Nov. 8, BrickStreet Bar raised over $3,500 for Hurricane and super-storm Sandy relief to donate to the Red Cross, according to general manager KC Fry.

BrickStreet partnered with the Cincinnati branch of the Red Cross for last week’s benefit. The Red Cross volunteers also parked a van outside the bar, collected donations and provided information to the community, according to Fry.

Fry said Mark Weisman, the bar owner, created and organized the event.

“A lot of people came in and were really supportive of the whole relief effort,” Fry said. “We had a good crowd all night.”

On the night of the fundraiser, cover charge and drink specials funded BrickStreet’s donation.

“All our door money and a dollar from each [mixed] drink purchase went directly to the Red Cross,” David Coffey, bar manager, said. Patrons also made donations directly to the Red Cross at the main doors of the bar.

After paying cover, patrons could enter a free raffle. Signed posters, a Luke Bryan signed guitar, concert tickets and other items were all part of the raffle.

“We had [signed posters] to reward people who were helping with the cause,” Fry said. “You can’t get those posters anywhere else. It was a thing to get people excited and donate a little bit more for a chance to win.”

Sophomore Allison Wernsing won a signed guitar by Luke Bryan. Wernsing attended the fundraiser to help family and friends who were impacted my Hurricane Sandy in her hometown of Summit, N. J.

“Right when you walked in there was a free raffle,” Wernsing said. “All you had to do was sign your name and phone number and put it in the box. I didn’t think I was going to win anything.”

Wernsing said she plans on putting the signed guitar in her sorority suite and is thinking about learning to play the it.

“It was a really great idea for them to raise money that way,” Wernsing said. “Any little thing that people can do will make a bigger difference than they realize.”

For more information on the Red Cross and making donations, visit www.redcross.org.