Southern Tier Distillery event supports TRC’s Toys for Tots drive

Most people look forward to Fridays.  And now there’s another reason to be excited about the end of the work week.

The Empty Bottle at Southern Tier Distilling Company will host a fund-raising event Friday, October 2, to support the Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive in Chautauqua County.

The event is part of the distillery’s “First Fri-YAY!” series of fund-raisers, held the first Friday of each month.  Ten percent of sales (including online purchases) generated between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. will be donated to Toys for Tots.  In addition, patrons are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.  The distillery is located at 2051A Stoneman Circle, Lakewood, just down the hill from Southern Tier Brewing Company.

To make the event more fun, Toys for Tots organizers and The Resource Center have recruited celebrity bartenders to volunteer during the event.  We’re hoping the bartenders will have a friendly competition among themselves to see which of them can generate the most money in sales and tips during their shift.  Here is the lineup:

5:00-6:00
Tim Adam
John Vogan

6:00-7:00
George Panebianco
Mike Roberts

7:00-8:00
Richie Gray
Sam Lisciandro

NOTE: Sam Triscari may substitute in during the 6:00-7:00 or 7:00-8:00 shifts.

Click here to see the Facebook event.

This marks the 20^th straight year that employees of The Resource Center have coordinated the Marine Toys for Tots drive in Chautauqua Count.  The past few years, Chautauqua Connections, Inc., and the Chautauqua Connections Children’s Coalition have partnered with TRC to operate the toy drive.  Each year, Toys for Tots makes the holidays merrier for more than 3,000 Chautauqua County children.  Last year, 3,289 children from 1,315 families received toys.

Because of the pandemic, there will be changes this year in terms of how toys are collected, sorted and distributed.  Details about this year’s toy drive are scheduled to be announced during a press conference the morning of the distillery event.