Bogie’s Bar will host “Bogie’s Japan Relief Palooza” tonight to benefit relief efforts in Japan.
The $5 cover charge for the event, one bartender’s tips and a few hundred dollars from the bar’s owner will be donated to undecided disaster relief organizations, said Shota Kamo, Bogie’s bartender and University alumnus.
Kamo said his parents emigrated from Japan, and he still has relatives and friends living in Tokyo.
The bar will offer $1 call drinks from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., $2.50 Coors Light and Miller Lite from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and may extend drink specials to include $1 Kamikaze shots, Kamo said.
The benefit is a last-minute event organized about a week ago, Kamo said.
Kamo said he decided to donate his tips after Aaron Saulnier, Bogie’s owner, decided to make a donation.
“If the owner is donating that much money, I need to, too,” Kamo said.
Kamo said he created a Facebook group for the event.
“I invited a good bit of my friends and told them to invite their friends,” Kamo said.
Kamo said he would be happy if 100 to 150 people attend the event.
“The more the better,” he said.
Samantha Alleman, creative writing senior, said it’s good for the community when a business decides to give back.
“It shows the business isn’t just out there to make a buck but give back,” Alleman said.
Heather Dylla, engineering science graduate student, said benefits like this are helpful to the community and great opportunities to fundraise because students will enjoy it.
Kerry Kennedy, philosophy junior, said he finds it “a little off-putting” to host the event at a bar.
“I’m not a fan of Tigerland, but it’s a noble thing to do to raise money for a tragedy,” Kennedy said.
 
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Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]