TR in Aspen Daily News: Escobar Holds Benefit for Disaster Relief Workers
Escobar holds benefit for disaster relief workers
by Dorothy M. Atkins
Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Escobar is giving purpose to boozing on Sunday by holding a fundraiser for a team of disaster relief workers.
All door donations, raffle tickets and a percentage of drink proceeds will be donated to Team Rubicon, a group of combat veterans who act as first responders after natural disasters.
“Long story short, the whole international relief community is a total screw up,” said Jesse Levin, one of the seven owners of Escobar. “There are hundreds of thousands of dollars not being distributed and you realize when you get in the field that when you show up in the hospital no one’s there.”
California-based Team Rubicon tries to be the people there.
The group identifies disaster zones and its goal is to give relief to areas that are bureaucratically or logistical challenging to reach. The group has no paid staff and its overhead is covered through grants so that donations are not used for salaries or administrative costs.
Team Rubicon also gives veterans with post traumatic stress disorder a purpose.
“These guys have done every drug cocktail there is and therapy,” said Levin. “And I know this sounds cliché but it really is amazing how helping others really kind of helps these guys heal.”
The fundraiser will begin at 8 p.m. and there is a recommended $10 donation at the door.
“Receive relief and refills until you become a disaster,” reads a flyer advertising the event.
Since Escobar opened in January, it has held only one other fundraiser, which was impromptu. The benefit was for the family of Brandon John Zukoff who died skiing in the backcountry outside of the Snowmass Ski Area last month.
“That was a different ball game,” said Levin. “We raised $4,000 but they literally came to us the day before. For this, we don’t really know what the turnout is going to be.”
Sunday’s event will kick-off a new trend Escobar is trying to encourage. The bar is going to start holding one or two fundraisers a month.
“The cool thing about this bar is that all the guys involved are in their early 30s,” said Levin. “Everyone has a charity they support and we’re just trying to incorporate that into the business.”
Escobar’s goal is to raise $5,000 and fill the place, said Levin, adding that every penny donated is put to immediate use in getting team members to disaster areas.
To donate to the team, visit teamrubiconusa.org/donate.
dorothy@aspendailynews.com
