Alaskan Brewery Donates $20K To Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL)

Juneau, Alaska (November 29, 2013) – Alaskan Brewing Co. presented Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) with a check for $20,000 at a pre-Thanksgiving lunch at the brewery. The money comes from funds raised at a few events and from tips gathered at the brewery gift shop this summer.

“Every year we contribute the money from the tip jar in the brewery’s gift shop to a non-profit, and this year we raised about $12,000 in tips that we were able to give to SAIL,” said Linda Thomas, Chief Operating Officer at Alaskan Brewing. “The rest of the money comes chiefly from the ‘No Umbrellas’ fashion show, which this year brought in about $8,000.”

SAIL was voted this year’s Alaskan Brewing charitable organization by the brew crew at the beginning of the year. Thomas said the crew appreciated SAIL’s commitment to improving the lives of Southeast Alaskans through a variety of programs to increase mobility and independence.

The check presented this week is in addition to funds raised earlier this year at the “High Gravity Games” at Eaglecrest Ski Area, which amounted to about $4,000. In total, the brewery has given $24,000 to SAIL so far this year. Thomas said there were a couple of reasons the gift shop was able to raise a substantial amount through tips this year.

“We had a great year for visitors at the gift shop – plus terrific weather which meant lots of thirsty people dropping by the brewery to sample our beers,” explained Thomas. “And the addition of the growler bar at the brewery increased traffic and tips, which was great to see.”

Thomas said the amount given to SAIL by year end may increase a bit, because there is still another month of tips to gather at the gift shop during December.
.