TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The small, tight-knit community of Arivaca is coming together to support the family of Brian Scupin-Dursema, a 31-year-old local resident who tragically lost his life in a collision involving a school bus on Wednesday, Aug. 21, leaving behind his wife and four children.
The accident has left the town in mourning, but the residents have united to help Dursema's family during this difficult time.
In the wake of the tragedy, local business owners and residents have organized a fundraiser to support the family.
The event, set to take place on Friday, Aug. 30, will be held at the Arivaca Community Center, 36120 Mesquite Road, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Damon Goodmanson, the owner of Arivaca Mercantile, is one of the key figures behind the fundraising effort.
Having moved to Arivaca from the Midwest in 2019, Goodmanson quickly became a central part of the community.
"Being the local center of Arivaca, you kind of get to know and meet everybody," he said.
When tragedy struck, Goodmanson knew he had to do something to help.
"Me and another business owner in town just kind of came together,” he said. “We wanted to bring everybody in. So we started making contacts with everybody to make that happen."
The fundraiser will feature a silent auction with items donated by the community, including artwork, weekend getaways, jewelry and more.
Local vendors will also provide food, and there will be live music throughout the evening. All proceeds from the event will go directly to Dursema's family.
Goodmanson emphasized the importance of the community coming together in times of loss.
"In a traumatic loss like this, communities really come together and take care of their own," he said. "There are babies to raise and families to take care of."
The event is expected to draw a significant turnout, with overflow parking available at the Arivaca Action Center.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
