A fundraiser for the part-time staff at the Black Seal Restaurant and Bar, which remains closed after a Jan. 6 fire, drew a larger than expected crowd of well-wishers eager to show support for the out-of-work crew.

The Jan. 26 benefit, held on the same day as the Essex Ed Parade, was organized in just 10 days and included food, drinks, a silent auction, and a raffle at the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club.

“We had a lot more people than we were anticipating,” said Chris Morano, one of the main organizers of the event. “It was very emotional for some of the Black Seal staff that were on hand at the event, tending bar and serving. The outpouring of support from the community to help out was very touching.”

He added, “The people who are most affected by the restaurant being closed are the bartenders, waiters, waitresses, and bus people who work on a part-time basis and rely heavily on the money made from tips during their shifts. These are the people we are looking to help. They have been serving us with smiles for years and now it is our turn to give back.”

Diana Gregory, who also helped to organize the event said, “We all love the Black Seal so much and we love the staff. This was the least we could do to help out.”

Gregory and Morano also started a GoFundMe Page on Jan. 17 to raise additional funds. The page will remain open until further notice. At press time the page had raised $9,184 from donations from 71 people.

“We are so grateful for the charity of this small community,” said Gregory.

“In addition to individuals contributing donations, other businesses are also donating money, I think in part because they realize that this is something that could have happened to anyone at any time,” said Morano, a lawyer with offices in downtown Essex. “We are very grateful for everyone coming together to help out others.”

At press time, there was no tally available as to how much was raised at the benefit. For more information about how to donate to the GoFundMe page, visit www.gofundme.com and search “black seal.”