Coffee fundraiser to aid Calif. assault victim

Vancouver — Vancouver Dutch Bros. stands will be donating 50 percent of their proceeds on Tuesday to the family of Tyler Burton, a 21-year-old Vancouver native who was listed in serious condition Monday at Chico Enloe Medical Center after a man punched him in the face last month in Chico, Calif.

Two baristas who are friends of Burton’s asked local owners of the coffee chain to join the cause.

“Tyler has always been one of the sweetest, most welcoming, open and uplifting guys that not only I, but many others, have ever met. For something like this to happen to someone so great is tragic,” said barista Sabrina Mendez.

“I see how this has affected a couple of our employees who are close to Tyler, and I wanted to help,” says Kenny Stromer, owner of the two locations west of Interstate 205.

All three Vancouver locations will participate Tuesday:

• 5700 N.E. 4th Plain Blvd., open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• 2610 N.E. 138th Ave., open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• 10417 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd., open 24 hours

Friends of Burton’s are also selling t-shirts at the Mill Plain coffee stand to help pay his medical bills.

“We just want to do what we can to make things a little easier on his family in this hard time,” said Jessica Chudek, owner of the stand on Northeast 138th Avenue.