CARDINALS RALLY ON WASHINGTON AVENUE ALSO BENEFITS HEAT UP ST. LOUIS, HELPING THE NEEDY WITH WINTER BILLS

“The Bud Pour for the Needy,” at 13^th and Washington Avenue Today

Heat-Up St. Louis, a regional not-for-profit energy assistance charity will benefit from the St. Louis Cardinals Pep Rally, today beginning at 5:00 p.m. at 13^th and Washington in the middle of the street, downtown St. Louis. The rally is on the eve of the first World Series game in St. Louis.  The Cardinals return to the warmth of their hometown fans.  “The Bud Pour for the Needy,” will have volunteers working a famous Budweiser truck pouring beerin exchange for a donation. 100% of the proceeds will go to helping people stay warm this winter. The truck will be open until 10:00 p.m. or until it runs dry. The Pasta House Co. is also donating a  $5.00 discount coupon to anyone who makes a donation.

Kevin McGowan, executive vice-president of Heat-Up St. Louis, is a partner in McGowan and Walsh, a St. Louis development firm. McGowan, a loft district resident, owns projects in the Washington Loft District and is one of the sponsors of the Cardinals Pep Rally. McGowan worked with Lohr distributors to donate the truck and brand beverages late on Sunday.

“This opportunity quickly presented itself to our charitable organization and I jumped at it,” says McGowan. “Naturally our volunteers were able to make this happen. This is going to be a very bitter winter for many.”

Those volunteering will include area firefighters with boots, UMB Bank and Citigroup employees. Washington University students over 21 years old may also participate under the direction of professor Jeff Smith.

A colder than average winter is predicted and utility bills are anticipated to be higher.   In addition to the elderly, the disabled and needy families with small children, on fixed incomes, the working poor and the area unemployed will be in desperate need of paying their high delinquent heating bills.

Winter is the worst time of the year for deadly house and apartment fires. More fires occur because people are using unsafe methods heating their homes. In addition, the elderly often suffer health issues caused by being without a home heating source.

This event is on the eve of the Heat-Up St Louis official kick-off on Sunday, November 7 with the annual Rams Boot Out Old Man Winter fundraiser.

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc., c/o P. O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188, or by dropping of a donation at any UMB Bank center in Missouri or Illinois. There are no administrative costs taken out of Heat-Up St. Louis donated funds from the private or public sectors,

Board members Kevin McGowan, Chief Sherman George and possibly Chief Joseph Mokwa will be available to the media.

We are not giving out our resource hotline until November, when we open.