By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
Supporters of the American Cancer Society will belly up to the bar for the eighth annual Hops for Hope benefit Nov. 15 at the Budweiser Brewery in Baldwinsville.
As always, the event features tours of the brewery, an open bar, catering by Bull & Bear, raffles and live music.
“It’s a well-oiled machine. How can we make it better?” said Danielle LaTour, community development manager for ACS.
Last year, Hops for Hope drew about 200 attendees and raised approximately $23,000. The capacity for guests is the same, but LaTour said ACS is setting the bar higher for fundraising.
“We definitely want to hit at least $25,000, but we are shooting for higher than that, too,” said LaTour.
This year’s event features the Mike McKay Band, which is based in Syracuse.
“They will be donating their time in honor of [McKay’s] father, who is undergoing cancer treatments,” LaTour said.
The honoree and featured speaker for this year’s event is Dr. Lorena Gonzalez, a surgeon at Upstate Medical University and a breast cancer survivor. LaTour said the week of Hops for Hope coincides with Gonzalez’ one-year anniversary of having surgery.
Attending an event such as Hops for Hope is an “easy ask,” LaTour said. Hops for Hope draws people who might not normally participate in other ACS fundraisers, such as Relay for Life, which can involve a lot of time commitment and effort.
“It draws new people in because it’s an exclusive look into the Budweiser Brewery because they don’t normally open their doors. You’re getting an inside look at the brewery,” LaTour said.
In addition to tours of the brewery, attendees will get to sample Budweiser’s offerings. The Baldwinsville facility produces about 70 brands of beverages, compared to the average 10 to 20 brands other Anheuser-Busch breweries produce.
Hops for Hope guests can enter raffles of several prizes, including two round-trip tickets for a Delta Air Lines flight and more.
LaTour said Hops for Hope sees many return visitors.
“They know that they’re going to be having a good time and they know they’ll be helping the cause while they’re there,” she said.
To learn more about Hops for Hope, visit hopsforhopeny.com or facebook.com/ACSHopsForHope or contact Danielle LaTour at [email protected] or (315) 433-5627.
