OCEAN CITY — Dozens turned out for the annual Skato for Kato event June 20 that featured a skateboard competition and concert by the punk-pop band The Sheckies.
Skateboarders young and old (not quite as old as this former skate rat) attacked the obstacles, ramps and bowls to show off their best tricks at the Ocean City Skate Park on the corner of Fifth Street and Asbury Avenue
All proceeds from the entry fees benefit the Humane Society of Ocean City, where Kato was adopted and served as the event mascot until his passing in 2023. Donations to the Humane Society were encouraged and appreciated.
Phil Bellucci, executive director of the HSOC, who had adopted Kato from the organization’s shelter, said his best friend passed before the event in 2023, prompting the name change from Skato with Kato to Skato for Kato this year.
“Last year was the first year without Kato. Kato passed last year; it was kind of sad last year and this year we are taking it back up to the level of Kato. Now it’s Skato for Kato,” Bellucci said. “He was an absolute rock star dog.”
Bellucci said Kato would do a ceremonial walk around the skate park before the competition began each year.
Bellucci said the organization, which has a shelter off Tennessee Avenue behind the municipal golf course, had many fundraisers for adults but none for children.
“So, I created an event a lot more kid-related,” he said, calling it a real community event. “Some day some of these kids will be taking my job and other people’s jobs. You hear so much negative stuff but these kids are awesome,”
Bellucci said holding the event without his faithful companion is difficult.
“Anybody who has ever had the love for a dog, you go through the grieving process. Last year was emotionally hard, it was painful, but this year it’s exciting again,” he said. “The easy thing to do would be to have said Kato has passed and we’re not going to do it anymore, but I have made so many connections with people who come back every year that we owe it to Kato to keep it going. We just want to make it bigger and better every year.”
Standing behind the registration table, Bellucci said it soon would be filled with prizes donated by local merchants, including Seventh Street Surf Shop, Exit 4 Escape Rooms, Heritage Surf & Sport, Lipstick Skateboards, Little Egg Harbor Soap Co., Manco & Manco Pizza, Nauti Donuts, Ocean City Coffee Co., Peace of Wood, Playa Bowls, Playland’s Castaway Cove, Ryan’s Barbershop, South Jersey Mining Co., Study Savings Bank, Surfers Supplies, Wild Magnolia and We Make it Personal.
“All of these local shops are just amazing. I am going to have this table full of hats and shirts, decks and these trophies — all donated by local merchants,” he said, noting most of the competitors walk away with prizes. “We want it to be a fun event.”
He said it traditionally raises between $1,000 and $2,500 for the shelter every year, including through online donations.
“It’s a fun way to support the humane society, expose these kids to a little bit of what we do,” Bellucci said. “I’m excited to be part of something that is so positive.”
He said another change this year is the return to a punk vibe.
“The last couple of years we had more of a reggae theme. Kato was big and bold, a white German shepherd, so we wanted to go back to the big and bold,” he said, noting he has known the band for years.
Pulling off some fancy feats was Viviana Pecchia, 11, of Margate.
“I just like skateboarding. I have done it since I was 5 and it’s really fun to me,” she said. “It’s something me and my dad bond over.”
The rising sixth-grader said she was working on landing a grab in the big bowl.
Ty Pitt, who lives near the skate park, said he loves the competition.
“It’s just fun, entertaining and you can win things,” he said, noting he likes the bowl, snake run and half-pipe where he pulls off big airs.
The 14-year-old said he has been skating for about four year and loves having a park in his hometown.
“It’s pretty nice because you can come here whenever you want,” Pitt said.
– STORY by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
