Since Potosi Brewery reopened in 2008 with the mission statement “All profits to charity,” the southwestern Wisconsin company has delivered — via financial and in-kind donations — to worthy causes as diverse as Agrace Hospice, the Freedom Honor Flight and Circus World Museum.
One of the largest beneficiaries is the UW Carbone Cancer Center, who the brewery has had a partnership with since 2015. Between May 1 and June 4,
Potosi Brewery will donate $1 from every case of any Potosi beer sold to consumers and $7 from every barrel sold to retailers to the center. Donations will be based on sales in Dane, Jefferson, Lafayette, Rock, Iowa, Green, Sauk, Columbia, Adams, Juneau, Richland, Crawford, Grant and Dodge counties.
“Our mission doesn’t have a lot to do with beer, but the results of our mission have everything to do with beer,” says David Fritz, president of The Potosi Foundation — the sole owner of Potosi Brewing Co., which originally operated between 1852 and 1972. “To the best of our knowledge, we are the only production brewery in the United States owned by a not-for-profit entity.”
“It is important for the community and people throughout the state to understand that by supporting a non-profit like Potosi, they are also supporting the cancer center,” says Janie Winston, UW Carbone Cancer Center’s Major Gift Officer. “The UW Carbone Cancer Center researches cancer and treats patients all over the state. People are reminded of cancer research within our state through this partnership. It helps raise awareness of both Potosi and this wonderful cancer center we have in our own backyard.”
Proceeds from the Potosi partnership go directly to the Andy North and Friends Director’s Fund for Excellence, which supports multiple types of research — from prostate cancer to melanoma — according to Winston. “The money in this fund goes toward pilot projects that allow our researchers to do preliminary studies to then grant them federal funds,” she says. “This seed money is crucial.”
The annual Andy North and Friends fundraising event, which raised more than $1 million for cancer research in 2017, is scheduled for June 3-4 at the Kalahari Resort and Trappers Turn Golf Club in Wisconsin Dells.
Fritz also is chief executive officer of TRICOR Insurance and a member of the UW Carbone Cancer Center Advisory Board. While he values every organization with which Potosi has a relationship, the one with the Carbone Cancer Center is intensely personal. His mother was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 1997, and Fritz credits the treatment she received at Carbone with extending her life by 10 years.
“We don’t have a lot of cash to give away right now, but what we can do is help other organizations raise money,” Fritz says, adding that the Potosi Foundation historically restored the original brewery, which houses the National Brewery Museum, Potosi Restaurant and Brew Pub and Great River Road Interpretive Center. “If we had the ability to write out big checks every year, that would be easy. But we don’t. We will get there, though.”
Potosi opened a state-of-the-art production brewery in 2015 where they brew their award-winning beers and root beer. They also contract brew and package beer for 6 other Midwest breweries.
Sponsored by Potosi Brewing Company
