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October 1,
2014 –
Last night in New York City, Guinness & Co. raised a glass
of the iconic beer in honor of the Leary Firefighters
Foundation (LFF) during a special event to present the LFF a
check for more than half a million dollars in support of
firefighters nationwide.
Actor and founder of the LFF, Denis Leary,
joined Guinness and Diageo executives to celebrate their
combined efforts to support firefighters across the U.S.
Throughout the past year, Guinness raised over $500,000, in
partnership with the LFF, to help provide quality equipment,
education, training and technology for firefighters
everywhere. Guinness and the LFF received an outpouring of
personal donations and contributions from adult supporters
through the brand’s fundraising efforts to support the
foundation as well as a significant contribution from
Guinness itself.
“At Guinness, we celebrate those who are Made
of More; those who carry on the legacy of our founder and
our company and who demonstrate great character without
asking for recognition. Firefighters showcase these
qualities with the commitments and sacrifices they make
every day,” said Guinness Brand Director Doug Campbell.
“We’re very proud of the work we’ve done alongside the LFF
and we’re excited to continue that initiative to recognize
individuals who do more for their communities throughout the
next year.”
Guinness’ St. Patrick’s Day 2014 program
hosted a variety of fundraising initiatives through its
philanthropic online hub www.GuinessGivesBack.com
, including a limited-edition firefighter themed t-shirt
sold online and in select bars across the country. The
makers of Guinness beer also released the Extraordinary
Irish Beers Variety Pack, saluting firefighters’
extraordinary character, which included Guinness® Draught,
Guinness® Black Lager, Smithwick’s® Irish Ale and Harp
Lager. A percentage of the proceeds from sales of the
t-shirts and variety packs were donated to the LFF. The
program has been part of the brand’s ‘MADE OF MORE’
campaign, which celebrates the service and selflessness of
firefighters.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership
with Guinness for a third year,” said actor Denis Leary,
founder of the LFF. “Since beginning our partnership two
years ago, we’ve raised more than $650,000 to help
firefighters nationwide. It’s an honor for the LFF to be
recognized for its tireless efforts in support of all the
men and women who put their lives on the line every day; the
funds raised by Guinness will help our firefighter brothers
and sisters in uniform across the country.”
The event also kicked off the brand’s goal to
raise $1 million for local firefighters by St. Patrick’s Day
2015, in the third year of its partnership with the LFF. For
the next several months, Guinness will publicly recognize
those who make great contributions to their communities by
raising a Guinness to them at a community event. The brand
will carry out additional fundraising activities throughout
the year to reach its $1 million fundraising goal.
Join the conversation and share Made of More
moments on Twitter at @GuinnessUS. Select images and stories
will be featured on the brand’s Instagram feed which
celebrates those who are Made of More.
To learn more about Guinness’ partnership
with the LFF, visit www.GuinessGivesBack.com
To learn more about the work LFF does in support of
firefighters, visit www.learyfirefighters.org
Guinness reminds everyone while raising your
glass in support of firefighters, and all the men and women
who do more for our communities, to do so responsibly.
About The
Leary Firefighters Foundation
The Leary Firefighters Foundation (LFF)
provides funding and resources for fire departments to get
the best available equipment, technology and training
necessary for the health and safety of firefighters and in
turn, the public they serve. Founded in 2000 by actor Denis
Leary in response to the 1999 Cold Storage Warehouse fire
tragedy in his native Worcester, Massachusetts, LFF has
raised more than $10 million for first responders in
Worcester, Boston, New York, New Jersey and New Orleans. The
Leary Firefighter Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization as designated by the Internal Revenue Code.
Please visit us at
www.learyfirefighters.org
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