When Aaron Shoemaker died in a snowboarding accident in Italy in May 2004, classmates and fellow snowboarders came to East Aurora to join with his family, tell stories and reminisce about his life. Friends and family remember the 23-year-old as adventuresome, funny, and sometimes mischievous. A graduate of East Aurora High School and Plattsburgh State College, he was an avid snowboarder known for his skill and charisma

Shoemaker’s friend Tom Grabon lives in Los Angeles, and wasn’t able to come home for the memorial services. Still, Grabon wanted to do something special to remember Shoemaker, and so he began to put together a film.

“It started off as us saying that we should make a video of all his snowboarding footage,” said Grabon.

Over the past two years, the video has changed in many ways, partly because of Owen Smith, another of Shoemaker’s friends. A stand-up comic in Los Angeles, Smith had been Shoemaker’s college roommate and very close friend. After Shoemaker’s accident, Smith often found himself thinking about death.

“Owen has to write his comedy based on what he is feeling,” said Grabon. “He told me that he was going to start doing stand-up about death.”

Grabon decided to film Smith’s unorthodox routine and include the footage in his movie about Shoemaker.

“I realized it would be a very odd tribute to Aaron,” Grabon said. “If you know these guys, it would be the perfect thing for them; they really had a dark sense of humor together.”

With help from Shoemaker’s friends and family, Grabon put together clips from movies Shoemaker had made, snowboarding footage, interviews, and parts of Owen Smith’s act. Now Grabon has finished the film, and is bringing it home to East Aurora.

“I describe the movie as part tribute, part home movie and part performance,” said Grabon, “I want it to be nostalgic and very happy for people who already know Aaron. I don’t know if we were able to capture him, but we’ve shown what was fun about him for his friends.”

The half-hour film, titled “Friends of Aaron Shoemaker” will be given a special screening at The Aurora Theatre on Thurs., Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. Moviegoers are asked to make a $3 donation, which will go directly to the Aaron Shoemaker Memorial Scholarship.

The second annual Aaron Shoemaker Memorial Golf Tournament will take place the next day, Fri., Aug. 18. Shoemaker’s friends Ryan Gerstung, Brian Smith and Rachel LaManna set up the tournament, and its proceeds will go to the scholarship fund. The sold-out event will host 64 golfers in Ellicottville.

“That’s one of the many legacies Aaron left behind, that he has so many friends who are willing to do these things for him,” said Grabon. “That’s the kind of guy he was.”

Those wishing to contribute to the scholarship fund can mail donations to: Friends of Aaron Shoemaker, P.O. Box 772, East Aurora, NY 14052.