East Rockaway's Louisiana fundraiser set for Saturday

Get ready to crawl

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On Saturday, East Rockaway residents and their neighbors will pay it forward to victims of the Louisiana floods by taking part in a pub crawl fundraiser. The ER 4 LA Pub Crawl Fund Drive will involve five local establishments: Michael’s Port Hole, Barrier Brewing Company, Reel, Lazy Lobster and Althouse.

The village has designated municipal parking lot No. 3, behind Capital One Bank on Main Street, as a designated-driver lot. Parking fees and restrictions will be lifted from 1 p.m. Saturday through 1 p.m. Sunday.

In August, 60,000 homes in a 200-square-mile area that included Baton Rouge, La., and its suburbs were damaged when 33 inches of rain fell in 15 hours. Thirteen people were reported dead in the flooding, which has been called the worst U.S. disaster since Hurricane Sandy. After East Rockaway’s experience with Sandy, event organizers said that they saw this outing as a way to support another area in need following a disaster.

Last month, Dan Caracciolo, one of the people spearheading the event, was trying to think of ways to raise community camaraderie in East Rockaway. Not long after the possibility of doing a pub crawl was mentioned, the floods hit Louisiana.

“Within 48 hours of coming up with the idea for the pub crawl, Baton Rouge was under water, and this totally made sense,” Caracciolo said. “At the same time, almost immediately I received some messages from Friends of Long Island who were in their own communities kind of feeling the same way.” Friends of Long Island is a collaboration of grassroots efforts that sprouted after Sandy, with the goal of bringing volunteer efforts, resources, education and other assistance directly to those in need.

“When we heard about the flooding in Baton Rouge, we knew the event would be a great way to help,” said Joe Forgione, on of its co-coordinators. “Four years later, we’re able to enjoy our waterfront because people helped us after the storm and businesses showed a confidence in our area. Now we get to pay it forward, not only with money, but with the hopeful message that they, too, can and will rebuild.”

The event will start with registration at Michael’s Porthole at 2:30 p.m. for those who have not pre-registered. The “crawl” will take place from 3 to 8 p.m., beginning at Michael’s and moving counterclockwise to the other establishments. Participants can spend as much time as they want at each establishment, but must register at Michael’s to take part.

Tickets include a bracelet, five discounted drink vouchers (one for each location) for up to $6 each, food specials, entry into various raffles and a T-shirt. The shirts are guaranteed only for those who bought tickets online prior to Sept. 23.

Each voucher is also an entry in raffles at each location and one large prize. There’s a chance to win all six prizes, but of course, the more vouchers you redeem, the more chances you have to win the raffles. All of the entry fees (less credit card fees), including same-day tickets, will go to the fund drive.

Online ticket check-in and same-day registration will begin at 2:30 p.m. at Michael’s Porthole. Raffles will be drawn at 8:30 p.m. at Reel. You need not be present to win.

The crawl is not timed, but it was planned so participants could spend about an hour at each location. You can go to as many locations as you like, in any order you like, but you must register at Michael’s Porthole to receive your event bracelet and T-shirt.

As of press time, ticket purchases and donations totaled $6,000. Caracciolo contacted the relief group Together Baton Rouge in Louisiana to determine where and how the proceeds would be distributed.

“We’re extremely excited and are truly proud of our community,” he said. “We hope to have created an annual event where we can showcase how far we’ve come since the storm, and give back somehow.”

FAQ about the crawl

Q: I can’t make it. Can I send a donation?

A: Yes, you can select the “donation” ticket. Please note that this donation is not tax-deductible.

Q: How much will it cost to register on Saturday?

A: $50.

Q: Are there ID requirements or an age minimum to enter?

A: Yes. You must be 21 to participate. You will be ID’d.

Q: What are my transportation and parking options getting to the event?

A: The village has designated a parking lot, and the LIRR’s Long Beach line will get you here in no time. An eastbound train from Penn Station and points in between arrives at the East Rockaway station at 2:29 p.m. A westbound train from Long Beach arrives at 2:36.

Q: Where can I contact the organizers with any questions?

A: Message them at Facebook.com/the11518.

Q: Is my registration/ticket transferable to another person?

A: Yes, but message the organizers.

Q: Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

A: No just your photo ID.

Q: What is the refund policy?

A: Refunds are allowed until same-day registration begins.

More details can be found on the ER 4 LA Pub Crawl Facebook page.

Mike Smollins contributed to this story.