East Texas Brewing Company Serves New Beverage to Benefit Local Nonprofit

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – The East Texas Brewing Company is serving a new beverage, and the proceeds will benefit and raise awareness for a local nonprofit.

The drink helps the East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind. The group empowers blind Americans through rehabilitation, education, training and employment.

Alicia Lansford is the chief officer of their missions.

“We actually serve 40 local counties. Anyone visually impaired to totally blind with a host of services,” Lansford said.

The newest addition to the East Texas Brewing Company’s menu includes a Kolsch peach called “The Blind Ambition.”

“For us, the ambition is to do everything you can, and that’s all we’re interested in here is for people to be people first before they go blind. And you still have those hopes and dreams, and that’s what we’re really proud of, is just empowering blind and visually impaired people,” Lansford said.

The East Texas Brewing Company was approached by an employee of the organization and said they were happy to help with donations as well as awareness.

Co-owner of The East Texas Brewing Company, Annie Gilstrap, said: “He is actually a local member of our community who has had his sight for most of his life and lost his sight 14 years ago. . And so, he was telling us everything that Lighthouse for the Blind has done for him, the resources that he has provided. It has provided him with a job and it does a lot for people in our community.

The company also has family ties to the cause.

“For us, Lighthouse for the Blind is connected personally, for us personally with our son. And that’s just something that we’re just happy to be a part of.

East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind hopes that raising awareness will lead to greater acceptance in the blind community.

“And so for us, you know, showing disabled people with disabilities in the community will help us communicate that even more,” Lansford said.

Two dollars from every beer sold at East Texas Brewing Company on Saturday, June 18 will be donated to The East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind.

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