'Beauty From Ashes': Community Helps Rebuild Burned Businesses
BRIGHTON, Colo. (CBS4)- Residents in Brighton are coming together in an effort to rebuild after a massive fire tore through several businesses. On June 2, the fire burned down a commercial building that housed seven local businesses. Those included a meat market, a tortilla bakery and a clothing store.
A fence surrounds the building on Main Street where piles of debris are all that remain.
Organizers of Saturdays fundraiser, entitled "Beauty from Ashes," said that the building's owner did not have insurance.
"Livelihoods were lost. Employees no longer have jobs. And so, there's a little bit of rubble left of a lot of lifetime investment," said Shereen Fink, owner of Fink Ink in Brighton.
Lifetime investments went up in flames when the fire sparked inside of an auto body shop in the building, according to firefighters.
Fink and owners of other nearby businesses watched the building burn down in disbelief.
"We all in the shop just stood on the corner and couldn't believe that this was happening in our own business community," Fink told CBS4's Melissa Garcia.
Three and a half months later, the community put on a fundraiser at Jordinelli's Sports Bar and Grill.
"We need to band together. We are one community. Even though it feels like we're divided between Latino and white businesses and community, we need to come together, because these are all Latino businesses that need our support," Fink said.
Area business owners pitched in to donate a feast for the event. A total of 100 percent of proceeds will go to the businesses devastated by the blaze.
Yadira Mosqueda, Owner of Tortilleria El Valle was grateful for the help.
"We lost everything," Mosqueda said. "It's a family business. So you put your savings, your hopes (into it). And then when you see that your business is going to ashes. It's very sad."
Customers Jaime Vasquez and her son Israel attended the fundraiser and hoped the business would rebuild.
"(We're here) just to help out with what we can," Vasquez said. "Because, they were a big part of our family."
The fundraiser was scheduled to end at 5pm but those who could not attend and would like to help can make a donation at the Greater Brighton Chamber of Commerce website. Click on the event calendar, click on "Brighton Business Benefit," and then click on "register."
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.