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Tilted Thunder Rail Birds
How do you come together and share a resource?
Tilted Thunder Rail Birds is a banked track roller derby league made of 80 plus women from all backgrounds and ages – from 18 to 53 to be exact – coming together to share a common goal. A love of skating. A desire to be part of something larger than just themselves. A unique phenomenon resulting in a league of women who have formed an organization with many moving parts including volunteer committees, fundraising committees, and coaching committees. This non-profit organization has come to fruition from a group of women devoting their lives and precious time to supporting each other — and becoming empowered in the process.
Some call it community. To these women, it is called the Tilted Thunder Rail Birds, a group of aspiring skaters who have come to skate their hearts out and support each other in being strong in all walks of life. Their resource is each other.
How would your group use the award money?
As recipients of award money the women of Tilted Thunder would build a banked derby track from scratch. Financial support could only augment our volunteers, and donated services from engineers and construction companies. Not only could we build a track but with it build a sense of optimism, pride, and togetherness that has united our women in our common goal of becoming the Northwest’s first banked track league of skaters and using our stage to help others.
Meghan
This is clever and inspiring. It makes me hope for every woman involved and every woman who would draw strength and ambition from watching these women skate. 18-53 years is definitely a huge generational span and all the more amazing that derby, athleticism, and a common goal brings people together regardless of age or background. Empowerment and confidence creates better people, friends, mothers, partners, employees and community. Go Rail Birds!
Cia
That was awesome! Tilted Thunder should win!!!
Sarah
How cute!! Very different from the other submissions. Roller derby sounds like a blast. I saw these gals at the “They Shall Walk” roll-a-thon supporting those who can’t walk due to injury or illness. Great smiles on their faces. I wish them the best.
Wendy
This is amazing! Truly inspiring!
Melody
An amazing comic and a very encouraging story of empowerment for women regardless of our age or current talent levels; best of luck to the Rail Birds!!
Jennifer
This is a truly creative and inspirational submission. Tilted Thunder is an organization with a mission of sharing resources and serving their community. What a perfect fit for this competition!
Samantha
The thing that I think is great about this comic is that the story is not a unique one – every girl who joins a derby team experiences something like this and it really shows how we can each make a difference in our lives and in the community when we band together and support each other.
Wanda
This was great!
It is nice to see such a great opportunity for women to get together,share experiences and actually get some exercise!
Gary
It’s great to see so many women shooting for the same goal while improving their lives in the process.
Way to go!!!
Theresa
This comic gives me the chills! I love it! Makes me want to skate and volunteer…at the same time!! (that would be great
Nathaniel
I really, really like the comic format! How inventive! I like the argument that the resource everyone would be sharing is each other. It’s really simple intangibles like that, that are missing in our everyday society, and I wish we’d focus on the little things like that a little more. Unity, caring, and empowering. What is more noble?
Heather
I thought this was unique and empowering way to use the grant money that’s available. I hope that you girls win, not only for yourself, but for the future girls that are going to need you. I think your presentation not only shows the personality of your organization but where your hearts are in our community!
Angela
Tilted Thunder has and will be taking this community by storm. These women are learning quickly the ins and outs of creating a non-profit business from scratch, supporting local businesses, volunteering for other non-profit organizations, and supporting team members both personally and professionally. This creative and fantastic project shows us many benefits that this teamwork and sense of community is creating and hopefully resources from this competition can open up many more opportunities for these women to build up their track, their team members, and all of those that support them.
Cat
Go Rail Birds!!!! What an awesome presentation put together by an amazing, unique group of women.
Linda
What an aspiring organization, makes me want to join!
Beth Anne
How empowering!
Jim
Great story, well done! The community will support you if you stay enthusiastic and continue to be good role models and friends. Good things ahead.
PamO
This is just wonderful!
Spidergirl723
Tilted Thunder totally deserves the funds to build the first rollerderby track in the Northwest thus becoming a part of women’s history. Girl Power!
stacy
love this! not only does it sound downright fun but so empowering to women of all ages. would love for my daughters to someday become involved
way to go ladies!!!
Joe Walker
Yay! TT is such an awesome organization. Everything in this comic is absolutely true – as a coach I saw many women’s lives transformed by derby. This piece makes me both incredibly happy to have been a part of such a positive force and also extremely sad that I’m no longer involved.
Michelle
Right on!!! Go Rail Birds!
Natashia
LOVE THIS!!! I’ve been a fan of flat track roller derby for 5 or 6 years (whenever Rat City first developed). During that time, I’ve watched the derby community flourish. This exciting sport has empowered not only the women who play it, but the men & children who support them as well. It would be a boon to the region to have another avenue (a banked track team) by which this sport could grow. Good luck Tilted Thunder!! I hope to see you skate soon!!!
Brett
A very deserving group. Best wishes to the Rail Birds!
Katie
This is an absolutely amazing group of women, and I consider it a privilege to be able to work with them! Their attitude toward one another, to their sport, and to their community is inspiring!
Erika
Without hesitation, I view these women as role models. If I were to live in the same city, I would want to join them.
Jen McGinnis
awesome! Go Tilted Thunder!! You guys are doing great things for the female spirit
Callie
Well done and so very true.
Jenny
you girls rock!!! nice job!!!!
Tiffany
Very motivational! The comic is cute and gets the point across. Tilted Thunder should be very proud of the inspiration they give to others!
Kat
Awesome idea- you girls are great!
Mel
Dear Tilted Thunder Rail Birds,
Ya’ll are awesome. Go Rail Birds!
Kira
This is such a great project idea! I am excited to be apart of this
Dr. Awesome
FANTASTIC!!!!
P.
Excellent. Go Tilted Thunder!
Brynn
Super inspiring! I am so proud of these girls, and I feel so very lucky to be a part of it all!
Kelley
What a cute comic!
It is a lot of hard work to start up a derby league, especially a banked track league. This group of women are really amazing and inspiring!
jp
Rock on TTRB!! Love the medium and all the inspiration and commraderie you’re creating. Best of luck!
Natashia
With so many brilliant, motivated, and inspiring women, sucess is inevitable! You birds rock !!
Brian
Right on ladies, Great work!!
Orpheus
I skate with these girls and they are absolutely amazing and inspiring. This video really is a window into how its like joining a league, there is such a strong sense of community. I came in with little friends and now I have an amazing group of women who I’m proud to call friends. Go TTRB!
Liz
I’m honored to be a part of Tilted Thunder. The women are amazing and the friendships that have formed while in the pursuit of derby are those that will be life-long.
Yen
I skated with some of these women at a training camp this summer and was left in awe of the camaraderie, the respect and the love they each put into the sport and into their interactions with newbies. They are amazing!
Lisa
Awesome!
Heidi Draffin
These are amazing athletes and show-women. They deserve the limelight and the opportunity to be recognized.
Ally
The women of TTRB are awesome! I hope you win so you can build the track and grow your roots even deeper into the community.
mikk
I think this is such a great cause, I’ve been to a roller derby event before and noticed how family oriented it was. The little kids looked up to derby girls like they were rock stars. I know a bank track in the Pacific Northwest would give our youth a constructive outlet to work towards. Hats off and good luck.
Elizabeth
Awesome! This is really amazing!
Lizzie
I would love to see these ladies skating on a banked track! Do good, feel good!
Dana
Really stinking awesome!!! GO TTRB!