On July 2, 2019, the community of Littleton, Colorado experienced a grievous loss with the sudden and unexpected death of Mark Etchason.  Mark (known to many friends as “Etch”) touched the lives of so many different people during his 56 years on Earth (for more about Mark, please see [link to About Etch tab]).  In addition to a quick wit, compassionate ear, and encyclopedic knowledge of politics and sports, Etch was blessed with natural musical talent that he used to connect to people and bring the joy of music to the community.  

Etch never let his lack of formal music training get in the way of his passion for music.  He taught himself how to play the guitar and soon was able to play all of his favorite Rock and Roll songs despite the fact that he never learned how to read music.  This musical passion led Etch to join a band called Heardsires, which would go on to entertain crowds at all sorts of venues (including an Alpaca farm) with a never-ending assortment of Classic Rock favorites.       

After Mark’s passing, a group of his neighbors and friends gathered at a local bar to award the neighborhood fantasy football prize to a new winner (yet another of Etch’s varied skills included domination of the neighborhood fantasy football league, so the prize was once again available).  Talk soon turned to Etch’s untimely passing and what we, as neighbors, might be able to do in order to honor his legacy.  We soon realized that Mark’s friends included a lawyer, an accountant, a marketing executive and other talented professionals.  The idea for a foundation was officially born.           

The next step was to discuss the foundation with the Etchason family, Mark’s wife Nancy and his two children, John and Mary Anne.  While many ideas were evaluated, the discussion kept coming back to different ways that we can utilize Mark’s love of music to make an impact in the lives of children.  Shortly thereafter, the neighborhood fantasy football league made a seed donation and the Etch A Future foundation was officially established.               

Today, the Etch A Future foundation’s mission is to harness the power of music to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth to develop character, accountability, confidence, and positive relationships.  We aim to provide the funds for students to ignite or further expand their passion for music through a year-long scholarship at the Littleton School of Rock.  We believe we can make a real difference in the lives of these students by helping them realize their full potential and deterring them from poor decisions.  

The foundation currently sponsors three aspiring musicians at the Littleton School of Rock and hopes to expand our reach even further.  These students have been provided with the opportunity to perform on stage, be introduced to a stable peer group, and develop further confidence in themselves. They truly have the opportunity to be a rock star!  

We appreciate your interest in the Etch A Future foundation and please consider supporting us in our attempt to continue Etch’s legacy by being an instrument of change in the community.  Thank you in advance and let’s rock!

On July 2, 2019, the community of Littleton, Colorado experienced a grievous loss with the sudden and unexpected death of Mark Etchason.  Mark (known to many friends as “Etch”) touched the lives of so many different people during his 56 years on Earth (for more about Mark, please see [link to About Etch tab]).  In addition to a quick wit, compassionate ear, and encyclopedic knowledge of politics and sports, Etch was blessed with natural musical talent that he used to connect to people and bring the joy of music to the community.  

Etch never let his lack of formal music training get in the way of his passion for music.  He taught himself how to play the guitar and soon was able to play all of his favorite Rock and Roll songs despite the fact that he never learned how to read music.  This musical passion led Etch to join a band called Heardsires, which would go on to entertain crowds at all sorts of venues (including an Alpaca farm) with a never-ending assortment of Classic Rock favorites.       

After Mark’s passing, a group of his neighbors and friends gathered at a local bar to award the neighborhood fantasy football prize to a new winner (yet another of Etch’s varied skills included domination of the neighborhood fantasy football league, so the prize was once again available).  Talk soon turned to Etch’s untimely passing and what we, as neighbors, might be able to do in order to honor his legacy.  We soon realized that Mark’s friends included a lawyer, an accountant, a marketing executive and other talented professionals.  The idea for a foundation was officially born.           

The next step was to discuss the foundation with the Etchason family, Mark’s wife Nancy and his two children, John and Mary Anne.  While many ideas were evaluated, the discussion kept coming back to different ways that we can utilize Mark’s love of music to make an impact in the lives of children.  Shortly thereafter, the neighborhood fantasy football league made a seed donation and the Etch A Future foundation was officially established.               

Today, the Etch A Future foundation’s mission is to harness the power of music to provide opportunities for disadvantaged youth to develop character, accountability, confidence, and positive relationships.  We aim to provide the funds for students to ignite or further expand their passion for music through a year-long scholarship at the Littleton School of Rock.  We believe we can make a real difference in the lives of these students by helping them realize their full potential and deterring them from poor decisions.  

The foundation currently sponsors three aspiring musicians at the Littleton School of Rock and hopes to expand our reach even further.  These students have been provided with the opportunity to perform on stage, be introduced to a stable peer group, and develop further confidence in themselves. They truly have the opportunity to be a rock star!  

We appreciate your interest in the Etch A Future foundation and please consider supporting us in our attempt to continue Etch’s legacy by being an instrument of change in the community.  Thank you in advance and let’s rock!