Michael Robert James Memorial Fund

It is with great sadness that we realize the loss of our good friend Michael James. Michael was known for his pure energy and love of life, living it to the fullest extent every moment possible. He passed away on June 29th, 2019, while whitewater Stand Up Paddleboarding at Buena Vista River Park, when he fell off his board and was swept downstream the Arkansas River due to high & fast moving water. Michael would have turned 40 the very next day. You can learn more about the circumstances surrounding his accident by reading this article by the Denver Post:  https://www.denverpost.com/2019/06/30/boulder-man-dies-paddleboarding-buena-vista/   Michael was beloved by his family and community, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He was an avid participant in the sports of Disc Golf and Paddleboading (Stand Up Paddleboarding, Downriver SUP and River Surfing), a lover of good food & drink (especially Asian cuisine, craft beer and stinky cheese!), and was known to lay down melodic grooves on the Guitar. He loved spending time with his family, friends, his cat Toro and his significant other Magui. An avid seeker of adventure, he enjoyed traveling and spending as much time possible in the great outdoors, including snowboarding during the winter months and biking during the summer.  In honor of Michael's life, and the impact he left on his community, his Family and friends would like to pay tribute in the form of a permanent memorial. The community is still coordinating to determine the exact nature of the memorial, and we would please ask that you leave any ideas you have here on this page as comments so we may take them into consideration.  The current idea that has so far taken priority in the conversation is that of erecting a new park bench in Valmont Disc Golf Park in Boulder, Colorado. Michael was frequently found playing Valmont throughout the week, and was an active participant in the Boulder Disc Golf Club.  As per the City of Boulder website, the cost of a memorial bench (including ongoing maintenance for the bench) is $3,000. You can read more about Boulder memorial bench donations here:  https://bouldercolorado.gov/parks-rec/general-donations Following the installation of a new park bench at Valmont, the Boulder Disc Golf Club would also like to use additional funds to host a memorial tournament in Michael's honor. The tournament would serve as an opportunity for the community to come together and collectively celebrate Michael's life, as well as pay tribute to his new memorial. Any remaining funds following the tournament will be given directly to Michael's family. Any donation you can give, whether it be $5 or $500, is greatly appreciated by all. Together we can raise the funds necessary to pay tribute to a great man, and ensure his legacy continues. 

I was a friend of Michael through mutual love of Disc Golf, and was lucky enough to know him for two seasons. In coordination with his Brother David and his girlfriend Magui, I have established this GoFundMe Campaign to raise funds to be used to honor Michaels memory, with the primary purpose of the funds being used to establish the memorial bench in Valmont Park and all remaining funds being utilized at the direction of his family. Due to the circumstances of grief, I volunteered to coordinate this campaign (and the funds) on behalf of the family. Please note that a separate bank account has been established specifically to host these funds and coordinate their disbursement.

Thank you to everyone for your time, and if you have any questions about this campaign please leave a comment below where we will do our best to respond as soon as possible.