Conservation group gives Victory Brewing its highest award
Brandywine Red Clay Alliance says beermaker ‘walks the walk’ with environmental practices
KENNETT » For only the fifth time in its 72-year history, the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance has given out its award that recognizes individuals and corporations for conservation efforts.
The recipient of the Clayton M. Hoff Award this year is Victory Brewing, the Downingtown based beermaker that also has operations in Kennett Square and Parkesburg.
The company received the award Thursday at the alliance’s annual dinner and silent auction held at the Mendenhall Inn and attended by around 250 supporters.
With headquarters at the 318acre Myrick Conservation Center along Route 842 just outside of Unionville, the organization’s mission is “to promote the restoration, conservation, and enjoyment of the natural resources of the Brandywine and Red Clay Watersheds through education, scientific activities, environmental stewardship and advocacy.”
“They are the epitome of what we want to see in a business,” said James E. Jordan Jr., executive director and CEO of the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. “Many companies will talk the talk but not many will walk the walk. They certainly do.”
The Clayton M. Hoff Award was established in 1987 by Brandywine Valley Association to honor the memory of Clayton Hoff, first executive vice president of BVA and the man generally acknowledged to be the founder of the small watershed movement in America.
The last winner of the award was the city of Wilmington, Del., in 2011.
“Clayton Hoff was the visionary that brought the Brandywine Valley Association about. Anything linked to his legacy is a huge honor,” said Bill Covaleski, who started Victory with boyhood friend Ron Barchet. Both men were on hand Thursday to receive the award.
“This is really a community award,” Covaleski said. “We just always wanted to set an environmental example as a company from the very beginning. It was the community out there listening that has done so much of the work.”
From modest beginnings in 1996, Victory is now one of the largest craft brewers in Pennsylvania, selling its beers in 37 states, Puerto Rico and seven countries
In recognizing Victory, the alliance said the company has taken care of its lifeblood, the Brandywine Creek, where it gets the water for its beers.
Victory established the Headwaters Fund in 2011, which provides funding for restoration work that will improve and protect the quality of the creek, the alliance noted. The fund has provided over $18,000 to support Brandywine Red Clay, or BRC, projects, and other local conservation organizations have also benefited from the fund. In total, it has raised more than $50,000 for environmental efforts to date, Covaleski said.
“In addition to financial support, Victory is willing to roll up it sleeves and help with conservation projects,” Jordan said. “On many occasions Bill, Ron, and their Victory colleagues have joined other volunteers in planting trees as part of BRC and other stream restoration programs. This culture of community support began with the founding of the company. Just a few months after opening, Bill and Ron were at BRC’s Octoberfest with a keg and picnic cooler filled with ice to chill the beer as it was being poured. It’s a relationship that has continued ever since. And BRC is just one of a long list of local organizations that benefits from Victory’s support”
The company was also recognized for its efforts at recycling and repurposing existing buildings, the installation of energy conservation equipment, a recycling and waste minimization program, and the use of solar power, the alliance said.
“Accolades and awards are nice and great for the ego but we are not doing it for that reason,” Covaleski said. “We try to take a lead in energy conservation and these things to prove to people that these are good ideas, not just for the environment but for business.”