Fundraiser for Benicia Education Foundation moves to Sundays

Rellik Tavern’s goal: Raise $18K for schools

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

In 2012, the Rellik Tavern’s “BEF Wednesdays” raised $13,306 for the Benicia Education Foundation.

And while that was shy of the downtown establishment’s goal of $18,000, it still provided a needed boost to Benicia’s nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that helps pay for library and computer resource programs in the city’s public schools.

Now, building on the success of last year, the Rellik’s owners are expanding the effort by moving it to Sundays.

Like last year, 15 percent of gross sales for the entire day in food, beverages — even T-shirts and hats — will go to BEF.

“It was nice having Doug (Houser), who is a retired teacher, playing on the same night as the BEF, that’s why we did it on Wednesday nights,” tavern co-owner Delando Pegan said. “But I know it was difficult for teachers, parents, everybody who wants to come down and help out to come down on Wednesdays.”

Since Sundays are not a school day, it gives school personnel and parents a better opportunity to attend.

Another advantage of Sundays: football.

While the Rellik is not a sports bar, they do have sports events on TV for their patrons to view.

“Even if the husbands and fathers come down for sports on Sundays, that will help the BEF,” Pegan said.

The bar has NFL Ticket, and “we have a huge Super Bowl party, which is always packed,” he said. “We do show the other sports (too).”

When football season isn’t in full swing, there are also other events that should drive up attendance on Suundays, and therefore help the BEF, Pegan said, like poetry readings and other fundraisers.

“Usually if we do some sort of a fundraiser or something it is on a Sunday,” he said.

“We get a good coffee crowd on Sundays, and we get a good Bloody Mary crowd,” he said, pointing out that the bar offers a Bloody Mary Bar, “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” every week. “It turns into the beer crowd, and of course at night you have the martini crowd. We just want to boost that up a bit so we can get more money for the BEF.”

“We really want to hit that $18,000 this year,” Pegan said. “Education is our future, so we want to help out.”

The Rellik opens on Sundays at 9 a.m.