The employees at My Chosen café are tight knit, so when Aaron Elliot heard that Dusty Copeman and family needed help, he didn’t hesitate to step up.
“Dusty is a really hard working fellow. It’s really a family orientated work environment,” Elliot said. “The managers and the owner really take care of everybody that works for them.”
Elliot said Copeman has been with the company for 18 years.
Copeman’s 12-year-old son, Ethan, was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenital, a rare disease which causes curvatures in his bones. In the beginning, Copeman was a single father raising him.
He has since married and the couple has another young child.
“All these challenges Dusty has faced, he’s always been a member and a really hard worker at the café,” Elliot said.
This past August, Ethan suffered a spinal infection. He underwent an operation that was supposed to be eight to 10 hours but took closer to 18. He was originally supposed to be in hospital for two weeks but there were major complications.
“He actually went out on the table and had to be resuscitated during surgery so Dusty almost lost him,” Elliot said.
It’s been close to four months now since Ethan was hospitalized at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver and Elliot wants to raise funds to help the Colwood family through a fundraiser.
“Dusty hasn’t been able to work,” he said. “He is at Ronald McDonald house in Vancouver to be close to Ethan while he is in the hospital. He has a new baby and his wife is on maternity leave at home with the baby so obviously financially, this is really having an impact on their family.”
At Your Service Events will also be a partner for the fundraiser which is being held this Saturday (Oct. 28) at the Metchosin Hall (4401 William Head Rd).
There will be a silent auction, best costume prizes, door prizes, a 50/50 draw and of course food and a bar as well as live music from local Victoria band Broken Strings.
Tickets are available for purchase at My Chosen café for $20. The fundraiser is a 19 plus event.
For more information call 250-474-2333.
In addition to the fundraiser, Vanessa Copeman has launched an online fundraising campaign for Ethan. To donate, go to gofundme.com and search Ethan’s Journey to Recovery.
