From Margarita to Bourbon to Craft Beer: Barrel239 Donates AED to Grove Roots after Margaritaville Donated to Them
by James Coulter
From margarita to bourbon, and from bourbon to craft beer. After having an automated external defibrillator (AED) donated to them from Camp Margaritaville Auburndale, Barrel239 decided to return the favor by donating an AED to their neighbor Grove Roots Brewing Co.
On Mon. June 3, Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation donated their 42nd AED to Grove Roots Brewing Co in Winter Haven. The AED was donated through Barrel239, which had previously received an AED through the foundation earlier this year.
“It’s always a good feeling paying it forward. Camp Margaritaville graciously donated to us so it just felt right,” said Ashta Compton, owner of Barrel 239. “Grove Roots has the family atmosphere along with high volume & the mission is to place one at every corner and with all the residential popping up on our side of 3rd Street it feels like a good decision.”
Chris Barton, another owner of Barrel 239, likewise had the pleasure of returning a favor by making a similar donation to a fellow neighboring business.
“It’s great to be able to share this cause with our friends downtown,” he said. “We’re very happy to have been part of this cause and want to thank Melanie and her team for all their great work around Central Florida.”
Joe Dunham, the owner of Grove Roots, appreciated receiving this emergency medical device for his business, especially from a fellow business owner.
“We are very grateful for Barrel 239 to donate a lifesaving device to the brewery. Having these devices in downtown Winter Haven gives the opportunity to save lives,” he said. “Ashta and Chris, thank you so much. We’re incredibly grateful you selected us for this generous gift. We’ve always admired you both as business owners and individuals and this only adds to our respect.”
Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation (CCF) was founded four years ago by local business owner and philanthropist Melanie Brown Culpepper Beilke. The inspiration came after her late fiancée, Michael Culpepper, met his untimely demise from cardiac arrest.
Not wanting anyone else to suffer a similar fate, Melanie started CCF to raise proceeds to assist and support local emergency medical technicians and other first responders. Since then, she has donated more than 40 AEDs to businesses across Polk County and even created a mobile app to help find AED locations.
Melanie has been a friend of Joe Dunham, having worked closely with him at local fundraisers including Chain of Lake EggFest. She admires his willingness to assist the local community, so a donation to his business seemed fitting.
“Joe with Grove Roots helped sponsor Eggfest and many of our community events,” she said. “Joe also has had a couple of incidents already where an AED could have been used so he was much appreciated for getting one at his establishment to help keep all of these families safe if ever needed.”
To learn more about Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, visit their website at: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper
