While some people tackle DIY (do it yourself) projects, Scott McDonald is opting to DIFO (do it for others).

Over the past six years, McDonald - a local skateboarder and Hamilton bar owner - has made a yearly tradition of carting skate supplies to the communist island nation. There's a strong skate culture down there, but it's almost entirely reliant on foreign visitors.

Last year, with help from friends, he brought 28 boards down to give away.

But this year it has snowballed.

"By the time it's all said and done, we're probably bringing about 100 new boards and about 40 or 50 used boards. Plus a ton of shoes ... we're probably going down with at least $15,000 worth of stuff," he said.

"The next big fear is the shipping fees."

Big companies including Blind Skateboards and West 49 made massive donations, he said, as did the folks behind a new skate shop - the Local Shop - set to open on John Street South.

"The whole team there is coming down with me to do work. We'll obviously skate and all that and check out the culture . but we're just going to breathe so much life into that skate scene, it's going to be huge."

The group of about 10 will also bring tools to do construction work on the skate park in Havana - a popular spot called 23 y G - and McDonald hopes to organize a one-day competition for some of the younger skaters there, with prizes.

McDonald, 40, grew up skating at Beasley Park in Hamilton, where he said there is a similar "hierarchy" of older boarders passing their chipped or worn decks on to the younger skaters.

Of course the Cuban people could use things like clothes and school supplies, he says, but having something as frivolous as a skateboard, which is taken for granted here, is also important to the younger set.

"Those cultures need to be nourished as well," he said. "And the gratitude, they're just so happy . it's worth it right there seeing it on their faces. It's like 'yessss.' That's why we do it."

But now his concern is how to get the stuff onto the plane. The airlines usually give him a break but for the first time last year, he had to pay extra luggage fees to ship the boards. Sun Wing charged him $920, which he paid out of pocket.

Sun Wing spokesperson Janine Chapman said in an email Saturday that McDonald's trip "sounds like a very nice initiative.

"We like to support charitable and humanitarian initiatives which enrich the quality of life in the communities and destinations we service . we're happy to review the shipment details and see if we can assist."

McDonald plans to leave mid-February, and will stay about a week. While the project is not set up as an official charitable organization, this latest haul has him considering it.

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They're heading down on Feb. 16.

For more information, call 905-741-0261.