More often than not, life is personal.  Journalist, authors, and bloggers write of politics, economics, education, and the law; however, their interest is individual.  They, as people personally respond to a particular policy, position, or practice.  Writers also respond to people.  In this writing, I am.  Days ago I received an email from a friend, she wrote in desperation.  This woman sent out a mass mailing apologizing for the practice and stressing the situation is dire.

Mary [not her real name] wrote,

I know this is a mass email, but at this point, I will try anything to help save the jobs of not only my husband but also the other 249 families.  Please help and thanks for your support.

 Mary enclosed a link to the petition Keep Rolling Rock in Latrobe
I clicked on the link and began to read a well-composed and pleading letter.

To:  August A. Busch IV

Mr. August A. Busch IV, ??We, the people of Latrobe and surrounding communities, as well as Rolling Rock drinkers everywhere ask that Rolling Rock be kept in Latrobe Pennsylvania.  Your company and name have always been associated with strong family tradition.  You are quoted as saying, “We have an ideal opportunity to grow this historic brand.  This beer is not like others and its consumer following is equally distinctive.”  We ask you not ruin this beers rich history by moving it out of its birthplace.

You [Mr. Busch] would be stripping the city of everything it has known for over a century.  The brewery and everything it represents coincide with Latrobe; Latrobe is Rolling Rock, Rolling Rock is Latrobe.  We the people are not upset or bothered by the purchase; we hope you can help grow this great brand.  We do, however, ask that you keep Rolling Rock in its hometown.  If expansion is necessary, so be it.  But please, for the sake of a city and all Rolling Rock fans, we ask that you keep Rolling Rocks base in its mother city, and keep our family alive.

Sincerely, The Undersigned

At the time of this writing, there are a total of 11866 Signatures.

I am penning this quickly and asking you to reach out.  This for me illustrates how a big business, in this case a brewery, can purchase a smaller company, for all the right reasons, profitability, name recognition, reputation, a loyal following, because they are a force to be reckon with; yet, they forget all that made this company strong, the people.  

Mary, my acquaintance wrote to me of her situation.  Her husband, John, has worked for the company for over twenty-six years.  John is a hard worker; he cares and has for all these years.  He took so much pride in what was “his place” of work and the product.  According to Mary and to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review all of this was done in the dark of night.  No one had any idea of what was happening.  Lives were overturned with little care.

Please read the article and the sad stories residents of Latrobe and employees of Rolling Rock share.  They are painful; yet important.
Bud buys Rolling Rock; Latrobe Brewing’s future uncertain

The city is as Mary and John are, shocked and distraught.  Anheuser-Busch, leader in the U.S. beer industry, bought the Rolling Rock brand, the recipe, and the right to brew the beverage.  However, they had no interest in the facilities or the people that these breweries employed.

Those that know me well might wonder why I would write a communiqué on Rolling Rock beer and its production facilities.  In my entire life, I have never had a drink of alcohol.  Until two months ago, I never heard of Rolling Rock beer, though I recall the moment I did.  I was at a party, and when a young man saw that Rolling Rock was available, he decided he could stay all night. A month later, I had a similar experience.

You might wonder, dear reader how I could have not known of John’s employer.  I know Mary.  I knew that she lived in Latrobe; we spoke of her husband, their long and happy marriage, their five children and more.  Yet, we never spoke of Rolling Rock or the specifics of John’s job.  I was certain that he enjoyed his work and workplace; nothing more needed to be said, until now.  

Now, I ask as Latrobe families do.  Please help; and sign the petition.  You may also wish to speak with your bartender and friends to join you in a boycott non-Latrobe Rolling Rock.  Extend your hand, hold your beer high, and hope that those that have infused the formula into these bottles for the last sixty-seven years brewed this blend.

References For Your Review . . .

Betsy L. Angert Be-Think

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