Fundraiser in Seaside Heights to benefit boardwalk business destroyed by fire

    A fundraiser slated for next Saturday will benefit a Seaside Park business that was destroyed by the September boardwalk fire.

    In September, Nick Dionisio, owner of Park Seafood, told Newsworks that less than a year before the fire, Superstorm Sandy struck his business with a devastating blow.

    But Dionisio wasn’t knocked off his feet. 

    “I had $20,000 in food loss, nine feet of water in my basement, and thousands of dollars lost due to destroyed equipment,” he said.

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    Dionisio received $600 in insurance money, only to have his carrier cancel his policy in November 2012.

    “Due to the effect of the hurricane,” the cancellation letter stated.

    Three weeks later, his father passed away unexpectedly. His mother didn’t have anywhere to live, as she was displaced from her Ortley Beach home.

    Despite his immense personal and business losses, Dionisio pushed forward, determined to revive the popular eatery, only to be completely destroyed by the fire.

    While the fire may have knocked him out, it’s only temporary, he said, stressing that he wants to return “bigger and better than ever.”

    So next Saturday, November 16 from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m., the public can help Dionisio recover at JR’s Ocean Bar and Grill on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights.

    The fundraiser will feature food, a silent auction, and live music from “A Day in the Life.” Tickets are $20.

    “It will be a fun filled day, so take the day off from all those chores, hire a babysitter, grab EVERYONE you know, and come do some day drinking to support this GREAT FAMILY,” an announcement posted on the Park Seafood Facebook page states.

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