Using the Inline Planet Skaters social network, I have been corresponding with Paul Korankye in Ghana, Africa for the past year. Although he’s only 20 years old, he is as passionate about his speed skating group as he is about his Christianity. Last year I sent them a carton of Get Rolling books, plus a few stickers and other spare skating-related items.
I have been deleting spam from Nigeria for years, and I encountered many opportunists in my trip to Tanzania in February, so I react with suspicion to requests from Africa. But it is clear from our exchanges on the Inline Planet community and the photographs under his profile that Paul and his team are definitely enthusiastic about this sport!
Group photo taken at a June 2010 event
I promised young Paul I would do my best to introduce him and his group to my friends. In his own words, here is what he is requesting from U.S. skaters:
i want to travel to the u.s. to spend some holidays there and see how skate is going on there and also to see how skate teams plan events or a competition and come back to Ghana and share it with skate teams here so that we will develop skating in Ghana and across Africa and know what and when to do with this life experience gift..so i want you to talk to the skaters there so that they can rise some funds to support me to get a visa to come there OK this the what am asking from you all skaters there we are all one family in Christ and in skating ….please!!!….please!!! this my dream to make skate one of the biggest sports in the whole world …so this is my idea and plan please ..!!!!!!!!
View Paul’s latest photos and make friends with him by joining the Inline Planet Community. If you decide to support his speed skating team, he would welcome direct contact through email at paul_kn2000@yahoo.com.