Ashlyn Would Go! Foundation for Futures was established in memory of our daughter Ashlyn who died at age 14 on April 21, 2005 from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
She was a delightful young woman with many interests, including literature, the arts and a tremendous love for surfing and the ocean.
The foundation was established in her memory and is an effort
to help others reach their full potential in life. We would like to thank all of you, and especially our brothers
and sisters at Surfrider and the Texas Gulf Surfing Association for helping to support our efforts
and making all of this possible.
The 4th Annual Ashlyn Shoemaker Memorial Grom Roundup was a HUGE success!
After a significant delay due to Hurricane Ike, we were back in action!
The families that turned out for the event were treated to a great day of fun and fellowship on the beach. The kids had a fantastic time and there were plentiful waves to go around.
We were again fortunate to have Jeff Spargo and the Soundwaves crew as major supporters of this event, as well as Girl in the Curl in Dana Point, CA, who generously donated a lot of gear for the teenie wahines. It goes without saying that the ongoing support of the Texas Gulf Surfing Association once again makes this event possible. We are very grateful for their continued support as we promote surfing as a family sport, raise awareness regarding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and remember a fine young woman that appreciated surfing as the gift that it is.
These kids surfing contests draw families from across the state to share a day of fellowship at the beach and remember the wonderful young woman that we lost. These are family friendly events and every young contestant is a winner.
In related news:
The first Ashlyn Shoemaker Memorial Sholarship, a $5000 award was presented in May 2008, to Bori Juhasz, who is now a freshman at the University of Houston and is a member of their competitive swim team. Bori was a friend and classmate of Ashlyn's, and stood out among all of the applicants that were reviewed by the scholarship committee as the one that most closely personified Ashlyn's sense of compassion and acceptance of others.
There will be another scholarship awarded this May to a graduating senior from Ball High School in Galveston. Stay tuned for an announcement regarding the winner.
We have purchased two Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) for the Texas Gulf Surfing Association. This will allow for one to be on hand for both the north and south districts, should a competitor or spectator have a cardiac event.
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