After a Webster University alumna was severely injured in a shooting in Soulard Feb. 6, local restaurants have donated thousands to her recovery fund.
Rain Stippec, a 2014 graduate of Webster’s dance department, was shot multiple times in the back and was listed as being in critical condition. She works as a ballet instructor at the Movement Arts Center.
Stippec’s sister, Katie Stippec, said that Rain was still in the ICU, but that the family is hopeful. Katie said the incident is still an open investigation and that there is not much the family can say at this time.
On Feb. 10 Cellar House manager Shawn Sullivan, a friend of Katie, offered to donate 10 percent of drink sales and 100 percent of his tips to Rain’s recovery fund. Cellar House is a restaurant and wine bar on Telegraph Road.
“They’re an awesome family, and that’s just what you do for people,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said Cellar House raised $1,000 for Rain that night.
On Feb. 11 PBR club at Ballpark Village donated 10 percent of profits and 100 percent of their cover charges to Rain’s recovery fund. PBR also sold t-shirts and held a raffle for Rain. KSDK reported that Rain worked as a dancer and choreographer at PBR.
Katie said PBR raised about $10,000 for Rain that night.
On Feb. 16, six Pickleman’s restaurant locations donated 50 percent of their profits to the Rain’s recovery fund on in-store orders from 5-8 p.m. The participating locations included Clayton, Creve Coeur, Kirkwood, O’Fallon, St. Charles and SLU.
Rain’s sister Ann Stippec is the general manager of Pickleman’s in Creve Coeur.
Katie said between Cellar House, Oakville Sports Pub and selling “We dance for Rain” bracelets, they have raised thousands. She said they are still waiting for final donation amounts from Pickleman’s and Smoothie King, and that several other fundraisers will be held in the coming months.
Separate from the fundraisers, Katie also set up a GoFundMe page for her sister’s recovery. The page has raised $45,263 of its $100,000 goal as of Feb. 21.
The donations so far have been raised by 782 people in 14 days.
According to Webster’s department of public relations, Stippec worked at Webster from January 2014 through December 2016, and as an office assistant in the dance department while she was a student.
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