COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — Club Q’s owner said there is a future for the nightclub that will serve as a safe space for the LGBTQ community after the mass shooting that killed five and injured almost two dozen others.
Eleven days after the tragedy, crime tape no longer surrounds Club Q. There are now flowers, candles, messages of love and entrances covered with the faces of the five lives lost inside last Saturday night.
“There are parents bringing young children and explaining what’s happened and explaining why it’s important to be empathetic to people who are different than you,” Club Q founder and co-owner Matthew Haynes said.
“When I see that it’s making a difference, it’s changing the hearts and minds of people,” Haynes continued. “One person at a time, one impact at a time. So, it’s important for us to tell that story long term.”
What’s next for Club Q?
Haynes said Club Q has been a center of love and support for the LBGTQ community for 20 years and that will be at the center of this location’s future to come.
“What does rebuilding look like? Maybe it’s got community rooms in it, perhaps,” Haynes said. “Certainly, there’s a story to be told and it’s important to remember that story is not this gunman, that’s not the story. It’s what’s happened afterwards. It’s all of those things that have come to that building, all of the memorials that have been built there, it’s all of the people.”
Haynes and his co-owner made this GoFundMe account to support two things: the employees and entertainers that are fighting to heal without their place of employment open currently. Additionally, funds will support the rebuild of Club Q and a permanent memorial.
The GoFundMe Breaks this down in the following description on the fundraiser:
There are two official ways to donate money to Club Q
1) Our Colorado Gives fund is dedicated strictly to the victims and the victim’s families.
2) This fund is managed by Club Q directly and will be used to ensure the Club Q staff and entertainers don’t suffer financial hardship due to this horrific act. This fund will also go towards the total remodel of Club Q, the construction of an appropriate memorial for our victims and a small museum onsite. The goal is to return Club Q as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
Plans for the return of Q are not fully developed yet. There will be many discussions ahead with stakeholders within the community. We are hopeful of making it more than just a bar. We envision a community resource center, state-of-the-art security precautions and a gathering place to heal, remember and empower.
The owners of Club Q will be responsible for allocating these funds. Employee and Entertainer funds will be released based on the percentage of hours worked. We intend to ensure employees and entertainers do not suffer any loss of income while we rebuild our space.
The remaining funds will go directly to an official Club Q memorial for the victims, remodeling and ensuring a safe space for the future.
Club Q GoFundMe account
