12/08/2025
Season’s greetings to all the wonderful folks who have donated toward rebuilding the beloved Wesley Dean Ackley Skatepark. We haven’t connected here since our Box Pickleball event in partnership with PSEG last summer, where we raised over $10,000! That event was our biggest fundraising push to date, and I’d like to thank everyone involved once again.
Since then, we hosted our third annual Halloween Skate Jam at the skatepark. Our park may be dilapidated and missing half its ramps (shout out to Casa Customs for building temporary ramps just for this event!), but that doesn’t stop skaters and enthusiasts from across Long Island and NYC from showing up in memory of our friend Wes. You can feel his energy at these events, and he has blessed us with perfect, sunny autumn weather at all three Halloween Jams. Check out the recap video attached to this update.
Speaking of events, you are all cordially invited to the annual holiday fundraiser at the Blue Point Brewery Brewpub in Patchogue on December 26th. Join us for food, beverages, and a raffle with unique prizes you won’t find anywhere else, including art by some of Long Island’s most talented artists. Our friend Mike Emmerich of Best Life Ever puts this event together every year and has selected our fundraiser to receive the proceeds since we started in 2023.
Two and a half years later, this initiative has grown into The Dexus Project, a registered 501(c)(3). We’ve become a grassroots movement powered by locals like you who are committed to making our community a better place. We have raised over $30,000, and in addition, we secured a conceptual design valued at $20,000 thanks to Tito Porrata, who designed and helped rebuild the Lars Simenson Montauk Skatepark.
Thanks to the support and momentum you’ve all contributed to, we are thrilled to share that we are now planning phase one of the rebuild. We can’t wait to share more updates as soon as the Town of Riverhead gives us the green light. In the meantime, we implore you to call or email the Town Board expressing your support for this project and the urgent need for it.
Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and we’ll see you at our next event!
With gratitude,
Chris Patti
Founder
The Dexus Project, Inc.
(Originally shared as a gofundme donor update this morning)
