Combat veteran brewing beer to help comrades
A couple of months ago Ryan Preston came up with the idea to brew a beer for veterans and have a portion of the proceeds go to the Veterans Association Food Bank.
He approached staff at Cold Garden who liked the idea. He talked about his venture with a number of friends and business colleagues who got on board by pledging to match donations. Now Preston is looking at a donation of close to $12,000.
"The fact that this went from something that I thought might be like a little $500 donation, we're jumping up in some cash and it's going to be an amazing presentation," he said.
Blake Belding is the co-founder, co-owner and head of production at Cold Garden.
"I heard his story (and) I agreed to do it," said Belding. "I just didn't expect it was going to get this big and I said yeah let's go for it and now it's this huge thing so I'm really stoked, I think we'll make it an annual thing."
Belding said the veterans beer is already brewing and should be ready for tasting the first week in November. He's made a production batch of 2000 pints.
"We kind of wanted something really approachable, that was easy to drink, but also that was like really delicious and was worthy of the cause so we settled on just a classic lager with a little bit of a malty base to it."
Belding said lagers are notoriously difficult to make because they take a little longer than ales.
"So that was our like testament," said Belding. "We're putting in the effort on this one and we know that it'll be something that everybody enjoys and it's something that will sell quickly so that the proceeds can get into the food bank's hands."
Preston served in the Second Battalion with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry from 2002-07. He was part of Canada's first mission to Afghanistan in 2006.
"The whole Afghanistan mission right now that's crumbled, has really hit not only myself but I know a lot of my other comrades and veterans," he said.
Preston has a good support group around him and sought help when his military career ended. He hasn't had to use the Veterans Association Food Bank but knows it's a valuable service to those who need it. Now he wants to give back.
"It's very important," said Preston. "I mean I served for reason, I wanted to serve my country, I'm out and I want to continue serving."
Charles Redeker, the operations manager at the Veterans Association Food Bank, said the association just registered its 500th client with the youngest being just 26 years old. Redeker said it takes a lot for a veteran to admit they need help and once they're in the door to pick up some food, they have access to a number of programs to help them.
Redeker said he was thankful for Preston's efforts.
"It's tremendous," he said. 'You know aside from it being donation revenue coming in it's the support of the community to what we're doing, there's companies and people in the community that believe in what we're doing and the assistance that we're providing veterans."
Learn more about the food bank here: www.veteransassociationfoodbank.ca
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.