Seattle - January 19, 2007

Pipe Dreams

The Service Board

When you took up snowboarding, your friends were supportive (but skeptical). Your honey tried to be helpful (buying you a helmet); your colleagues were excited (betting which bone you’d break first).

Six hours of butt-sledding later, you were hooked.

So you’ll want to get behind The Service Board, a nonprofit that considers snowboarding a metaphor for life. Every other winter weekend, the group takes at-risk Seattle-area teens to the slopes, providing boards, gear, lessons, and — most importantly — an alternative to less-constructive pursuits.

Those who left the bunny slope long ago can sign up to teach. Others can mentor or serve meals. TSB also facilitates community service projects and provides job- and life-skills training.

No matter what you do, you’ll be encouraging a younger generation to tackle some of life’s most intimidating challenges.

And, as you know, everything’s downhill from there.

The Service Board, 2017 East Spruce Street (206-324-7771 or theserviceboard.org).