Athletic Brewing Co. program donates grant to Plover River Crossing Trail project

PLOVER, Wis. (WSAW) - The Friends of the Plover River Crossing Trail and Rotary Club of Greater Portage County are proud to announce that the Plover River Crossing Trail project has secured a $4,800 award from Athletic Brewing Company’s Two For The Trails grant program.

Launched in 2018, Two For The Trails is the largest annual environmental grant program in the craft beer industry. The program pays homage to Athletic Brewing co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt’s family practice of toasting post-trail adventures with two brews. Athletic has committed to donating up to $2 million annually to help protect, preserve, and maintain local trails.

This year, Athletic Brewing awarded more than $1.6 million to over 200 recipients.

“Since 2018, we’ve donated $4.3 million to projects across 43 states, the United Kingdom, and Canada,” said Athletic Brewing B Corp & Two for the Trails Manager, Cara Wilson. “The Two For The Trails program allows us to provide essential funding to projects aimed at enhancing and protecting the quality of outdoor spaces in the communities where our customers live, work, and adventure.”

With these funds, the Friends of the Plover River Crossing, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Greater Portage County and USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, said it will be able to restore a one-acre field bordering the planned Plover River Crossing Trail to native prairie. The prairie restoration will improve habitat for pollinator species, birds, and other wildlife and serve students at Bannach Elementary School, UW-Stevens Point, and visitors and residents east and west of the Plover River.

Athletic Brewing was founded in 2017 by Bill Shufelt and John Walker. It is the 13th largest craft brewer in America and the leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer.