Park’s Place Smokehouse will host a fundraising event Friday at the Wolfe It Down Food Court to support victims of the Texas flood.
The event is free to the public and will feature a live DJ, games and smoked gator. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, with all proceeds donated to local authorities in Texas to distribute to flood victims.
Aaron Park, owner of Park’s Place Smokehouse, said the cause is personal to him. His wife is from Texas, and he has lost friends in the flood.
“The more I heard about this story, the more I wanted to make sure what I was doing would feel right. In order for that, I needed it to hurt a little,” he said. “So that whole day is gone. We're giving all that away willingly.”
Park challenged other businesses to support the cause.
“Give some money. Make it hurt a little. Feel that pain for them. All these people are going through lives absolutely destroyed, changed, all this. Feel a little pain for them,” he said. “Yes, it might take a little time to make up this money or get it back, but it's worth it. That pain is worth it. And it feels so good to help these people. It really does. That pain feels good. It's a hurt so good.”
To learn more about the event, visit the Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce website or Park’s Place Smokehouse’s Instagram.
To learn more about Park’s story opening a restaurant and organizing this event, listen to the full interview on BYU-Idaho Radio’s podcast on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.