The Cole Street Brewery was busy May 9 with people drinking beer for a good cause.

The event was a fundraiser for the people of Nepal, suffering from a pair of earthquakes, aftershocks and subsequent landslides.

Enumclaw residents Helen and Mark Countryman previously lived in Nepal for two years as Peace Corp volunteers. They felt moved by the suffering and devastation they witnessed and organized friends in town to help raise some money.

“We had a great response from so many local people,” the Countrymans reported in an email. There were donations of cakes, artwork, matching funds arranged by Tami Dunn from Rotary, and the support from Cole Street Brewery.

“It was so heartwarming to see this small town coming together to support people in other small towns across the world,” the Countrymans wrote. “It is at times like this it makes us really appreciate this small town’s connectedness.”

The May 9 event raised more than $6,000.

“We realize this is just tiny amount compared to what is needed,” the Countrymans wrote. “We are still witnessing the suffering, especially after the second huge earthquake. We read stories of villages wiped out and people who have lost everything. There are also many landslides and the monsoon season is imminent. Shelter is so badly needed.

“We hope our contributions to Rotary (www.shelterboxusa.org) will go a little way to provide some hope to a few families in Nepal.”

Anyone wishing to donate can contact the Countrymans at 360-802-4365. Checks can be made payable to The Rotary Foundation.”