Drinking for the Less Fortunate

Some ideas are just brilliant. Most of them aren't mine. Oh well.

Anyways, the best idea I've heard in a long time is selling booze to raise funds for good causes.

This sort of thing isn't new and is done all the time. Several company parties I've gone to have been served by volunteer organizations. The local bar holds an auction for the Variety Club every year. The Rotary hosts a bunch of wine tastings. Stuff like this is very common.

What was news to me is just how easy hosting your own charity drink-up is. One of my friends invited me over to a "Pretzel Party". Drinks were $3 and served with fresh out of the oven pretzels. It was pretty kick ass. I went home and didn't think much of it until I unexpectedly received this picture:



I didn't even know what the hell "obrigado" meant. (The picture is from Brazil) I didn't do anything more than spend a bit of money that was absorbed by my beer budget.

Since that party, I've spoken to some people in Germany that had held a similar type of party at their school that managed to get a few teachers extremely hammered - because, as they said, they were "drinking for the kids".

I'm seriously considering hosting my next event in this format for a number of reasons, including:

1. It's just a damn good thing to do.
2. It puts real purpose into having a party, purpose beyond simply loving all the extra empties lying around on a messy vomit covered floor the following morning.
3. Everybody will have something to drink.
4. Nobody will have to bring anything.
5. Drinking more means being more generous. The people that get a little too carried away simply have bigger hearts.

The idea can be extended further into donations of time. After a party on a friday night, what is there to do besides nurse a hangover? You may as well be doing something useful. Painting a fence for someone's grandmother, tending to a neighbour's yard or doing some other medial task. The only rule is that the work does not interfere with work that would otherwise employ someone. (i.e. The receiver would not be able to afford the services) Bonus points go to the drunkard that shows up for work the earliest.

These consumers of benevolent brew could label themselves as "The Hangovers". If you don't have your own home grown cause, various charities would enjoy the money - it is natural that boozing, a vice akin to gambling, should fuel charitable organizations.

Belonging to such a group would also have a multitude of benefits for the member in addition to the warm cozy feeling they would receive knowing they are improving the world by getting wasted. Membership to such a group could be described on a resume. Every employer likes to see some volunteer activities. What employer wouldn't like to hear that you are able to drink your face off and still like to do something productive the following day?

Drinking donations.

Prost!