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Photos: Rotary Brewfest 2013

By Howard B. Owens

The Rotary Club of Batavia hosted its annual brewfest again this year, but with Batavia Downs being remodeled, the club set up tents along Alva Place instead and served brews to hundreds of attendees.

Kyle Couchman

This was something I felt was poorly planned this year. I know people arent very sympathetic to the plight of the alcoholic but there are many other places in the city this could have been held at. But to put it right acroos the street of residental addiction recovery service (Hope Haven I believe) is very callous and inconsiderate.

Just seems like a no brainer to me.... I am not against drinking dont read that into my opinion. But people who are trying to deal with this type of addiction (voluntary or court ordered) are there to get a handle on the demons that drive them the addictions that ruin the other parts of their lives. So to have a brewfest right across the street seems like the community sending a message to them that says. "Thats your problem, We dont care so deal with it"

Sep 30, 2013, 8:27am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

People who are trying to overcome issues with alcohol must pass a dozen establishments a day that sell beer, wine and liquor. Undoubtedly, they live around people who drink daily. They are bombard by advertisements for alcohol.

And it's insensitive to have a brewfest near Hope Haven? Get real.

If a person can't deal with their addiction in the real world in which we live, then whether there's a brew fest off Alva Place or out in the middle of cornfield in Alabama isn't going to make a hell of a lot of difference.

Sep 30, 2013, 12:16pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Yes but an inpatient rehab is where people go where they get help to handle passing a dozen establishments and live in a society. If it wasn't a problem for them to handle such things then AA or outpatient would suffice for them getting a grip on dealing with such temptations.

What's not real about the insensitivity about it. Its a fact that is was insensitive.... you don't have to like the fact that it is but it doesn't change that fact.

Do you even know what Hope Haven is? People are there because they did have problems in "The Real World" in which we live, having the Brew Fest anywhere else would have been a little more considerate. But your whole response above is just the kind of attitude that makes this disease so hard to deal with for these people.

Thanks for making my point all that much clearer.

Oct 1, 2013, 5:53am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

It's not a fact that it was insensititive. It's not a fact because it wasn't. Trying to dress up your opinion as fact doesn't make it so.

Oct 1, 2013, 10:32am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

So then it's not insensitive to smoke in front of someone trying to quit, or to eat in front of someone trying to diet? Its not insensitive to guzzle water in front of someone dying of thirst. Sorry but your assessment that it's not insensitive is also just that, an opinion.

The fact is ,,,,, a brewfest was held right across the street from a rehab facility and that IS insensitive no matter how you want to spin it.

Oct 1, 2013, 10:48am Permalink
Doug Yeomans

Kyle, Kyle, Kyle.....*forehead slap*. C'mon, buddy, do alcoholics shop at Walmart, Top's, BJ's? Every one of those places sells alcohol. Should they stop selling beer and wine because active alcoholics or recovering alcoholics shop there?

That's like saying it's insensitive for me to have a can of gasoline in the back of my truck because some people are thieves and might want to steal it. That's their choice, and it's not my fault that they have no self control.

Oct 1, 2013, 10:55am Permalink
Mark Brudz

Let me see Kyle,

You think it is insensitive to set up a tent and have a Beer fest that is actually across the street from urgent care as Hope haven is on the 6th floor on the south end of Jerome center - more across the street from The bank drive thru to be precise and the tent was about a block away in reality only open in view due to the parking lot?

Just to put it in perspective, follow this link to see the line of site and actual distance

http://www.brudz.net/jerome.jpg

I think you are stretching your point just a bit

Oct 1, 2013, 11:47am Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Lorie, I agree that many in rehab are court ordered, or self admissions due to
pending court appearances, but if a few of them get into it and follow up with AA, thats a few more people who can get back to a normal life, and that's awesome.
As for the brewfest, I don't think it was a big deal, drugs and alcohol are already
everywhere.

Oct 1, 2013, 2:32pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

That's just my viewpoint..... and Doug the people going into to Walmart, Tops and BJs aren't in an inpatient drug rehab, I am cognizant of the fact that alcoholics have to face these things everyday. But when they are in a place because they are having problems dealing with that, and go to that place to escape get a handle on dealing with that issue it just seems like a slap in the face to put it right there. Jackson Square, the underutilized mall, anywhere could have been an alternative. But no it was here. I realize everyone has a good time and it's a worthwhile cause. But still considerations might have been made you know what I am saying?

The whole reason courts order people there and people check themselves in is to get away from these things not have them brought to their doorstep.

How would you feel if you went camping for a weekend to get away from work and Batavia, just to find out your company has an impromptu company picnic at the same place?

Oct 1, 2013, 2:43pm Permalink
Doug Yeomans

I just can't call it insensitive. Life goes on for people when bad things happen. We can't take into account every activity that might offend someone else, because if we did, we'd never have Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, the Irish fest, the Italian fest..etc.

"Dammit, don't drive your Mercedes Benz down my road because it's insensitive to all the low income people on my road!"

Oct 1, 2013, 2:53pm Permalink
Doug Yeomans

Kyle, See my last name? It's about as English as English names can be. I've been to plenty or Irish pubs and nobody has ever been offended....not that I know of anyway!

:-)

Oct 1, 2013, 2:56pm Permalink
Lorie Cook

Well and then again most of those court ordered there are bringing in crap to tempt people whom are actually there "on their own" for help. Some have been habitually breaking the law, violating probation, etc. for decades...really, you think they are there for help?

Oct 1, 2013, 8:17pm Permalink

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