In the wake of the fire that destroyed four restaurants in the Lower Greenville area of Dallas, a benefit for the roughly 125 people who lost their jobs in the blaze is being held at the Double Wide bar near Deep Ellum in Dallas this Sunday at 8 P.M.
Chelsea Callahan, the club’s booking agent and the charity event’s organizer, said that she was moved to action because of her love for Terrili’s Restaurant and Bar, one of the restaurants destroyed by the blaze, and the place investigators believe the fire originated.
“I’ve been going there since before I moved to Dallas eight years ago,” she said. “My old roommate has worked there for years. It’s one of my parents’ favorite places to go when they come to town. I can’t tell you how many times they gave me gift certificates for charity events over the years.”
Callahan has set up a lineup of area bands that includes: Corey Howe, STEW, Manned Missiles, Cocky Americans, and Slider Pines. There will also be raffle items, karaoke, and several DJs at the event. The suggested cover is $7.00. Tickets are available online here.
Other people in the community have also rallied around the cause. The Greenville Avenue Area Business Association established the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund at the Branch Banking & Trust across from the burned buildings. Donations can be made at any BB&T branch, and a pay pal account should be up by today on the company’s website.
Callahan said that she doesn’t have a dollar amount goal, but she “just couldn’t imagine what we’d do if something like that happened to us. We are in a position to do something to help, so it’d be pretty dumb if we didn’t.
“I am proud of how quickly our community stepped up to help,” said Callahan. “The event was pretty much together within a matter of 6 hours of deciding to do it. I’m talking bands, emcees, DJ, volunteers, raffle items…it is amazing.”
The fire DID NOT START at Terilli’s. It was caused by an electrical short in a COMMON area.