LAUREL, Md. - Howard County organizers and volunteers put together a large concert event called Monday. It wasn't something they had planned on doing again--and so soon.
The "Party in the Pit 2018" at the Merriweather Post Pavilion raised money for victims of the Ellicott City flood. Organizers said the same event was held after the 2016 flash flood. They raised about $175,000 for all of the victims, businesses and homeowners included.
This year the concert fundraiser garned about $67,000 in donations.
At the event Monday night, all of the bartenders serving up drinks were people who took a hit during this year’s floods.
“What’s really nice is just seeing everybody come together, support one another, pick ourselves up,” said La Palapa Grill & Cantina Bartender, Stephen Gruss.
“This is an advantage or opportunity for people who have been affected by the flood, to take a break from the recovery and try and relax a bit,” said Howard County Councilmember, Jon Weinstein.
PHOTOS: Significant Ellicott City flooding over Memorial Day weekend
As much as a break may be needed, Jason Barnes said it just wasn’t possible. He owns All Time Toys on Main Street, but is better known as the man who helped form a human chain to save people during the 2016 flood.
“No, I mean we’re two weeks out. We’re just not given enough time to really empty our places out,” he said.
Barnes spent Monday afternoon pulling anything salvageable from his shop.
Two years ago, the business owner said the donations they received from strangers were his lifeline. This year, Barnes is worried he and the other business owners may not financially survive.
“Unfortunately fundraising money, we haven’t seen much of it yet, and we’re not sure how that’s going to be delegated,” Barnes said of the county’s fundraising.
The Ellicott City Partnership, the group managing funds received from Monday’s fundraiser, say there were about 100 businesses just on Main Street alone.
County Executive Allan Kittleman said he’s grateful for every donation made.
“Raising money is always very important, but I think more important is just showing how the whole Howard County, the Baltimore Region is coming together to support the folks,” Kittleman said.
A portion of the proceeds is going to the Eddison Hermond Memorial Scholarship Fund. Hermond was a National Guardsman who died trying to save a Maryland woman in the May flood.
