Restaurant Neighbor Award 2008 Finalist
Iowa

Barmuda Corporation
Cedar Falls, IA

When a class 5 tornado tore through several small Iowa towns in May, killing eight and injuring 50, Barmuda Corporation knew it had to help. Three weeks later, amid the company’s plans to host a disaster relief fundraiser, floodwaters hit the area, forcing Barmuda — which owns and operates 12 hospitality establishments in Cedar Falls and Waterloo — to shut several businesses for a week, including its company headquarters. Operating without offices and having lost the original files and materials they’d created for the event, the Barmuda team started over. In less than three weeks, they were able to pull together a full-blown fundraising event — from a five-star meal to auction donations. More than 150 people participated, raising more than $75,000 for the United Way Iowa Disaster Relief Fund.

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