Girls United Skateboarding

01/23/2026

Girls United lives on — and there is still so much meaningful work ahead in our community. Thank you, truly, for believing in me, in this mission, and in the power of camp to help girls grow into confident, courageous humans.

From the very beginning, Girls United was built on a simple belief: when girls are given a safe place to try, they grow. I’ve always led with my heart, because that’s where real leadership begins. Leading with your heart doesn’t mean things are easy or perfect — it means choosing love first, acting with courage before confidence, and trusting that confidence comes after the action.

That’s exactly what camp gives our girls.
A place to take chances, try something new, make mistakes, laugh loudly, shake their b***y, high-five new friends, and discover they are capable of more than they imagined.

I often tell our campers, “Believe in yourself — you can be anyone you aspire to be.”
And I’ve realized I have to live that truth myself — to truly practice what I preach.

As one of my favorite people, Bob Goff, says:
“Find what you were made to do and do a lot of it.”

That truth has guided how I’ve led Girls United — and it’s guiding this next step.

The time has come for me to step into my next chapter and confidently entrust Girls United to Rachel and Zak. They are following their hearts, choosing growth, and saying yes to a path that will not only change their own lives, but positively impact so many girls in our community. I know without hesitation that they were made for this, and that they are exactly where they’re supposed to be.

I wholeheartedly believe this is the very best thing for Girls United, and I can’t wait to watch them grow this mission and reach more girls than ever before. I’ll be staying on as an advisor throughout the year — cheering them on and supporting the path ahead.

And I’m not going far just yet 💛
My amazing husband Joe and I will be leading Overnight Camp this July, and we’re planning for it to be bigger, bolder, and more meaningful than ever.
📅 July 12–16 — mark your calendars!

Thank you for trusting me with your girls. Thank you for believing in this mission. And thank you for being part of a community that shows girls what’s possible when they are loved, supported, and encouraged to lead with their hearts.

Keep an eye out for updates, we are hoping to get summer camp registrations up very soon!

Stronger Together,

Stacey

06/05/2025

Sleep-away Camp with a Purpose -

Summer camp is more than just fun and games—it's a powerful opportunity for girls ages 7–13 to build confidence, make lifelong friends, and discover their unique strengths. Our all-girls sleepaway camp in the Sierra Foothills, happening July 13–17, creates a safe, supportive environment where ...

12/28/2024

Calling all skaters! We are selling off our old skateboards and gear from our Girls United Skateboarding program. We are using the money from the sales to bring underserved youth to the mountains for our "learn to Ride" snow outreach program! https://www.girlsunitedcamp.com/outreach

12/20/2024

If you or your child are looking for a skateboard this Christmas, we have a variety of used but well-maintained boards to offer. These completes come in different shapes and sizes, ready for a new life on the streets or at the skatepark. They were part of our former girl empowerment skateboarding program and still have plenty of ride left in them! We also have protective pads that we can give you for free.

08/21/2024

Girls United wants to congratulate for all the hard work, perseverance, and inspiration she has brought to the community of Petaluma. As many of you know, Minna has been skating since she was 2 years old, and almost every session (until recently) she has been the only girl at the park. She loves the sport and has carved out a space for herself everywhere she goes. She follows her heart and does what she loves to do, skateboard. All of that hard work brought her to the Paris, Olympics at 18 years old this past July. It has been so fun to watch her skate all around the world and inspire our youth.
In 2020 during the pandemic, Girls United launched skateboarding. It was a difficult time for everyone and I personally was struggling with depression. Not spending time with the girls in our program made me realize how much I live and breathe to inspire and work with girls to be their best. I have always loved skateboarding and started skating when I was 12. I received my first skateboard the Powel Peralta, Tony Hawk Bones Brigade Classic! I remember skating in my garage every day after school in fear that people would make fun of me because I was a girl skater. During the pandemic I found myself skating in my garage again, not because I was fearful of judgment, but because I missed it so much. So, I decided to launch a girls skateboarding program in Petaluma. It could get all the girls outside with masks and learning a new sport, but most importantly bring a new community together!
Minna and her family have been such huge supporters of our skateboarding program! They donated boards, clothes, helmets, and even gave Vans shoes to our participants. We put on a big Skate Jam in town and gave free lessons to anyone who had an interest in skateboarding and Minna and her family came out to support. Minna skated for us and signed boards for the girls. Now they skate around town bragging about their Olympic hero that lives down the street. We are so fortunate to have such a great skater in our town and we couldn't be more proud of Minna! Congratulations from all of us Girls United. Girls U Skate Community

03/01/2024

Yes, Minna!

Hundreds of skateboarding elite from around the world are competing in Dubai in a qualifying event ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This includes one teenager in the North Bay.

02/14/2024

If you LOVE Girls United Camp...please help us WIN this year's Petaluma Argus-Courier People's Choice for Summer Camp!
Follow these steps to vote for Girls United:
- Click this link (make sure it is under the business category): https://www.petaluma360.com/.../2024-petaluma-peoples.../...
- Scroll down to "Summer Camp"
- Type in Girls United

09/06/2023

We are so proud of our local skate hero, Minna Stess! Stoked to announce her signature socks with Merge4. Let's support her by buying some socks ya'll!

The link to buy her socks is below.
https://merge4.com/.../minna-stess-sockturnal-crew-socks...

MERGE4 socks is proud to announce a new partnership with skateboarder Minna Stess. This collaboration is a celebration of Minna’s awe-inspiring journey, as MERGE4 has closely followed her skateboarding evolution from a young age, and today, we stand excited to witness her flourishing into the wo

03/27/2023

Is anyone interested in skating or walking with us in the Butter and Egg day parade? Saturday, April 22nd! DM me.

03/06/2023

Does anyone have or know anyone that has a flatbed truck we can rent for the Butter and Egg Day Parade? We are trying to raise the bar and get a DJ and tow our skaters again!

02/08/2023

Join us for the 2nd Annual Girls United "Spread the Love" Valentine's day event! We will be meeting at our house from 3:30pm-5:30pm on Tuesday, Feb 14th to decorate valentine's day cards and skateboard throughout the community to distribute them. Feel free to dress in a valentine's theme (red or pink shirts, socks, headbands, whatever you want to sport). We will have snacks and all the supplies to decorate.
DM for the address if you don't know where we live. Also, please RSVP so I know how many snacks and supplies to get.

01/17/2023

Who's coming with me to the Petaluma Community meeting about our potential new skate park? We need as much support as possible. Our youth needs a safe place to skate, scoot, and bike!

The Petaluma Skate Park was built in 1997 and is one of the oldest active skate parks in California.