Craft beer brings in cash for Gurnee American Legion
Gurnee American Legion Post 771 has received the first check from a craft beer festival created to help the organization stay afloat after a video gambling request was rejected last year.
Mayor Kristina Kovarik presented a $17,500 check to Post 771 strategic planning chairman James Huisel at Monday's village board meeting. The proceeds were from the first Legions of Craft Beer bash, which was held Oct. 3 under a tent outside Gurnee Mills.
In addition, $5,800 was presented to Paula Carballido, president and program director of Lake County Honor Flight. The nonprofit organization flies veterans to visit memorials in Washington, D.C.
Huisel said after the meeting the $17,500 will go toward programs and youth scholarships. He said some of the cash will help pay for cosponsorship of the play "Women at War" set for 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at College of Lake County's auditorium in Grayslake. The play will follow a veterans fair.
"It's fantastic," Huisel said. "For the first event we had with the village, it probably was the most successful fundraiser we've had at the post in many, many, many, many years.
"The reaction we received from the community has been outstanding. I really give the mayor and the village and the local businesses a lot of credit for stepping up instead of turning away and saying, 'That's your problem.' They stepped up and helped us."
Last year, Huisel asked the Gurnee village board to allow video gambling because the post was down to its last $65,000 and needed a new income source to cover escalating real estate taxes, building maintenance and charitable efforts. The elected officials rejected the request but backed creation of the craft beer festival to help the 80-year-old post to continue operating.
Legions of Craft Beer featured about 30 breweries, food trucks offering various cuisines, and performances from Chicago-area bands.
Kovarik reiterated that video gambling doesn't fit Gurnee's family image and that the beer fest will prove to be a predictable annual revenue stream for the American Legion. She said she might have set the bar too high in hoping the bash could have generated $30,000 for Post 771 and $10,000 for Lake County Honor Flight.
"People are telling me that for the first year, we did fantastic," Kovarik said. "So, maybe I was a little overly ambitious, which is not that unusual. So, I think next year, we're definitely going to hit the goals and be able to support the American Legion much, much more financially than we did this year."
Carballido said the $5,800 the festival organizers decided to direct this year to Lake County Honor Flight will pay for eight veterans to visit Washington.
"I'd like to say thank you for everyone that contributed to the legion craft beer fest," she said.