For the last 10 years, Indiana Beverage and MillerCoors have teamed up with Strack & Van Til to assist families in need throughout the Region.
Each holiday season, groups gather at various Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana to assemble meals for deserving families. The meals are then distributed throughout every area Club and into the hands of Region families.
This year, Indiana Beverage, MillerCoors, and Strack & Van Til assembled 510 packages. Assembling 245 meals at the Club in Gary, 175 at the Club in Cedar Lake, and 90 at the Club in Portage, the team worked cheerfully in assembly-line fashion to ensure that community members in need go to bed with full bellies this holiday.
Indiana Beverage and Strack & Van Til have been partners for years, but representatives from both companies agreed that this event in particular solidifies the benefits of their partnership. Indiana Beverage rep Kent Butler said the annual donation is a perfect representation of the companies’ missions to be active and supportive of their communities.
“It all starts with family ownership that is committed to giving back to the communities we serve,” Butler said. “Both of our organizations have been in business for over 80 years here in Northwest Indiana, and helping Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana is something we have done for at least a decade now.”
Mike Nisevich, sales manager at Strack & Van Til, said the donation served as a good way for the organizations to work together in a service-driven capacity outside of their daily careers.
“It’s a big team effort, and it’s a nice opportunity for us to spend some time together,” he said. “Right before the holidays, we all come together to spend a day doing this and it’s a great time.”
Reps from each organization gathered at each Club, packing brown Strack & Van bags full of 10 items each. Items included a ham, mashed potatoes, rolls, a pie, and more. The teams worked fast and in accord.
“We’ve got it down to a science now,” said Indiana Beverage rep Liza Hilliard. “We timed ourselves at the Gary location, and we assembled the meals in 15 minutes.”
Regardless of the time taken, the companies enjoyed working together and looked forward to more years of acts of service to come.
“This is a wonderful community initiative,” Butler said. “It’s a good feeling to give back, and we know how much this means to these families.”
