Professional skateboarder Jim Thiebaud recently announced a charity partnership with the five-time Grammy award winning alternative rock/punk band Green Day. These two iconic legends hope to raise money for the Children’s Hospital & Research Center in Oakland through this partnership. Both Thiebaud and members of Green Day were born in the Oakland, California area, so there’s a certain personal connection to this charity project. Keep reading and we’ll take a closer look into this project and how they plan on making money for it.
Background of Jim Thiebaud
Jim Thiebaud grew up skateboarding in Oakland at an early age. In the mid 80s, he was hitting streets doing what he loved. In 1985, Thiebaud dropped out at San Jose University to follow his true passion of skateboarding. Although his dad wasn’t too fond on this decision, Thiebaud was naturally happier and more content on a skateboard. Like most skateboarders, Thiebaud didn’t immediately make a lot of money from his new endeavor, but this didn’t stop him from perusing his dream of becoming a professional skateboarder.
Following his success as a pro skateboarder, Theibaud teamed up with one of his former partners, Tommy Guerrero, to launch a Real Skateboards in 1991. The duo’s brand is located in the heart of San Francisco, California where it now operates with over 40 employees.
About The Charity
So, how exactly do Thiebaud and Green Day plan to raise money for charity? Their plan is to release a line of skateboards designed with Green Day-inspired artwork and sell them in shops in and around the Oakland area. As previously stated, Thiebaud is the co-owner of several skateboarding shops; therefore, he should naturally be able to place the skateboards up for sale with ease.
The charity skateboards are titled “uno,” “dos,” tres,” and “quatro.” If you are a long-time Green Day fan, you might recall a trilogy of albums released back in 2011 and 2012. The first album was titled uno; the second was titled dos; and the third album was titled tres. Of course, there was no quatro album, but the name for Thiebaud’s skateboards follow the theme of Green Day’s trilogy of albums.
A portion of the proceeds made from the sale of these skateboards will go directly to the Children’s Hospital & Research Center in Oakland. Thiebaud claims the idea was all on Green Day’s shoulders, but this is likely just Thiebaud being his humble self. In any case, keep your eyes peeled for the release of these new Green Day-inspired skateboards.