A fundraiser to benefit residents of Riverside mobile home in Fountain who were swindled out of thousands of dollars is scheduled for 1-6 p.m. this Sunday at Metcalfe Park in Fountain.
There will be a raffle, a Halloween costume contest with prizes and a silent auction. There will also be live music starting at 1 p.m.
The raffle ticket drawing will be at 4:30 p.m. and winners will be announced at 5 p.m. The costume contest costs $5 to enter and the winners of the contest will be announced at 5 p.m. as well.
“We will have at least one food truck and are hoping to get more,” a spokesperson said.
Monies collected will go to the victims of the fraud. Residents of the mobile home park are being forced to move because of environmental concerns and must be out of their residences by the end of this month.
The Fountain Police Department recently conducted an investigation regarding reports of fraud involving some of the residents who reside in the mobile home park. The investigation revealed several residents who received monies to relocate had in turn given monies to an individual who stated he would assist them in their relocation efforts. After realizing they had been victims of a scam, they contacted authorities immediately.
On Sept. 24, Michael Lemay was taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center for Theft with a $50,000 bond.
“We want to raise money for the victims of this heinous crime, so they can move into new residences and get on with their lives,” the spokesperson said. “I believe that when a community rallies around people, they can change people’s lives for the better.”
Source: Fountain Valley News, October 17, 2018