This weekend I had the lovely opportunity to be in Arizona with my parents and sisters as the first winner of the Hunter Goold Memorial Scholarship was announced at IASS (International Aquatic Safety School).
The scholarship was put together by one of my father's previous employers Jeff Ellis and Associates. Jeff Ellis and Associates has been a huge part in our families life, starting in 1994 when my dad began working for Jeff and obviously through years to come as the Hunter Goold Memorial Scholarship continues. In 2003 our family had the incredible experience to travel the United States for 7 weeks as my father gave his seminar's about aquatic safety to life guards at water parks across the country. The E&A family was our family for that summer while we were away from our home and friends and gave us memories we will cherish forever. We were able to meet so many wonderful people from General Managers of the parks, to E&A staff and lifeguards in more than 20 states. It was also through E&A that my family was able to travel to the Bahama's in 2006 and Dubai for two weeks in 2008 so my father again could teach his safety seminar.
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| Bahama's 2006 |
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| Dubai 2008 |
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| Dubai 2008 |
When my dad worked for E&A, his seminar's were to express to lifeguards how important their job was to save lives and prevent drownings. In our summer trip we took in 2003, it was part of the deal that us Goold kids would play the "victims" in the water parks to help train the life guards. We would have to come down a water slide and pretend to be unconscious or have a neck problem. We would play out different scenarios to help train the life guards for real life situations.
(The best part was the life guards didn't know we were Dr. Goold's children until he showed up on scene.)
I have always found it so fascinating to watch my father teach. I am amazed to this day at his speaking skills and how he can take a matter as serious as saving a life and really touch a person's heart to let them know their job is important. My favorite part of my father's seminar's was how he was always so funny and I remember him always leaving his audiences in an uproar of laughter as he concocted fake throw up for demonstrations and shoved tampons up lifeguards nose's to stop a fake bloody nose. After all the fun and learning he was able to leave them with an image that would set the tone for the seriousness and importance of their job. I remember how the laughter would come to a quiet hush, as my dad would lay Hunter on the ground and cover him with a yellow tarp. How the four of us girls would stand behind the tarp without smiling. How my dad would tell every life guard he ever spoke in front of that he comes to their water parks with all five of his children and expects to leave with all five. That it is their job to prevent drownings.
I think in some small way our family was being prepared to say goodbye to our brother in the exact way my father has been training to prevent for years.
As I look back on these trips my family was able to have while our sweet brother was still with us, I am humbled to think how blessed we were to be able to do so much, as a family of seven, because of Jeff Ellis and Associates. I don't think there are many large families who get to experience what we did and to this day I am grateful for the opportunity E&A gave our family. I know Hunter loved being apart of the E&A family and loved all the wonderful people he met. I am sure that he is honored to still be apart of the E&A family today.
It was a touching moment on Friday evening as our dear family friend Raq got up to introduce the scholarship as the week of training came to an end. A tear shed from an old friend just goes to show how much Hunter Boy meant to so many people.
My dad was able to get up and speak about our family and Hunter and our relationship with the E&A family to the audience. It was so great to hear him speak and share with everyone how much we love Ellis and Associates. A standing ovation after the scholarship was presented and our family was brought on stage left us with an even bigger spot in our hearts for the E&A family.
Such a wonderful weekend to be with my family and honor my brother.
Hope you had a fabulous weekend also readers.
