Max Oudendag: OG Kindred Snowboards Local

Max Oudendag took a few minutes last fall to talk about being a Kindred local. 10 years ago Max was pivotal in turning our board-building hobby into a livelihood. He gave us a boost at exactly the right moment by requesting our first ever paid commissioned build! He reinforced our hunch that people would be interested in buying custom or small-batch exceptional rides that reflect the rider - and double as beautiful artwork. For more than a decade Max has been underpinning the foundation of our community. He does this by investing time, energy and heart into sports, events and small business here on Vancouver Island. If there is something cool going on around here, you can bet Max is part of it. He is an expert at bringing people together through projects and to our humbled delight he includes Kindred at every opportunity. This year has seen in-person events cancelled. We've all been searching for ways to uplift each other and preserve our sense of interconnection. How many sidewalk conversations about gardening did you have with your neighbours this year? Have you taken up new outdoor sports hobbies? In the face of tough times people are turning to nature and many are satisfying a craving for carefully-crafted goods that facilitate a life well-lived. Choosing outdoor recreation and shopping with small businesses is an empowering way to strengthen our communities. Max made this realization long before the pandemic hit. His actions over the past decade have had a trailblazing and lasting effect that we see very clearly. Three cheers for Max! Give this guy a high five below or an elbow bump next time you see him. If there is a "Max" in your own community, keep your eyes on what they're up to and show them some love. Thanks to Ivan from Visual Inclination for capturing these interviews: https://visualinclination.com/