Heaven Hill has shared the names and faces that will adorn limited edition Evan Williams Black bottles for the 2021 release of American-Made Heroes limited editions.
According to Evan Williams, “Each veteran’s picture and story of service in their active duty and civilian life will be featured on the side of the special-edition Evan Williams Black Bourbon label.”
Evan Williams is recognizing each of these heroes for their “selfless acts of service at home and abroad.” The veterans were chosen from applications to the American-Made Hero Foundation fund grant process. They were selected from more than 470 applications, and collectively their faces will appear on nearly half a million bottles of bourbon released this year.
The limited edition bottles have had their labels dressed up. In addition to the images of the American Heroes, adding red white and blue to the label’s design, and the tagline “American Owned, American Made, American Proud.”
The American-Made Hero Foundation Fund Grant supports projects that help veterans “including, but not limited to, initiatives in education, employment, the arts, recreation, housing, health, and human needs. Each project makes a meaningful difference in the lives of veterans and improves the enjoyment and quality of life for veterans.”
“We are honored to share the stories of this diverse group of veterans who have upheld the American spirit through extraordinary acts of service,” said Evan Williams Bourbon Senior Brand Manager Julie Cole, in a statement. “Through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund we are humbled to offer help to organizations that support veterans and lift up these communities.”
Here’s the list of the 2021 Evan Williams American-Made Heroes:
Roman Baca, New York, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps: Roman enlisted before 9/11 and went from performing classical ballet to serving with the 25th Marines. His dance training and military training come together at Exit12: a dance company that shares veterans’ stories of survival through powerful performance art. To learn more about Exit12 Dance Company, visit https://exit12danceco.org/.
Rita Aragon, Oklahoma City, Major General, U.S. Air Force (Ret.): As a young single mother, Rita made the decision to enlist in 1979. She retired after a decorated 28-year career, becoming the first female commander of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Today she continues to serve as Board President of Honoring America’s Warriors. To learn more about Honoring America’s Warriors, visit https://honoringamericaswarriors.org/.
Antione Hines, Chesapeake, Va., Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Ret.): Antione served as a Submarine Nuclear Electrician for 10 years and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism. He is the Founder and CEO of Veteran’s HomeFront – a nonprofit organization supporting homeless, at-risk and disconnected veterans since 2016. To learn more about Veteran’s Homefront, visit https://www.veteranshomefront.vet/.
Michael Delancy, Pinellas Park, Fla., Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps: While serving with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Iraq, Mike came under enemy fire and was awarded the Purple Heart. In 2015 he founded the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch – a wheelchair-accessible sports park designed to inspire veterans to go out and be active. To learn more about the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch, visit https://woundedwarriorsabilitiesranch.org/.
Joshua Perschbacher, Waterloo, Ill., Petty Officer, U.S. Navy: During his four years in the Navy, Josh completed two deployments to the Middle East as an Operations Specialist. He has dedicated his post-military career to helping veterans access education and professional networking opportunities through his nonprofit, The Vetwork. To learn more about The Vetwork, visit https://www.thevetwork.org/.
Monique Brown, Tacoma, Wash., Staff Sergeant, U.S. Arm, Army Reserves, and National Guard (Ret.): Monique’s decorated military career included service in the Army National Guard, the Army Reserves, and 13 years of active duty. She retired after 26 years and founded FOB Hope – a nonprofit organization supporting homeless and vulnerable veterans in Washington State. To learn more about FOB Hope, visit https://www.fobhope.org/.
The release is capped off with a website update and a new commercial that “emphasizes the brand’s continued support and admiration of military veterans and their service to both country and community.”
Evan Williams collector or not, this is definitely something you’ll be proud to have on the shelf.
