Friends Organize Spaghetti Dinner to Benefit Family of Beloved Fishing Camp Instructor

Members of the Palm Harbor community are reaching out to help the family of a beloved fishing camp instructor who died in January.

Friends of the late "Capt. Dean" Parks will hold a spaghetti dinner at J.C. Craver's restaurant on Tuesday, Feb. 26 to raise money to help his family. Parks was a Crystal Beach resident who operated the charter fishing business Absolute Angling Adventures Fishing Guides and taught popular fishing camps for kids at The Centre. He passed away January 9, and left behind his spouse Amanda Baty and their two children, Fisher and Marlee.

Dawn Brinson is organizing the fundraiser. Brinson is a close family friend and is also a VPK instructor at Ozona Elementary School where Fisher and Marlee are students.

"I would see Capt. Dean everyday drop off and pick up his two wonderful children. He was a wonderful dad and spent a lot of time with them," she said.

Brinson used to own T.J.'s Pourhouse in Tarpon Springs for many years and knows a lot of people in the community and has experience hosting spaghetti dinners. She talked to managers at Ozona's J.C. Cravers restaurant to see if the spaghetti fundraiser could be held there and they agreed.

"I have been working none stop for four weeks and everyone in the community has been wonderful. I have met so many nice people along the way. So many people willing to help out," said Brinson.

She says one of the teachers at Ozona Elementary suggested to have a candy station. Tony Marino of Marino's Marina helped with donations for the food and is also organizing the Captain Dean Parks Classic Memorial Fishing Fundraiser to benefit the family.

Brinson also plans on holding a raffle featuring donated gifts at the spaghetti dinner.

"Dean would do anything to help at any expense for his children and friends," she said. "This is a wonderful cause for a wonderful family that is under stress."

Captain Dean Parks Family Memorial Benefit

• What: Spaghetti Dinner, Live Music, Raffle, Candy Station
• When: 6 p.m, Feb. 26
• Where: J.C. Craver's Bar and Grill, 191 Orange St. (727) 216-6412
• Cost: $10

 Related-

• Community Mourns Death of Beloved Fishing Camp Instructor
• Reader Photos: Remembering Capt. Dean Parks

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