By Jeffrey V. Smith
GEORGETOWN
Charles Holcomb and Chris Verikas, owners of Lucha Cantina in Georgetown and Colorado Springs, want to give back. Their fresh, natural and affordable Mexican food has proven to be very successful in their respective communities, they added a charity night as a way to give back. During their weekly “Our Profits for Non-Profits” events on Mondays, Lucha’s owners choose a local non-profit and donate 20 percent of that night’s proceeds to the organization.

“We feel it is important to be an active part of our community. We like to donate because it makes people understand that we have a heart, and are not just a profit center,” Holcomb said.

On each of the charity nights, representatives from that week’s featured non-profit are available to answer questions and provide information. In Georgetown, the Clear Creek Library, Friends of Charlie’s Place, League for the Animals and People of the Summit, Georgetown Community School and Easter Seals Rocky Mountain Village have all benefited with many more to come.

Monday nights are beginning to catch with on with patrons as a way to eat well and give to a local charity. “The support has been steadily building, though the patrons do seem to turn out for the charities that they are involved with,” Holcomb said. “We feel that our non-profit nights will be a very effective medium to reach our target customers, which are simply people that care about the community that they live in.”

As of July 26, Lucha has donated $3,565 to groups in Colorado Springs and $2,350 in Georgetown. “We are very proud of this cool program. If you are anywhere close, please stop by on a Monday evening and support a worthy charity,” Holcomb said.

Lucha Cantina was opened in Colorado in 2007 by Holcomb, a Minnesota native who has lived in Boulder, Steamboat, Crested Butte, Georgetown and Colorado Springs since the late 80s. Co-Owner Verikas has lived in Colorado since 2000 and helped open Lucha Cantina at the Red Ram in Georgetown, 606 Sixth St., in December 2011. In 2013, Holcomb’s friend Joshua Binning opened a new Lucha in Rockford, Illinois. A location in Colorado Springs opened earlier this year and they are planning on expanding the restaurant company to other places in Colorado.

The idea behind the restaurants was to make fresh, natural, fabulous Mexican food and drink “that doesn’t kill your wallet or your health.” Only pure, natural ingredients from as close to home possible are used. They also make their own salsas, dressings and sauces every day from fresh produce and spices.

To learn more about “Our Profits for Non-Profits,” visit http://www.luchacantina.com or call 303-569-2300.