Diageo North America held its eighth annual Military Service Appreciation Day, where employee volunteers from its Stamford; New York City; Plainfield, Illinois; Lebanon, Kentucky; Portland, Oregon; and Bethesda, Maryland, offices assembled care packages for members of the armed forces on Nov. 8. The efforts were in support of Crown Royal’s Purple Bag Project, which helps send the brand’s purple bags filled with personal care items, food and handwritten notes to U.S. military troops serving stateside and abroad. During the event, Diageo employees at each location took part in a virtual fireside conversation with Lorenzo Lopez, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Diageo North America, and Brigadier General Samuel Lee Kindred, a retired U.S. Army veteran. Co-chairs and members of Diageo’s business resource group Veterans and Friends of Veterans, distributor partners including Southern Glazer’s and representatives from nonprofit organizations Packages From Home, iPads for Soldiers, Buffalo Soldiers and Footsteps to Freedom joined the live event to offer remarks and contribute to the packing efforts. The combined efforts targeted a yield of 10,000 care packages for veterans and active-duty troops deployed overseas.

Photos courtesy of Diageo.