SUBMITTED PHOTO
Dave Casserella will be the recipient of funds raised Saturday at a benefit dinner hosted by Fourth Street Pub in West Hazleton.

BY JILL WHALEN

Fourth Street Pub in West Hazleton will have a pasta and meatball dinner Saturday, Nov. 2, to benefit Dave Cassarella of Hazleton.

“My brother-in-law has diabetes and they recently had to amputate his leg,” explained Marty Beccone, Fourth Street’s owner.

Cassarella spent months in four hospitals, and is in recovery at Mountain City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hazle Twp.

He now needs a prosthetic leg.

“Prosthetics cost a lot of money,” Beccone said. “The better the prosthetic, the more you have to pay.”

With his insurance, Cassarella is unable to afford rehabilitation. In addition, his home also has to be modified so that he can navigate around it.

“Basically, they have astronomical bills,” Beccone said.

The dinner will be available from 1 to 6 p.m. and includes pasta, meatballs, salad, bread and butter. Cost is $12 per person and takeouts will be available.

“If we sell 100 dinners, then Dave and his family will get $1,200,” Beccone said. “He will receive 100% of what we sell.”

There will also be tricky trays and a 50/50 raffle.

Beccone said Cassarella’s family is hoping that he will feel well enough to attend the fundraiser.

“Like he said, he’s doing a one day at a time type of thing,” Beccone said.

Contact the writer: jwhalen@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3592