Flying Wienie employee starts fundraiser for owners

CEDAR RAPIDS — An employee of the Flying Wienie, a hot dog hut in southwest Cedar Rapids, has started a fundraiser to help its co-owners stay on top of medical bills as one awaits a double lung transplant.

“They need some help because of COVID and the current economy’s effect on their small business,” said Go Fund Me organizer Cassandra “Sandy” Day. “All costs for insurance premiums, deductibles, doctors and copays have gone up.”

Day said all funds raised for co-owner John Martin and his wife, Denise, will go toward treating Denise’s MAC lung disease and stage 4 COPD. MAC Lung Disease is a serious bacterial infection that causes a variety of respiratory symptoms. It is not infectious.

“She was a significant part of the place, and all the customers loved her,” Day said. “Denise has had to give up doing almost everything she loves to do.”

The Go Fund Me, started in April, has listed a goal of $50,000. As of Monday, it reached $5,150. Offline donations can be mailed to: The Flying Wienie, 103 Eighth Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404.

The Flying Wienie has served Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian sausages, gyros and burgers in Cedar Rapids since 1999.

Comments: (319) 398-8340; elijah.decious@thegazette.com