MINERAL COUNTY — The Friends of Mineral County Emergency Services (FOMCES) have been raising money for local emergency service organizations for several years through their bi-annual dinner and silent auction. This year, the group is eager to gather at the Virginia Christensen Multipurpose Building for another meal and auction of donated items from local businesses on Aug. 14. 

Due to the location of Creede, emergency services including the sheriff’s department, fire department, search and rescue, ambulance, and EMTs have to be prepared for just about everything. Because of this, community members have thanked these organizations through the years by raising the funding they need for training and to purchase state-of-the-art equipment.

According to FOMCES, the event began in 2011 when a local child sold a cake for $500 and donated the profit to the volunteers on the Mineral County Search and Rescue team. From that point forward, the group came together every other year to show their appreciation and to raise money to help each organization.

“FOMCES is a 501C3 non-profit organization supporting Mineral County’s service volunteers and provided a total of $55,000 raised from the dinner, or $18,333 per group, to support the purchase of needed equipment and team training. The FOMCES Board would like to thank all in the Valley that participated in purchasing tickets, providing items for the auction, and bidding and buying the many fabulous items offered,” officials stated.

According to a statement released by the group, donations for the auction, both silent and live, are now being taken. Tickets are also being sold now.

For more information about the organization, visit www.fomces.com/fundraising-dinner-and-auction.

Tickets for this popular event can be bought at the Mineral County Sheriff's Office, at the Monday night bingo games at the Community Center, and from FOMCES board members.

Call Bob Holt at 917 680-6742, Robert Goodwin at 972 989-3833, or Terry Wetherill at 719 850-0514, for tickets, more information or donate to the auction.