The 100 Club of Montezuma County held a Mardi Gras-themed masquerade ball Saturday night to raise funds for families of first responders who die in the line of duty.
The event was held at the Cortez Elks Lodge, which was transformed into New Orleans-style Bourbon Street.
“We try not to bombard the community with fundraisers, which is why we aim for two events per year,” said Kimberly Gunderson, vice president of the 100 Club. “We did the barn dance during the summer. It is not only to raise awareness of our organization and what our first responders do but also to raise funds.”
The 100 Club aims to provide immediate cash support to the families of a loved one who died in an emergency situation.
“During the first 24 hours of a first responder being killed in the line of duty, we step in and give the surviving family a budget of $5,000 cash for whatever they may need,” Gunderson said.
The fund covers first responders in Montezuma and Dolores counties and includes law enforcement, fire crews, and medical, park,and search and rescue personnel.
The club was revived two years ago, after a hiatus in which its bank account funds were turned over to the state treasurer.
Shawn Bittle, assistant fire chief of the Cortez Fire Protection District, is a member of the organization. Because of his busy schedule, he’s a “director of possibilities.”
“I am a huge supporter because I gotta tell you, our first responders are phenomenal, and they risk their lives for us everyday,” Bittle said. “We really needed to have a mechanism in our community to help those families out, and waiting until it happens is too late, we need to be proactive.”