The Joe Andruzzi Foundation brought some holiday cheer to three New England breweries this fall as part of the 2nd Annual JAF Holiday Hop Over Series. Hop Overs are JAF fundraising events held at New England breweries where guests enjoy local beer, food, and entertainment while supporting the Joe Andruzzi Foundation.
JAF’s first Hop Over was held on October 19 at CraftRoots Brewing in Milford, MA. With Ray and Justin from the Pub Kings providing music, attendees tried IPAs and ales from local farms and food from local Milford spot Oliva’s. The Foundation’s first time at CraftRoots proved to be successful, resulting in more than $6,000 in donations from supporters.
Next, JAF traveled to True North Ale Company in Ipswich, MA, on November 16. For the second year in a row, it was yet another fantastic night at True North for JAF, with supporters getting to taste some of the brewery’s award-winning beers, such as its Mexican lager and Belgian ale. Along with DJ Phil Carbone providing the music, Ipswich pizzeria Pomodori’s hosted the food and the event delivering more than $7,000 to the Foundation.
For the third and final Hop Over of the year, JAF returned to Stubborn Beauty Brewing Company in Middletown, CT, on December 8. With a super raffle and silent auction, the occasion raised more than $10,000. The evening also had music from Martin Piggot, and light bites from Middletown pizza place Mondo.
Attendees at the Stubborn Beauty event also heard from Jessica H., a JAF patient recipient from Connecticut who was diagnosed with breast cancer, who talked about the impact JAF had on her:
“Being able to set aside some financial worries with rent assistance brings such comfort,” Jessica wrote in her letter to JAF. “Your organization makes a great difference in many lives during these emotional and physical challenges, and I am beyond thankful. It is clear your generosity continues to fuel cancer-fighting efforts for many people.”
JAF thanks the following people who were the driving forces behind these great Hop Overs:
- The host committee for CraftRoots: Karen Hazard, Kristin Pyne, Ken and Nikki Rosa, Francesca Yohn, and Nadine Morelli
- The owners of CraftRoots Brewing: Maureen and Robin Fabry
- The host committee for True North: Mark Cardillo, Jim Demetrakopoulos, Debbie Keenan, Pat Morris, Matt Penney, Ginny Traverse
- The owners of True North Ale Company, Gary and Jake Rodgers
- The host committee for Stubborn Beauty: Robin Copperthwaite, Bill Donovan, Michael and Amy Garofalo, Sue Garofalo, Alyssa Pillion
- The owners of Stubborn Beauty Brewing Company: Andrew Daigle and Shane Lentini
A big THANK YOU to all who attended our 2022 Holiday Hop Overs. We can’t wait to see you all again next year! With your generous support, JAF can continue to bring more help, hope, and reasons to smile for cancer patients and their families.
If you and your friends or co-workers would like to host a Hop Over to benefit the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, we’d love to hear from you! Contact Gillian O’Brien at Gillian@joeandruzzifoundation.org.