State College restaurant employees help one of their own with fundraiser at Otto’s

It’s been used numerous times, but the Beatles encapsulated the essence of a phenomenon when they so jovially sang, “I get by with a little help from my friends.”

That seems to be the case right now for longtime Otto’s Pub and Brewery warehouse manager Bryan Rearick. He recently made the difficult decision to step away from Otto’s, where he has worked since the State College restaurant opened in 2002, due to the fast onset of a degenerative neurological condition. As a way to help with associated expenses, his co-workers and friends have a organized a fundraiser called “Rearickfest” to be held Wednesday starting at 8 p.m. at Otto’s.

“There will be two bands that are playing,” said co-worker and event co-organizer Sandy Miller, “The Rounders and Appalachian Alchemy.”

The music features a rare assemblage of the Rounders, a band that has been around for a long time but does not get together for gigs very often, which is a testament to the relationships Rearick has sewn over the years. Although there is no cover charge for music events at Otto’s and Barrel 21, there is a suggested donation of $10 that will go directly to Rearick’s mounting expenses, Miller said.

Rearick’s legacy at Otto’s is evident when speaking with Miller and Sarah Sherry, both of whom have worked with Rearick for years. In Sherry’s case, it goes back to the early days of Otto’s in the building now occupied by Nature’s Medicine.

“He’s been a part of our family for so long,” Sherry said.

To help funnel the funds in the most efficient way, Rearickfest organizers are working with a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called Mission Imprint.

“The owners were looking for someone to handle the funds and to distribute the money,” Sherry said, “so Bryan wouldn’t have to deal with that.”

In this situation, the funds are especially critical for Rearick because he is not able to work and he is also not eligible for assistance from the state.

“Because of age he hasn’t been able to get disability,” Sherry said.

Although Rearick began at Otto’s when it opened in 2002, his relationship with owner Charlie Schnable goes back even further to when both he and Schnable were instrumental in opening Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport.

For more information on the event, visit http://ottospubandbrewery.com/events/event/benefit-for-bryan-rearick/.

This story was originally published December 13, 2019 at 8:20 AM.