Colorado Springs employer started a GoFundMe to shave his beard to help displaced employees

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Skate City Roller Sports Arena has been shut down since St. Patrick's Day. That means many of the high school and college students employed there haven't been able to work.

"It's heartbreaking it really is. I mean I get a few texts here and there. 'When can I get in? Are there any options for me to get a couple of hours to go clean?'" said Jake Lopez, the Hockey Director at Skate City.

His plan? Raise $5,000 on GoFundMe to shave off his impressive beard and give the money to his employees.

"If we hit five thousand dollars I'm gonna shave my beard off. I've had my beard probably since I got out of the military so about twelve years now," said Lopez. "About this long for about eight of those 12 years. So I have not shaved since then."

Lopez, who served in the Marine Corps, says he'll donate all of the money to his employees who are struggling.

"They're either trying to pay for rent or something like that," said Lopez. "I decided to set up a GoFundMe page to kind of help them out a little bit, see if I can get them a few bucks to get through these times."

Lopez has raised sixteen hundred dollars so far and hopes to make it to his goal.