Las Olas Wine and Food Festival

For the past three years, Premier Beverage has proudly sponsored the annual Las Olas Wine and Food Festival, raising a total of $175,000 per year for the American Lung Association. In addition to providing financial support for a worthy cause, the festival presents a showcase for Premier’s high-profile brands through such activities as a Bonterra VIP Tent and a Bombay Sapphire Music and Mixology Lounge, which is open to all attendees. With over 40 wineries and 60 restaurants participating, the event enables Premier to join with its retailers in giving back to the community.

Community Contributions

Premier supports the community by creating signature events that raise donations for its major partnering charities, which include The First Tee, The Chi Chi Rodriguez Foundation, The UCH Foundation, and The American Lung Association. Since 2007, Premier has contributed over $350,000 to local charities, and since 2000 has donated more than $700,000 in gifts and funds to the University Community Hospital Foundation in Tampa.

Premier Beverage Unites for Haitian Relief Efforts

Shaken to the core, Haiti suffered a catastrophic earthquake in early January that had all eyes upon this tiny nation in the Caribbean.  Neighbors to the north, Premier Beverage Company felt the effects of this devastating disaster as many employees have Haitian roots and family members residing there.

Associates across the state acted quickly and donation receptacles were set up to accept clothing, shoes, blankets, and first-aid items. A “Jeans Day” fundraiser was implemented throughout all Florida houses. Associates, who were able to wear jeans by making a cash donation, raised close to $2,500 at this event. 

These charitable efforts resulted in truckloads of supplies, a $2,500 donation from Premier associates and an additional $5,000 donation from Premier Beverage Company, all of which were donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. (Pictured, left to right: Patrick Passanante, HR Director; Seneque Josue; Dieula Blot, Chargebacks; Webens Josue, Accounts Receivable; Ralph Alamo, Senior HR representative, all with Premier Beverage; and Alicia Laszewski, Red Cross Marketing Officer.)

Premier Associate Donates Precious Gift

Ed Marsch, Director of Marketing at Premier Company, shares his story of triumph after he donates his kidney to his daughter, Leighana Marsch.

At age 14, Leighana was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and started kidney dialysis one year ago when she was 18. She performed dialysis at home eight hours a day, every day. Leighana’s life was affected dramatically, as she was unable to go to school or even leave the house. After many years of pain and struggle for Leighana, Ed found out he was a near-perfect match and was able to donate his left kidney to his daughter. Ed went through extensive testing to ensure that he was a match, including an MRI to view kidney development and structure, a chest x-ray, heart stress test, and cross-matching blood work in which they matched four out of six antigens. This is considered a very strong match. “Doctors said we were practically biological twins!” Ed said. Just before Leighana’s surgery, she got a special motivational call from former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, who was a survivor of FSGS.

On  Oct. 13, 2009, Ed and Leighana arrived at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood California for surgery. Side by side in the operating room, both Ed and his daughter went through four hours of surgery to complete the donation. Nearly three hours after the surgery, Leighana showed signs of extreme improvement and she was released from the hospital just a week and half later. At that time her kidney functions tested normal! She is full of energy for the first time in years and feels like an entirely new person. She will stay home until mid-January in a sterile environment while she is slowly taken off various medications. After she is done with the medications, she will take two anti-rejection pills every day for the rest of her life. Leighana will be able to start college next fall.

 “It’s a great feeling that I have inside when I talk to Leighana and to hear in her voice the enthusiasm that she once had prior to this horrible disease," Ed said. "I know that a majority of parents would do the same for their child. I am living proof that it is not that big of a deal when the time shall come (God forbid) that a loved one needs a kidney via a 'living donor' method. Just do it! Also, I would suggest to everyone that when they renew their driver’s license they should check the box ‘organ donor.' I did!” (Pictured: Ed and Leighana Marsch)