Beer company provides water for flood victims

Anita Weier  —  6/16/2008 1:35 pm

Anheuser-Busch, the giant beer company, has given Wisconsin flood victims 2,150 cases of -- drinking water.

The water, about 51,600 cans, came in response to a call from the American Red Cross in Wisconsin.

It was shipped to Wisconsin Distributors in Sun Prairie, a local wholesaler for the St. Louis-based brewer.

Wisconsin distributors will assist the American Red Cross in getting the water to relief centers in Madison, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, La Crosse and Milwaukee.

"It's important for communities to pull together and lend a helping hand, and Anheuser-Busch is proud to provide drinking water to these people in need," said Peter Kraemer, vice president of operations for the brewer.

"Our company has a long and valued relationship with our friends in Wisconsin."

(Think, "When you've said Wisconsin, you've said it all!" the Budweiser song so popular at Badger sports events.)

Last week alone, Anheuser-Busch donated more than 12,000 cases of safe drinking water to victims of flooding and storms in Terre Haute, Ind.; Cedar Valley, Iowa; Quincy and Lawrenceville, Ill., and Salina, Kansas.

In 2007, the company and its distributors provided 88,298 cases -- more than 2.1 million cans -- of packaged drinking water to victims of natural disasters in several states nationally.

Since 1988, the total has been 63.5 million cans, according to Anheuser-Busch officials.

Helping communities cope with natural disasters has been a company tradition since 1906, when Adolphus Busch made a donation to victims of the San Francisco earthquake, officials said.

The leading American brewer is in a unique position to help those in need, company officials said, noting that Anheuser-Busch has the equipment and the network necessary to package and distribute beverages quickly.

Anita Weier  —  6/16/2008 1:35 pm