'Beards & Brews' raises nearly $10,000 for Reading Hospital Foundation
Nov. 8—Nearly $10,000 was raised during a celebrity bartender event in Wyomissing last week to support Reading Hospital Foundation's "No Shave November" fundraising campaign to boost awareness of cancer screening for men.
Celebrity bartenders including Keegan Worley, chief financial officer of The Standard Group served a variety of drinks to guests at Building 24 Kitchen and Bar. The tips that they generated will benefit men's health initiatives at Reading Hospital's McGlinn Cancer Institute. T-shirts were also available for purchase, with proceeds going toward the cause.
The six-hour event was open to the public.
Worley was joined behind the bar by 28 Reading Hospital employees and 16 other local businessmen.
"I hope the No Shave November campaign inspires our community to embrace empathy and solidarity, encouraging open conversations about men's cancer awareness," Worley said in a news release.
He served an array of exclusive themed drink specials such as the "Clean-Shaven Cream Ale" from Oakbrook Brewing.
Elders Cut Meadery sponsored some of the specialty drinks. Among them were "Mutton Chops" which is a Manhattan made with mead, and "The Soul Patch", a honey/lemon-inspired mead cocktail.
The funds raised at Beards & Brews bring the total raised by the No Shave November campaign to nearly $27,000.
The event was a good way to bring members of the community together while supporting a great cause, said Dr. Charles F. Barbera, Reading Hospital president and CEO.
"We're working to shed light on the importance of cancer screenings for men," he said, "and No Shave November is a great opportunity for us to do it."
