VALPARAISO | From 200 to 300 victims of September's flooding across the region received a measure of help in the form of a turkey dinner with all the trimmings Monday at Strongbow Inn.

Lisa and Randy Dammarell, of Hobart, said they appreciated being able to go out for a nice meal with their children Colton and Nicole.

After 7 feet of water shut down their business, Lake George Bait and Tackle, they were hit with a Catch-22 in seeking assistance, Lisa Dammarell said.

They were turned down for a loan by the Small Business Administration because with their source of income gone, they were deemed a poor risk for being able to pay back the loan.

So as they work to reopen the business, the formal dinner was a very generous offer, she said.

The dinners, which will continue with two more seatings today, were the gift of Valparaiso attorney Kenneth Allen.

The event was an acknowledgement, Allen said, "that all of us suffer when some of us suffer." It was an attempt to show the flood victims that people care. "It's nice to do something for others when we can."

Allen attributed the idea for the dinners to his wife, Nina, and thanked the United Way for logistical help in publicizing the event and distributing tickets.

Theodis and Wallynda Clayborne lost furniture and appliances when 18 inches of water flooded their Gary basement. More painful was the loss of irreplaceable items such as baby photos, holiday decorations their three kids made and daughter Jailynn's christening dress.

"That can't be replaced," Wallynda Clayborne said. "You can't put a money amount on that."

The Strongbow dinner, Theodis Clayborne said, was "a blessing."

Maggie Valene, who also lost furnishings in the basement of her Gary house, also appreciated the dinner.

"It's wonderful. It make you feel nice," she said.

Valene saw homes worse off than hers in the disaster, so she chose to look on the positive side.

"We survived," she said. "It could be worse."