In the Wake of a Tragedy, the Industry Unites Helping Hands for Hospitality
By Taylor Rau
The members of Oxford Publishing Inc. — through the pages of Nightclub
& Bar magazine as well as other outlets and networking — are
appreciative of the opportunity to assist in the national Hurricane
Katrina efforts underway across the United States. With the BarAid
program launched by Oxford Publishing days after the tragedy, immediate
communications came in from company board members and key industry
groups who had already stepped up to take the lead in developing relief
programs and have banded together the collective resources of this
incredible industry.
“BarAid reflects a great outpouring of support from all segments
of the hospitality industry,” says Dr. Ed Meek, publisher and CEO of
Oxford Publishing Inc., who himself currently is housing two families
of Katrina victims displaced by the disaster. “It has truly been a
helping hand for hospitality.”
Resources and donations gathered through BarAid (accessible on
nightclub.com) are distributed to the Red Cross, and other industry
actions will be reported in the pages of Nightclub & Bar as efforts
continue.
“The speed of response was perhaps outweighed only by the sheer
amount of donations and materials collected within the industry for the
relief,” says Oxford Publishing Inc. C.O.O. Jennifer Robinson. “We’re
proud to be associated with such a fine group of individuals and
organizations.”
Rays of Light
The result of these efforts to date is nothing short of amazing, and
Nightclub & Bar looks forward to continuing coverage of this
specialized program and to recognizing the deeds and donations that
demonstrate just how powerful and benevolent the hospitality industry
truly is. Venue owners and operators yet to get involved in these
efforts are encouraged to do so by hosting BarAid events of their own
and then sharing them with their peers through the pages of Nightclub
& Bar magazine.
The following are reports on many of the programs and examples of outreach launched by board members and corporate peers.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) reports
solid relief efforts are underway. “The response from every tier of our
industry has been amazing,” says Dr. Peter Cressy, president of DISCUS.
“I know personally that DISCUS members already have pledged nearly $1.5
million in hurricane relief, and they are working closely with their
distributor partners to ensure that these funds are used in the best
possible way.”
The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) has made a significant
contribution to the American Red Cross on behalf of its members. Many
suppliers and distributors have committed resources as well. In
addition to staff volunteering their time at National Guard phone banks
and other areas to provide assistance, NBWA, as an association, donated
$10,000 to the American Red Cross, and is encouraging wholesalers to do
the same through its Web site and newsletter. “The beer industry has
been incredibly generous throughout this tragedy, and the suppliers
have been wonderful to supply water, money, generators and other
necessities,” says Michelle Semones, director of public affairs.
The following activities and campaigns are those established by many of Oxford Publishing Inc.’s Advisory Board Members:
• HMSHost has a matching gift program. Donations are being made payable
to the American Red Cross and the company matches dollar for dollar.
In addition, associates also can contribute through a payroll deduction
program. The company will match this as well, says Stan Novack, HMSHost
VP of concept development.
• Bacardi has pledged $400,000 to hurricane relief efforts — $20,000 to
a DISCUS fund, $50,000 to the Red Cross, and approximately $300,000 to
support Bacardi’s colleagues and also the employees of Republic
Beverage, the company’s long-time distributor. In addition, the company
will match any employee’s donation to the Red Cross.
• E&J Gallo is participating in hurricane relief through its
partnership with Taste of NFL and America’s Second Harvest. The
companies’ program is running through November, and a portion of all
proceeds raised will be donated via Second Harvest, says Director of
National Accounts Larry Sturcken.
• Participating in growing national public and private relief efforts
to aid the victims, families and communities affected by Hurricane
Katrina, Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc, the country’s
largest wine and spirits distributor, established a $100,000 matching
relief fund for its more than 10,000 employees, as both the company and
its employees step up to address this natural tragedy. Harvey R.
Chaplin, chairman and CEO, and Wayne E. Chaplin, president and C.O.O.,
issued the following joint statement: “On behalf of our 10,000 team
members across the United States, we at Southern Wine & Spirits of
America want to express our deepest sympathies to the Gulf Coast
residents affected by Hurricane Katrina, and as an expression of our
support in these times of need, we are establishing a $100,000 matching
relief fund, whose proceeds will be immediately directed to national
private relief agencies and groups now involved in bringing aid and
comfort to families and communities in Alabama, Louisiana and
Mississippi. The company’s matching relief fund offer is open to all
its employees and team members nationwide.”
• Constellation Brands Companies have taken an aggressive role in
spearheading hurricane relief efforts. In the wake of Hurricane
Katrina’s devastation to parts of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama,
Constellation Brands Inc. made a $100,000 donation to the American Red
Cross disaster relief fund. Richard Sands, representing Constellation,
says, “Our hearts go out to all who have been impacted and to all of
those who are being deployed to help. We’re pleased to be able to
assist the Red Cross in these hours and days of need.”
• The Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Enterprises, The Coca-Cola
Foundation and Coca-Cola Bottlers across the United States through the
Coca-Cola Bottlers Association donated $5 million to support the relief
and rescue efforts in communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The
money will be divided among the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army
and the Coca-Cola System Hurricane Katrina Employee Relief Fund, which
will assist displaced system employees. In addition to the $5 million
donation, the company and its bottlers have plants running continually
to produce water and other beverages for donation to the relief efforts
across the South. “The Coca-Cola System is fully activated to meet
the demands,” said company Chairman and CEO Neville Isdell. “We’re also
working with our supply base to ensure that all our supplier partners
are actively participating in our efforts ... our thoughts and prayers
are with everyone in the affected areas as they begin the task of
rebuilding their lives.”
• Cruzan International committed to funding, through DISCUS and along
with the other major distillers, a matching fund to the Mount Vernon
fund-raising effort. “We have committed a large sum to the Virgin
Islands Government-sponsored fund that is being raised from among Vigin
Islands-based companies. This fund total should approach $500,000
dollars is my guess,” says Jay Maltby, CEO of Cruzan International.
“Reliable (Bill Goldring’s and The Block’s company in Louisiana and
Texas) has established a fund, and we have committed to help there, as
well.” Cruzan International employees also are contributing to a fund
to assist local employees and families. “There are and will be other
efforts developing as we learn more ... (and) I know that we will learn
of more specific needs as this situation progresses.”
• Anheuser-Busch recently announced that its breweries in Fort Collins,
Colo., and Jacksonville, Fla., are joining the company’s ongoing effort
to package and deliver millions of cans of safe drinking water for the
victims of Hurricane Katrina. “I am extremely proud of the exceptional
planning and execution by our employees that has gone into our water
relief efforts,” says Patrick Stokes, president and CEO of
Anheuser-Busch Companies. Anheuser-Busch began producing canned
drinking water before the hurricane struck, to have supplies on hand
the minute the storm passed. Deliveries to the affected areas began as
soon as passable roads could be found. The Anheuser-Busch Foundation
also is donating $1 million to the Red Cross to help ongoing relief
efforts along the Gulf Coast communities devastated by Hurricane
Katrina. In addition, the company is matching contributions made by
its employees to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and is
matching up to an additional $1 million from its independent
wholesalers nationwide.
• Jim Beam Brands will supplement Fortune Brands’ $500,000 donation to
the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund with $125,000, primarily
directed toward helping people within its own family and helping the
city of New Orleans. To help the city of New Orleans, the company also
will contribute directly to the Friends of New Orleans, which is being
administered by Bank One. Friends of New Orleans was created by Jim
Beam Brands employee John Meisler and his wife Cillen, who were
lifelong residents of New Orleans before moving to Chicago and continue
to have significant ties to the community (see story next issue).
• Miller Brewing Company will produce 15 truckloads of 32-ounce bottles
of water per week over the next month to support the recovery effort.
Miller is working with various state and federal relief agencies to
determine the greatest needs for additional donated water. In the first
week of the relief effort, Miller shipped 20 truckloads of water from
its Albany, Ga., brewery to impacted areas, plus an additional two
truckloads from its Irwindale, Calif., brewery to Houston in
anticipation of evacuee needs there. Numerous Miller supplier partners
also have volunteered their goods and services to assist in the water
donation. Miller Brewing Company also recently announced that it will
donate up to $1 million to the American Red Cross to aid with Hurricane
Katrina relief efforts. Miller will be donating $500,000 immediately
and will match all contributions from its employees and distributor
partners up to an additional $500,000.
• Patrick Droesch, VP of beverage for Dallas-based Brinker Int.,
reports the company is supporting large-scale relief efforts through
the Red Cross on a local and national level. “We’re providing meals to
evacuees housed in numerous shelters that have been set up for evacuees
in our communities, and we are conducting a major supply drive here at
our home office,” Droesch says. “Also, our restaurants nationwide are
mobilizing as part of a restaurant industry-wide Dine For America event
on Wednesday, October 5, when we will be donating that day’s profits to
the Red Cross in support of their relief efforts.”
• Patrick Henry, president of Patrick Henry Creative Promotions, says
his organization has donated to the Red Cross and two other relief
funds. PHCP also started a clothing fund.
• Greg Newman and Ron Newman of Newman Hospitality have assisted the
relief with support from their Baja Sharkeez locations in and around
Manhattan Beach, Calif. “We have all of the USC alumni groups coming
to all our Southern California locations to watch their away games,”
Greg Newman said recently. “Last weekend and during the next few games,
they are passing a hat around at halftime and pulling in donations from
their membership. We are matching all of those donations. Last week
they pulled in $1,000. I think next time we will offer to double it.”
• Team Enterprises developed a task force that has worked on several
plans to add to the overall relief support. The company is raising
money from employees, gathering donations in the way of clothes and
furniture and offering housing in the short-term.
• RealMex Restaurants has established an Employer Match program up to
$250,000 for its nearly 14,000 employees.,” says Fred Wolfe, CEO and
president. “We are also housing two members of our New Orleans-based
advertising agency, Trumpet.”
• Thom Greco, chairman of the non-profit Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan
Development Corporation in Pennsylvania, has been hosting a monthly
event on the first Friday of the month called First Fridays @
Wilkes-Barre. The event is a celebration of the revitalization of the
downtown and brings the arts together for a social event with net
proceeds being donated to charity. On the first Friday of September,
Greco quickly moved to make the fundraiser to benefit the American Red
Cross Disaster Relief Fund for the Hurricane Katrina damage. The CEO of
the Wyoming Valley American Red Cross, Mike Zimmerman, appeared with
Thom Greco on the local ABC affiliate WNEP TV to promote the event, and
the event was successful, raising more than $3,500 for the fund.
• Robert Friedman, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based Red Hot
& Blue Restaurants Inc., reports his company provided the food for
a fundraiser on Capital Hill, sponsored by the Mississippi, Alabama,
Florida and Louisiana State Societies.
• Consolidated Restaurant Operations Inc. is donating $1 for ordering
specific menu items to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Their brands include El Chico, Good Eats, Cantina Laredo, The Spaghetti
Warehouse, Lucky’s Café, Silver Fox Steakhouse, III Forks Steakhouse,
and Cool River Café. “The CRO family is exceptional. Our team
immediately developed a plan for the company to support disaster
relief. Every dollar is critical and helps organizations like the Red
Cross provide immediate assistance. Our employees and customers are
proud to help in the relief efforts,” says John D. Harkey Jr., CEO.
“We serve over 25 million meals annually, and wanted to support the Red
Cross and their efforts to meet the critical needs of victims of
Hurricane Katrina,” says Bill Watson, VP of marketing. “It is our
responsibility to the community.” NCB
The members of Oxford Publishing Inc. — through the pages of Nightclub
& Bar magazine as well as other outlets and networking — are
appreciative of the opportunity to assist in the national Hurricane
Katrina efforts underway across the United States. With the BarAid
program launched by Oxford Publishing days after the tragedy, immediate
communications came in from company board members and key industry
groups who had already stepped up to take the lead in developing relief
programs and have banded together the collective resources of this
incredible industry.
