Ann Kopecky

A crowd of South Dakota State University students and Brookings community members descended on Cubby’s Sports Bar and Grill Friday evening, but this time it wasn’t just for the food and drinks.

Cubby’s hosted a benefit Friday evening for the six SDSU students who lost their home to a fire on Feb. 19.

According to Justin Gilmore, Cubby’s bar manager, the benefit raised a little over $2,000 for the students.

“It was amazing how many kids showed up to support them,” Gilmore said.

Gilmore said he got the idea to have the benefit after visiting with Greg Geary in the sports bar the night after the fire.

Geary had the same pants and shirt on from the night of the fire and said that was all he owned.

Geary and the other victims lost nearly everything in the fire. One of the men was hospitalized with burns on over 50 percent of his body.

Gilmore said that they are not only good friends of some of the Cubby’s workers, but they’re also good customers of the bar.

“We felt like we could help them out,” Gilmore said.

The event began at 10 p.m. and lasted until closing time.

Customers were charged a minimum $5 charge at the door and then could drink free all night until the kegs of beer ran dry.

According to Gilmore, the four kegs of Coors Lite, Miller Lite and Bud Light went fast.

“It was crazy in here,” Gilmore said. “All at once we had 250 in here.”

But Gilmore said that many people were not there just to drink beer.

Many people offered side donations.

“People just stopped in and gave money, some threw $20 to $30,” Gilmore said. “Wells Fargo donated $150.”

Gilmore said that the fire victims were present at the benefit and that one even was accompanied by his parents.

Gilmore said that the students knew their friends would be there, but were surprised at the overwhelming support.

“They couldn’t believe it,” Gilmore said. “They were amazed by all the support on their side.”

Gilmore said the benefit was a good turnout among the community.

“A lot of support from non-students as well as adults,” Gilmore said.