Alex Kollar

Alex was born 8-11-1993 in Portland, Oregon. His childhood home, with his brother Philip, was an idyllic country life in Banks, Oregon. Alex was preceded in death by his brother, Philip Hunter Kollar. Attending Banks area schools, Alex excelled in soccer, baseball, football, and of course, snowboarding. His love for soccer continued throughout his high school years as a member of various classic soccer teams. It was at this time Alex ventured out on his first trip to Rwanda with the Kefa Project. His magnetic draw to children, his intense love of soccer, and his long standing desire to serve others were a perfect fit. A life-long relationship developed with his Rwandan brother, Ngabo. Throughout his high school years the snowboard bug hit hard. The rhythm of his days organized around shuttling back and forth from home to Mt. Hood, competing, and traveling. After attending two years at Jesuit High School in Portland, Alex completed his high school education at Portland Community College as a means to be at the mountain as much as possible. Alex moved to Bend, Oregon in 2012 where he attended Central Oregon Community College earning an Associates Degree. Snowboarding consumed most every waking moment. He gradually moved away from his original love of freestyle/park riding where he would say, "this is the only place I feel free," to backcountry snowboarding and mountaineering where he would say, "my spirit is flying." Alex's sense of the world through soul and spirit solidified during this time. To this day, One Love One God was his walk through life. Alex's mantra was always work to live, but it was about a 20/80 split. As his enthusiasm for extreme sports grew, Alex manifested how he would support himself, starting out as an assistant for a local landscaper, learning and growing while imagining how he might build his own business. Working with his hands and being connected to the soil was in Alex's bones. He thrived as the sole proprietor of his own landscape company, High Desert Earthworks. His business flourished on thoughtful relationships that grew alongside his native plants. Beyond all Alex's travels, adventures, and milestones was a young man coming into his own as an entrepreneur, an accomplishment he was extraordinarily proud to have achieved. What filled Alex's heart and what fed his soul was Love. One Love One God. Extreme snowboarding, mountaineering, kayaking, mountain biking, paragliding, and traveling the world while nurturing both lifelong and "just met in the parking lot" friendships were a few of the ways he sought to experience every ounce of love that's out there to grab. He was passionate about food as well--where it came from, how he could grow or make it, and especially how much of it he could fit into his stomach. From a young age, Alex's mama taught him the joy that is found in creating, eating, and sharing meals. These became daily rituals that involved bold imagination, loud music, and always dancing in the kitchen. Food was a priority for Alex as a way to nourish and honor his active body, and also another form of love and way of connecting with others and the planet. Alex's vision was that eventually High Desert Earthworks would primarily focus on edible landscape design to help nurture relationships between food, beauty, and the Earth. The past five years were rich with travel fully embodying the deepest depths of all those experiences. Alex's heart was also deeply committed to sustainability and the future of our planet. He explored remote mountain wilderness and saw the impact humans have on our planet. His desire to preserve these wondrous places grew and he used his platform to inspire others and raise awareness about climate change. Alex often asked how he could do more or where he could have an impact. He educated clients about low water landscaping and educated athletes about protecting natural resources. He was a self taught filmmaker who was developing a reputation for making beautiful and meaningful films. Alex's films called to our collective spirit and ability to create powerful change by banding together. Some of his current projects include Mountains of Water, a docu-series examining human water usage, policy in the West and ways we can protect our water supply for future generations, as well as a documentary highlighting efforts to reduce fossil fuel reliance in backcountry snowboarding through human powered transportation. These are the things Alex DID. What Alex IS, is LOVE. Alex saw and felt Love with every breath; he practiced non-judgemental acceptance with everyone. He shared himself and his soulful laugh with everyone--gas station attendants, checkout clerks, service industry workers, wealthy clients, dear friends, his partner, and his loving parents.....Alex held equal value for all beings regardless of their relationship to him. Alex is survived by his parents James Kollar, Ruthanne Adams, and his Soul's Connection Life Partner, Kim Benrath. He proudly called himself the papa to his loving animal companions, Coco and Simba. Together with the Kefa Project, Alex's family has initiated a memorial fund that will create and expand farming projects in Rwanda. This project teaches vulnerable families how to grow food and create sustainable income. Your donation makes this world a better place...this was Alex's dream. In lieu of flowers, Alex's family requests donations be made to his memorial fund. "On my deathbed, I won't wish anything was different. The places, the people and all that damn powder. Now we just have to save the planet so our grandkids can do it too." ~ Alex Vincent Kollar Contributions in Alex's name can be made at https://gofund.me/39f94942 Celebration of Life Service - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon 1-6 pm October 29th, 2021 Catering by: Kefi Fast Fresh Mediterranean

Tributes

Alex Kollar

August 11, 1993 - October 1, 2021