bob Dreher is also happy that the park is complete. As a resident of Rehoboth Beach, the park will become his second home.
"I don't have to drive a half hour down to Ocean City, Maryland anymore and deal with the traffic. This is great. Being here, it's our own park," Dreher said.
Susan Selph has been the driving force behind the project. The Rehoboth community raised over $80,000 since last August. Selph said the park was in desperate need of a face lift.
“When we first started, we had wooden ramps that got so much use that we couldn't keep them in good repair, so concretes a good thing out here," Selph said.
Jim Affeldt Director of Operations for the Matt Haley Companies said Sunday's event was something Haley was adamant they attend before he passed away. The truck donated all of their proceeds back to the skate park as Matt Haley would have wanted.
"He called me about a month ago and said there is this awesome opportunity we bought Big Thunder our food truck about three months ago, and he said I want it there. Do whatever it takes, get it there. He sent me an email and said whatever we've got to do get it there," Affeldt said.
Rehoboth skaters now have a new place to call home at the Epworth skate park.
