Every March, we can count on certain things. We inch closer to spring and the days finally get longer. We fill out our brackets, sure that this year will be the one we nail our picks. And at the V Foundation for Cancer Research, we know our friends at Constellation Beer Brands are working hard to defeat cancer.
Beginning each March and continuing throughout the year, the Constellation Beer Brands Division’s Gold Network Distributors comes together to raise money for the V Foundation. Some write a check, some hold fundraisers in their communities, but no matter the avenue, they join forces to help fund innovative research.
This initiative hits close to home for Charlie Ingrilli, the Vice President of Sales for Cone Distributing in Florida. His father was first diagnosed with colon cancer when he was 38. He survived, but recently passed away from prostate cancer. His mother died of lung cancer. His daughter, Amanda, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was two, but thankfully has been in remission for years and is now a healthy 31-year-old.
“We got behind the Constellation initiative very early on and have continued to support it financially,” said Ingrilli. “We give because it’s what we do. We give because we are called to give. We give because we have been fortunate and have been blessed with health. We give back because one of our company core values is, ‘Community Contribution- giving back with caring.’ We give back so that one day the money we give for research pays big dividends for families when the doctor tells them that their son or daughter has cancer and the good news is, ‘We can cure it!’”
At Columbia Distributing Company, based in the Pacific Northwest, CEO and President Chris Steffanci has worked with Constellation to continue to develop new fundraising tactics, such as internal raffles for employees, fundraising drives across all their branches and engaging retail customers. He knows that the more support they generate, the larger the donation.
“Constellation brought so much passion and belief in the V Foundation that it gained incredible momentum within our organization, at all levels,” said Steffanci. “Once we learned more about all the support the V Foundation gives to research and their unwavering commitment to find a cure, we started to develop our own personal connection. It’s grown immensely over the years and we are now so proud to be part of the work the V Foundation supports.”
Even the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop this team from raising more than $1.5 million in 2020. Since the initiative began in 2010, they’ve contributed over $19 million to support the V Foundation. From Florida to the Pacific Northwest, let’s raise a glass to toast Constellation Brands for their “Don’t Ever Give Up” spirit and their commitment to achieve Victory Over Cancer®!
