6 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 9-15, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com 831 There were very few days when Ross Tarp Braasch wouldn’t drive up to the top of Pine Canyon Road south of Salinas, whether on two wheels or four, and take in the sweeping views of the San Benancio Canyon, with friends and family by his side. Tarp was proud to show anyone the ranch where he was raised, which, despite only being a few miles away from the hustle and bustle of Highway 68, is a peaceful slice of the Salinas Valley. On the night of April 16, 2022, Tarp, 25, and his friend Alex Martinez went up to the top of the hill, as he had done countless times before. This time, it was in a beat-up old Ford Fiesta with questionable brakes. Coming down the hill on a dirt road, Tarp used the car’s emergency brake to slow around a turn. The car slid, its back tire hitting a berm, causing it to flip multiple times down the hill and into a tree. In a documentary film posted on YouTube, Martinez recounted the crash, saying the two weren’t discovered until a couple of hours later. Tarp had succumbed to his injuries on the scene. In the months that followed, the mourning family decided it needed to keep Tarp’s memory alive—and in such a way to help keep young people safe. The result was #liveforross: A Fund for Safety Awareness and Education, a program through the Community Foundation for Monterey County that promotes safety and provides awards to students studying welding and agricultural mechanics. Toward the end of 2024, #liveforross was granted nonprofit status, and the family now plans to expand its reach. Following his death, stories of Tarp’s generosity emerged, and one thing was a constant: If it was mechanical, Tarp could fix it, using his immense welding skills. “He had a million people that he helped,” says his grandfather Brad Tarp. Since its founding, #liveforross has raised funds that have gone toward providing bicycle helmets to the Soledad Police Department, which handed them out to kids who often ride without them. It has also given away safety gear at the opening of the pump track in Marina, as well as the new skate park at Orchard Lane Park in Soledad. To honor Tarp’s love for welding, for the past two years, #liveforross has provided $500 scholarships to Monterey County students completing vocational education programs in welding or ag mechanics. The awards are redeemable at Barnes Welding Supply in Salinas, where students can purchase tools to continue in the industry. “Our goal is to build this program and acknowledge these students that make our lives better by their service,” says Rosemary Tarp, Tarp’s grandmother. Marc Kollerer, the industrial welding and fabrication teacher at Mission Trails ROP in Salinas, says he had 80 students in his class during the last school year. Nineteen applied for the #liveforross scholarship, and six were each awarded $500. He praised the accessibility of the scholarship application, which is about a page long with a few questions prompting students to describe their interests in the industry and their future plans. With college tuition ever-increasing, Kollerer says trade jobs such as welding have seen growing interest from high school students looking for an alternative to higher education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there will be about 45,800 openings for welders annually through the next decade, due to the nation’s aging workforce and infrastructure. The $500 award might not be enough to buy a high-end welding machine, but that’s not the point. Instead, both the Tarps and Kollerer say the funds will give the students enough of a start to build their equipment, such as a welding hood and hand tools. And by giving out relatively small amounts of funds, it allows the nonprofit to reach more students. But community support is critical, the Tarps say, who are actively raising funds through various events and online at bit.ly/liveforross. “I really appreciate and value the Tarps’ energy and effort that they’ve put into this to remember Ross,” Kollerer says. “The tools they put in these kids’ hands is something they can use to go out and work right away.” Gear Up A tragic crash spurs a family to promote safety and support the next generation of workers. By Erik Chalhoub Brad and Rosemary Tarp stand next to their grandson Ross’ Ram truck, which he welded the bed onto. In honor of Ross, the Tarp family formed a nonprofit that, among other things, provides scholarships to high school welding students. “He had a million people that he helped.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE DANIEL DREIFUSS ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON CELEBRATING OUR MEMBERS! FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM • HYATT REGENCY $85/MEMBERS • $100/PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS KEYNOTE SPEAKER: SECRETARY PANETTA GET TICKETS! VISIT WWW.MONTEREYCHAMBER.COM SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Join us in celebrating MPCC member milestones. Guests will enjoy networking, a three course lunch and Keynote Speaker Secretary Leon Panetta. Presented by
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