I got an e-mail press release yesterday from Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Oregon, about their latest promotion, and it’s so fitting for them that it’s a wonder they didn’t think of it sooner. There are a few brothers working together in the beer industry, but none more visibly than Kurt and Rob. So they’re promoting Brother’s Day, which they say is August 11, and are inviting people to send e-cards to their brothers — for free — and then for each one sent they will donate one dollar to their local chapter of Big Brothers, Big Sisters. How perfect is that?
Given my personality, you probably think I’m an only child. And you’d be right … sort of. I was raised as an only child, but I actually have a half-brother and a half-sister, too. I just didn’t grow up with them, so I don’t have that sibling dynamic. My biological father was married three times, and had one child from each marriage, spreading that seed around. I’ve met them both a few times, and even used to trade Christmas cards with my brother Mark, when he was living in Georgia. But the last few got returned and I have no idea where he is these days, and no way to find out. Perhaps I should use the excuse of Brother’s Day to try to find him again.
My only quibble is that, as far as I can tell (warning: holiday geek info coming), May 24 is really Brother’s Day, at least according to the gold standard for holidays, Chase’s Calendar of Events. They list Brother’s Day as having been created in 2001 by C. Daniel Rhodes of Alabama. You can find a couple of references on the web to it being August 11, too, but none with any supporting information. In the end, I have no real problem with them using August 11, but just wanted to set the record straight. In case you were curious, Sister’s Day is the first Sunday in August, which this year will be August 3.
Kurt and Rob Widmer at GABF in 2002, shortly after they won Brewery of the Year.