Remembering Sam Ford

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Arroyo Grande, CA
Remembering Sam Ford

Samantha Michelle Ford of Arroyo Grande, California passed away in May 2010 at the age of 24 after her third battle with cancer.

Remembering Sam Ford dance scholarships will be presented annually in Sam's name to young dancers at The Studio of Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande, Sam's childhood dance studio. Sam was a dancer, artist, and performing arts teacher, despite losing her leg to her first bout with cancer at age 13. To honor her memory and continue her inspirational legacy, her friends and family have started the ann

ual Remembering Sam Ford fundraiser. Proceeds will create yearly scholarships in Sam’s name for young dancers at The Studio of Performing Arts in Arroyo Grande, Sam's childhood dance studio.

03/09/2026

Save the date! Accepting vendor applications now! 🔗 in bio. Looking for local crafters and makers to join our family as we raise funds towards local cancer support and dance scholarships 💜 Join us Saturday August 1st for our 16th annual SamFest in Arroyo Grande Heritage Square Park 💜

01/06/2026

A huge thank you to the SamFest team for their generous $5,000 donation to the Cancer Care Fund at Mission Hope Cancer Center - Arroyo Grande.

We’re already looking forward to SamFest 2026! 💛

12/19/2025

We were honored to donate $5000 to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation. With support from you and our community, SamFest continues to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families. Thank you everyone who came out to our growing festival!! We know Sam would be proud 💞
Save the date for next year- Saturday July 25th ☀️

11/19/2025

Congratulations to our 2025 Scholarship recipients!! Your essay and video submissions were inspiring and touched our hearts 💜 We hope that Sam will continue to inspire you through your dance journey 💜

11/10/2025

Can’t believe it’s already been a week! 2025 SamFest was the BEST yet and it couldn’t have happened without all of YOU! Thank you everyone for your continued support in keeping Sam’s legacy alive and dancing! 💜 A huge shoutout to our legacy sponsor from Allstate Thank you for your continued support 💜 Thank you to all of our vendors! You made the day so special with your creativity💜 Thank you to for your inspiring speech. We can’t wait to donate to Mission Hope and continue supporting cancer support locally 💜 Thank you to our talented musicians and 💜 Thank you dancers and families of you made the day so much brighter 💜 CONGRATULATIONS to our 2025 scholarship recipients! In the words of Sam, “Why walk through life when you can dance?” 💜

11/02/2025

Here we go!! We can’t wait to celebrate the life of Sam with you all! It’s going be a beautiful day of music and dancing 💜 Come on out and support our vendors, musicians, and dancers while we raise funds for Mission Hope Cancer Center and local dance scholarships 💜

10/27/2025

Don’t forget to pick up some fresh SamFest merch this Sunday!
T-shirts, sweatpants, f***y packs for hands free fun, and beanies to keep you warm if Fall ever gets here ☀️

10/08/2025

Our why… #2. Here are a most of our scholarship winners throughout our 15 years. Part of the proceeds from SamFest go towards local dance scholarships 💜 These funds help dancers and their families continue to do what they love. Dancers from the Studio of Performing Arts in Grover Beach submit an essay and a video about how Sam inspires them. The Remembering Sam Ford Board members love reading and watching the beautiful submissions every year 💜

10/07/2025

This is our why… Samantha Michelle Ford of Arroyo Grande, California passed away in May 2010 at the age of 24 after her third battle with cancer. Sam was a dancer, artist, and performing arts teacher. Despite losing her leg to her first bout with cancer at age 13 Sam continued to defy odds with her dancing and choreography. To honor her memory and continue her inspirational legacy, her friends and family have started the annual Remembering Sam Ford fundraiser- SamFest. Proceeds will create yearly scholarships in Sam’s name for young dancers at Sam’s childhood studio, The Studio of Performing Arts in Grover Beach. In addition, proceeds will be donated to local organization Mission Hope Cancer Center, which supports cancer patients and their families 💜

08/27/2025

Don't Be Surprised Tomorrow Morning, Be Prepared!
More than 60 teams of volunteers will take to the streets in Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande and Nipomo tomorrow selling special editions of the Santa Maria Times in support of Day of Hope!
Purchase a special edition of our paper and proceeds will go to patients and staff at Mission Hope Cancer Center. You can also make a donation online now - https://www.dignityhealthfoundation.org/day-of-hope-2025
A donation of $5 or more will secure you a link to our special Day of Hope eEdition that will be available tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.!

08/16/2025

SamFest 2025 💜 Join us for our 15th annual celebration of life November 2 1:00-4:00pm at Heritage Square Park in Arroyo Grande 🧡 Local artists and makers, live music, dance performances, raffle prizes, food truck, face painting and more! Proceeds benefit childhood cancer support and local dance scholarships 💜

07/23/2025

We are heartbroken to share that the city has destroyed the monument we built in loving memory of our dear friend, Sam, who lost her battle with cancer 15 years ago. This space was more than just a marker; it was a place of reflection, love, and healing for her family and our community. While the monument may be gone, the memory of Sam and the impact of her life remain forever in our hearts 💜

We invite everyone to help us continue honoring Sam’s legacy at our 15th annual SamFest benefit concert — a celebration of music, dance, and community and the love Sam shared with us all. Proceeds from the event benefit local dance scholarships and Mission Hope CancerCenter. Join us Sunday, November 2nd from 1:00–4:00pm at Heritage Square Park in Arroyo Grande. 🧡

https://www.ksby.com/grover-beach/what-happens-to-memorial-plaques-removed-during-renovation-of-grover-beach-park

Address

Nelson Street At Short Street
Arroyo Grande, CA
93420

Website

http://www.RememberingSamFord.com/

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