Olde Town Arvada hosts weeklong fundraiser for their fallen heroes

Posted: Jul 15, 2021 / 04:27 PM MDT

Updated: Jul 15, 2021 / 05:49 PM MDT

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OLDE TOWN ARVADA, Colo. (KDVR) — It’s been almost a month since Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley and city resident John Hurley were shot and killed in Olde Town Arvada.

The events cast a shadow over the city, but the people who live and work there are gearing up for a weeklong fundraising event to bring healing and support for their families.

The Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge is hosting a silent online auction. They put together a collection of rare whiskey, vacation packages local products and other items.

STARTING TONIGHT in Olde Town Arvada: The Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge is kicking off a week-long fundraising event for the families of fallen heroes, Officer Beesley and John Hurley. Through music, special cocktails and a silent action, they hope to raise over 50K! @KDVR pic.twitter.com/wvvdi4RnKd
— Aimee Lewis (@aimee_lewisTV) July 15, 2021

The bar also created a special drink in their honor. They said both Beesley and Hurley were frequent patrons of the restaurant.

“They would come to the Bluegrass, have a good time. We have live music and a lot of fun banter,” said Josh Schwartz, co-owner of The Bluegrass Lounge. “They were our type of people.”

All proceeds in the silent auction go to the Fallen Heroes Foundations and the Hurley family’s GoFundMe.

“We knew that we needed to act, and the best way to heal our community was to make as much money for their families as possible,” Schwartz said.

Olde Town is determined to not be defined by what they lost, but the strength they gained, using the hashtag #Arvadastrong on windows, signs, and social media platforms.

“It really has been a change of narrative. After it happened, you could feel it. People were walking differently, people weren’t smiling, we were all grieving,” said Hannah Parrott, an Arvada resident. “This weekend, it’s turning around to a point where we can do something about it. With that, it brings us closer together. It’s something we bond over. It’s exciting to see how it’s been turning around.”