Leadership’s most recent fundraiser honors the late Scotty Lapp’s vision for a Tahoe City skatepark. Growing up in Marin and attending Redwood his freshman year, Lapp’s fearless and unique spirit touched those who met him. Lapp passed away in a skiing accident in February of 2022, but his legacy will be continued through the addition of a permanent skatepark in Tahoe City. The Scotty Lapp Foundation’s efforts have generated success, even setting up a temporary park while the fundraising continues.

A lover of skiing, skating and creativity, Lapp’s energetic and daring personality is greatly missed among the local communities he impacted. Lapp made lasting bonds prior to moving to Tahoe, and long time friend and neighbor Eme Atherton reflected upon his journeys skateboarding through the streets of Tiburon neighborhood Paradise Cay.

“He was always skating around the neighborhood, down the huge hills and even barefoot; his feet were really banged up,” said Atherton. “Scotty always complained about not having access to a skatepark when he was in Tahoe.”

Atherton recalls Lapp’s imagination and ambition, and how the foundation is focusing on making his seemingly impractical ideas a reality.

“Whenever a house would go on sale in the [Paradise Cay] neighborhood, [Lapp] would always say we should buy it, tear it down and turn it into a skatepark. His dreams were definitely crazy and unrealistic when he was alive, but now that he’s dead these efforts represent who he was as a person and everything he would have wanted. It’s crazy to see that they’re coming true,” Atherton said. 

Atherton noticed the benefits Tahoe City residents will be granted with the addition of the skatepark. The current closest skatepark to Tahoe City is a 40 minute drive, so the new park would be more accessible to local skaters. Atherton believes the park will be a space for the community to cherish and honor Lapp, and she sees the fundraising as an opportunity for Lapp’s legacy to last at Redwood. 

“[The fundraiser is] great for students who don’t know his story. It’s important to keep his name alive,” said Atherton. “The skatepark continues his legacy, and it spreads who he was and all of his goals.”

Students had the opportunity to donate cash in boxes labeled “Ski for Scotty” in their SMART classes for the duration of leadership’s November fundraiser, but donations are accepted online through the foundation’s websites or GoFundMe at any time. The raising of funds through the foundation’s sources has generated over $400,000, and the projected goal is $750,000-1,000,000. Senior leadership service committee member Julia Ginsburg explained the process of choosing the Scotty Lapp Foundation’s for this semester’s fundraiser.

“It hit close to home for a lot of people. Tons of Redwood students were super close to [Lapp], and enjoyed his presence here,” Ginsburg said.

With the loss of a friend or peer, many Redwood students are confronted with confusion and sadness. To cope with such feelings, Ginsburg claimed leadership’s fundraiser aims to connect the student body through remembrance.

“[The fundraiser] can gather the student body with a more united sense of comfort to ease grief anyone might be experiencing,” Ginsburg said.

Through sharing memories and donations, we can all continue Lapp’s creative spirit, and local kids are inspired to ski, skate and smile for Lapp. If you would like to donate to make Lapp’s skatepark dream a reality; visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/scotty-lapp-skate-park.