By Cardling Del Real
The East Los Angeles College Sheriff’s and Athletics Departments held a fundraiser at the Sheriff Station on Wednesday.
The fundraiser was to help raise money for Athletics Assistant Hector Guzman’s parents and aunt who died in a fatal traffic accident over the weekend.
All the proceeds from the fundraiser are going toward funeral cost.
Claire Floria said the Sheriff’s Department, herself included, put the fundraiser together in a compressed time period. They found out about the news on Monday, and took it upon themselves to act on it and help out a friend in need.
The Sheriff’s Station hosted a lot of fundraisers, especially to help out the staff at ELAC, whom they see as family.
“We felt the need the help out, not because we had to but because he’s family he’s (Guzman) one of us,” Floria said. “Out of the goodness of his heart, he always comes over and helps us out with our fundraisers or even if it’s just to help around here. We just wanted to give back to our friend.”
All the staff at the Sheriff’s Station lent out a hand to help put this together. Deputy Jesse Martinez set up a Go Fund Me account online for people to donate for Guzman’s family. Martinez also brought her son to help out at the fundraiser.
Floria said she wasn’t sure if they would be able to get to reserve a spot with student services on such short notice to host the fundraiser so they decided for it to take place outside the Sheriff Station.
They sold out in two hours. They were able to raise almost over $1,800. Floria said they had no limit or amount in mind, they just wanted to raise a bit of money to help out at least with some of the funeral costs.
The food sold at the fundraiser was donated by Maestro Sausages, a family owned business located in Vernon. Floria said the company has helped the Sheriff Station out with previous fundraisers by providing their food.
Last year the company helped the Sheriff’s Station with an event held to raise money for a Sheriff’s mother whom passed away last year.
Floria said she also wasn’t sure she’d be able to get the food in such short time. She emailed the company and asked if they could do it. The company contacted her the next day, and told her that they had extra sausages to donate to the event.
If anyone would like to donate, go here.