Dedication to Eric Santman

In Memory of Eric Santman, Friend and Fellow Skater
1952-2005

It is with deep sadness that I express to you the February 21, 2005 passing of a dear friend and fellow skater, Eric Santman.  Eric had been very active in the skate community for years, looking as far back to Skate Trash in 1994.  Eric shared his passion for skating with his favorite girl, his daughter Brittany.  Brittany starting skating with her Dad when she was 11 years old and many times she would accompany him to Skate Trash, Full Moon at Flatwoods, Bill Jackson’s, and many other skate events. 

April 15, 1995, after his 1^st Full Moon Skate at Flatwoods, Eric established years of participation with scheduling and managing the event.  His involvement with Skate Tampa and other street skate groups prompted Eric’s contribution in communications with Tampa City Council to start an initiative to legalize street skating.  In the summer of 1995, Tampa City Council approved legalized skating on streets with speed limits not greater than 35 MPH. 

Through the years of our friendship, Eric expanded his outdoor interest to mountain biking, canoeing, hiking and kayaking. He was a big advocate for proper use and management of outdoors-recreational land and took on an active role and voice.  He was the Webmaster for SWAMP mountain bike club, dedicated hours to trail building and maintenance, and was constantly instrumental in meetings with regional park leaders and park user groups to work out land use/development issues.  Eric’s involvement with Wilderness Trails Association benefited user groups at the Flatwoods, Morris Bridge & Trout Creek Park areas.   His coordinated efforts with local Water Management led to several Withlachoochee River cleanups.

Eric Santman’s sense of pride coupled with his wit, intellect and caring ways are characteristics of a Hero.  He always was one to give to his family, friends and community and being without his presence in our time is truly a loss to us all.

In His Memory, Sally Eakle