Chef Ray Stephen’s, owner of Chef Ray’s Diamond Bar and Grill and East Liverpool Mayor Greg Bricker will be guest bartending at the restaurant for a fundraiser on Dec. 2. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

EAST LIVERPOOL — As a kick-off to the Christmas Parade, Chef Ray’s Diamond Bar and Grill recently opened in Downtown East Liverpool, will hold a grand opening event along with a fundraising event on Dec. 2.

Chef Ray Stephens and his daughter Tosha will be joined by Mayor Greg Bricker for a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m., followed by the grand opening celebration which will feature food and drink specials.

Following the Christmas Parade, Chef Ray’s Diamond Bar and Grill will host a fundraising event for the Suznevich family and the Boyd family. Both families have children, Blake Suznevich, 18, and Jayden Boyd, 12, who have been diagnosed with leukemia.

Blake spent approximately 100 days in the hospital at one point.

Tosha knows both families and said the families have been going through this for a while now and the restaurant wants to give back to the community by helping these families.

For the fundraising event Bricker will be a guest bartender and all the tips that he makes during the event which runs 7-10 p.m., will be matched by Chef Ray’s Diamond Bar and Grill and Bricker’s Cafe to be split and donated to the two families.