Memorial Fund for Skechers' Harrison Greenberg Online
Apr 15, 2015 08:52AM ● By Mb News Staff
Harrison Greenberg, far right, is shown with A photo from the Facebook profile of Harrison Greenberg, his grandfather Robert next to him, former President Bill Clinton and Harrison’s father Michael, president of Skechers in a photo from Harrison's Facebook profile.
More than $125,000 has been raised to refurbish The Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium thanks to an outpouring of support for the family of 19-year-old Harrison Greenberg, who died unexpectedly while overseas on assignment for Skechers, his family's international footwear company.
As of publication time, the website mydagsite.com showed that $137,931 had been raised, with a goal of $250,000. Contributors have come from as far away as Turkey, according to the site.
The young man, who was in Thailand with a cousin when he died, had been working for Skechers in China and was on a short vacation when the incident that claimed his life occurred.
According to the memorial fund website, "Even with so few years, Harrison knew how to get the most out of life. While many of his friends knew about his fun-loving spirit and love for the ocean, boating, and fishing, he was also business minded, a natural leader, and a conscientious soul who spent much time with his family and friends."
At the age of 6 months, Harrison "took his first boat trip through Alaska, which may have laid the foundation for his passion for the sea as well as travel. He has been to numerous countries—both with his family for vacation and with his father, learning the family business, including his recent six month trip to China. But where he may have loved to be most was closer to home—on the family boat and fishing in Catalina."
In high school, Harrison was on the track and football teams for two years, played tennis for four years, and served on the Teen Advisory Board of The Friendship Circle and worked with children with special needs.
The Friendship Circle, a South Bay non-profit organization founded in 2005 in Manhattan Beach, works to make a difference in the lives of youth with special needs through social and recreational activities at home, school and in the community.
The Skechers Foundation in 2010 started the annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, in partnership with The Friendship Circle. The annual event has grown tremendously every year, raising a record-breaking $1.1 million in 2014 for children with special needs and educational foundations. This year's event will be held on Sunday, October 25.
Harrison grew up in Manhattan Beach, spending "most of his free time on the beach or in the water – as a child building sand castles, playing in the waves and later body surfing and swimming. As a teen, he loved boating and fishing with his father and family, and spent many summers in Catalina, and even learned to scuba dive.
"He grew to not only love to play at the beach, but also gained an appreciation of marine life. He was fascinated with the various species, and frequented Manhattan Beach’s Roundhouse Aquarium, among others. As Harrison learned, the aquarium is a great educational space for children to explore the depths of the ocean on a closer level."
To honor Harrison's "appreciation for marine life and his love of the ocean," his family decided to create a memorial fund to refurbish The Roundhouse and to "support other educational programs and organizations that will inspire many children from the South Bay and beyond to appreciate the creatures of the sea and come to love the ocean as Harrison did."
As of publication time, the website mydagsite.com showed that $137,931 had been raised, with a goal of $250,000. Contributors have come from as far away as Turkey, according to the site.
The young man, who was in Thailand with a cousin when he died, had been working for Skechers in China and was on a short vacation when the incident that claimed his life occurred.
According to the memorial fund website, "Even with so few years, Harrison knew how to get the most out of life. While many of his friends knew about his fun-loving spirit and love for the ocean, boating, and fishing, he was also business minded, a natural leader, and a conscientious soul who spent much time with his family and friends."
At the age of 6 months, Harrison "took his first boat trip through Alaska, which may have laid the foundation for his passion for the sea as well as travel. He has been to numerous countries—both with his family for vacation and with his father, learning the family business, including his recent six month trip to China. But where he may have loved to be most was closer to home—on the family boat and fishing in Catalina."
In high school, Harrison was on the track and football teams for two years, played tennis for four years, and served on the Teen Advisory Board of The Friendship Circle and worked with children with special needs.
The Friendship Circle, a South Bay non-profit organization founded in 2005 in Manhattan Beach, works to make a difference in the lives of youth with special needs through social and recreational activities at home, school and in the community.
The Skechers Foundation in 2010 started the annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, in partnership with The Friendship Circle. The annual event has grown tremendously every year, raising a record-breaking $1.1 million in 2014 for children with special needs and educational foundations. This year's event will be held on Sunday, October 25.
Harrison grew up in Manhattan Beach, spending "most of his free time on the beach or in the water – as a child building sand castles, playing in the waves and later body surfing and swimming. As a teen, he loved boating and fishing with his father and family, and spent many summers in Catalina, and even learned to scuba dive.
"He grew to not only love to play at the beach, but also gained an appreciation of marine life. He was fascinated with the various species, and frequented Manhattan Beach’s Roundhouse Aquarium, among others. As Harrison learned, the aquarium is a great educational space for children to explore the depths of the ocean on a closer level."
To honor Harrison's "appreciation for marine life and his love of the ocean," his family decided to create a memorial fund to refurbish The Roundhouse and to "support other educational programs and organizations that will inspire many children from the South Bay and beyond to appreciate the creatures of the sea and come to love the ocean as Harrison did."
Harrison is survived by his father, Michael Greenberg, his mother, Wendy Greenberg, brother Chase, sister Mackenna, and the extended Greenberg family.
A service for Harrison was held on Monday at Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary, 6001 W. Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles.
