My entry today is one of a more personal nature and has less to do with industry practices and more to do with the importance of remembering, honoring, and taking time to thank our servicemen and women fighting overseas.
On December 9th, our company sponsored what I think was one of the most meaningful venues as any I’ve ever been a part of. There are many worthwhile charities spanning throughout our great country, particularly during the holiday season when we are by and large feeling more charitable, but as an incredibly passionate supporter of our nation’s servicemen and women, when our company proposed exchanging our traditional holiday party in favor of hosting a concert and luncheon for injured U.S. soldiers currently residing and rehabilitating at Walter Reed Memorial Hospital outside the nation’s capitol, there simply was no indecision on my or our team’s part to do so.
So working for a global company has its perks. One of those is the relationships we forge through our brands with celebrities. Darryl Worley, a chart topping country musician who is revered in the US Armed Forces realm as a true activist for our troops, and whose lyrics literally speak to and for so many servicemen and women, agreed to hold a private concert hosted by DIAGEO and the USO.
Last Sunday, an audience of largely war torn, physically struggling but ever so honorable young men and women intently sat, listened, and sang along as Darryl so willingly gave his time to entertain these heroes for the afternoon. Tears and gratitude for this day of enjoyment were spoken over and over again, but I can’t help but wonder, do they have any idea that the sincere appreciation came from our ability to do it? The joy and gratitude we felt to have this honor and ability to express our thanks for their service is beyond description. Their lives are indeed forever changed by their service and sacrifices, and after spending time with them this brief afternoon, mine is too.
In Lexington, SC recently tragic deaths occurred of three high school seniors in two separate accidents on the same night who were drinking and driving. James Young and Donald Schwartz were leaving a party when Schwartz ran off the road and struck a tree. Both Young and Schwartz died. Only 30 minutes earlier, another 17 year old, Kyle Paradise was driving under the influence when he hit a road sign and flipped his automobile, immediately killing his passenger and best friend Brent Nachel.
This small town in rural South Carolina is not unlike many small towns where underage drinking is a persistent plague in the community. Having grown up in a small town myself, I can attest to the rather boring life that surrounded kids and without education and constant reminding, coming from coaches, parents, teachers, and other good young adult role models, peer pressure to drink can be challenging.
Faced with these calamities in his district, Senator Jakey Knotts, a veteran Senator from the midlands of South Carolina turned to DIAGEO and worked passionately and earnestly with us and The Century Council to bring a program to this beleaguered community to remind kids of the dangers associated with illegal underage consumption of alcohol. The program, Brandon Tells His Story, is of Brandon Silveria, a young high school student with a very bright future both academically and athletically. Brandon’s story is tragic and moving. When only 17 years old, Brandon was involved in a near fatal car crash after drinking at a high school party with friends. He was subsequently in a coma for 3 months and even years later he still faces daily dilemmas with permanent and visible speech and walking disabilities. Despite these disabilities, Brandon and his Father Tony travel across the country talking to teenagers about the dangers of drinking and driving. His emotional story both educates and encourages responsible decisions by teens and has made a huge impact across high school auditoriums nationwide.
Partnerships with the industry, community leaders, parents and teachers’ organizations are all critical –frankly imperative, to educate and remind our youth on the potentially lethal outcomes of illegal underage drinking and drunk driving. The more we as a company and community can do to continue to educate our kids about these dangers, the better off we all are at protecting our future generations. I’m proud to work for a company that cares so much about the communities in which we live and work and demonstrates that commitment to responsibility every day across the country.
