WAABI

WAABI’S SERVICE TO THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AND OUR COMMUNITIES

World Association of the Alcohol Beverage Industries, Inc.

WAABI was founded in 1944 as the Women's Association of the Allied Beverage Industries. Men were admitted as full members after a bylaws and name change in 1990. Chapters are currently active in about a dozen cities and can be started anywhere a small group would like to make it happen.

Throughout WAABI’s more than six decades of service, an astonishing variety of programs, some large, some small, have been made possible by WAABI initiative or support. WAABI’s work to improve our industry, our communities, and ourselves has taken many forms. Here are just a few examples:

Bardstown Kentucky raised over $100,000 (repeatedly!) at their annual golf tournament for Sky Ranch. Nationwide, WAABI has become the most successful fundraiser for Sky Ranch for Boys! Sky Ranch for Boys is a residential treatment facility located on 3,000 acres in Harding County South Dakota and Carter County Montana. With a staff of 38, Sky Ranch cares for approximately 40 boys at a time. Please visit http://www.skyranchfoundation.org for additional information regarding Sky Ranch for Boys.

Successful sponsorship and/or participation in a variety of product tasting/sampling events which help to promote the industry, market industry products, raise funds for local charities and Sky Ranch for Boys, and build good will for the industry.

Hundreds of different local and national charitable organizations have received donations of money and manpower from their local WAABI chapters. Volunteer service by WAABI members often tops 100,000 hours per year! Donations often top $200,000!

The Massachusetts chapter worked with the Distilled Spirits Council and the American Beverage Licensees to make a difference on crucial local legislation.

Thousands of pieces of alcohol education material from major brewers, the Century Council and others have been distributed to local industry members, government, media, children and parents.

WAABI members have written hundreds of “Letters to the Editor” published nationwide and reaching tens of millions of readers. These grassroots messages have addressed everything from teen drinking, to drunk driving, to ad restrictions, to taxes.

When encouraged by industry leaders, WAABI members have added thousands of “grassroots” comments to the official record of regulatory agencies considering issues vital to the industry.

WAABI’s “Meet Your Lawmaker” program resulted in dozens of face-to-face meetings between industry employees and elected officials. The program is to be revitalized in the coming year.

More than 250,000 WAABI-sponsored responsible drinking cards were distributed to prom goers and others by participating florists, formal wear shops and others through the “Flower Power” program.

Chicago WAABI works with local wholesalers to provide 16 college scholarships annually for local students.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised just in the past few years in golf tournaments, Relay for Life races, Barrel-Rolling competitions, and other sporting events.

We’re just getting started! For information on how to become a member of your local WAABI Chapter – or to start a local WAABI Chapter, please contact Jill.Hawkins@waabi.org or toll free at 1-800-466-6920.