Crown Royal returned to the CMA Awards for its fifth year as the program’s exclusive whisky partner, this time with country music superstar Lainey Wilson and nonprofit organization CreatiVets, a charity designed to help veterans heal through music therapy and the arts. The award-winning whisky brand celebrated Country Music’s Biggest Night™, which aired live on ABC Wednesday, November 9, by raising a glass to the most generous among us, active-duty military and veterans. CreatiVets founder, Richard Casper, joined Wilson, the CMA Awards New Artist and Female Vocalist winner, live, on-stage to receive a surprise donation of $50,000, on behalf of Crown Royal. Just ahead of Veterans’ Day, the brand is proud to honor Casper’s selflessness and lifesaving work through the foundation and further its steadfast support of the military community.
The storied Canadian whisky brand also celebrated and hosted veterans from all over the country in Nashville to participate in the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project, an initiative designed in partnership with Packages From Home, which turns donated Crown Royal bags into care packages for military overseas. Leading up to the CMA Awards, country superstar Lainey Wilson surprised the veterans and packed purple bags for active duty service men and women. During the private gathering, Wilson and the veterans not only packed purple bags, but also bonded over their shared love of music. Wilson was able to truly connect with them, hear the veterans’ stories, and learn how music continues to play a fundamental role in their healing journey.
“The CMA Awards are so special and getting an opportunity to connect with these veterans, now turned musicians, right before Veterans’ Day was truly incredible,” said Wilson. “I can tell you firsthand about the healing power of music and it’s been a privilege to join Crown Royal and CreatiVets in honoring the military community that I admire and respect so deeply through something I love.”
During the show, Wilson gave viewers the opportunity to trigger an additional donation from Crown Royal to CreatiVets by scanning a QR code that appeared onscreen or by visiting www.crownroyal.com/cmascreativets. These donations will be added to the $50,000 Crown Royal will contribute to help CreatiVets continue to serve hundreds of veterans each year through music therapy and songwriting workshops.**
“I am honored CreatiVets is being recognized for the life-saving work we’re doing to empower and heal veterans with music,” said Richard Casper, founder of CreatiVets. “As we saw last night, music brings people together and I cannot wait to further our mission thanks to the generosity of Crown Royal.”
Crown Royal has a deep tradition of giving back, and as a long-standing supporter of the military, is proud to support the most generous people in our communities who selflessly serve others. For over a decade, Crown Royal has ignited exceptional generosity within our communities by giving back to the people and places that support them. Through partnerships with organizations like Packages From Home, the brand has supported over 1 million servicemen and women through the Purple Bag Project. This very season, Crown is taking the bag-packing program that provides food, hygiene, and entertainment items to veterans worldwide, with events all across the country.
“Our brand prides itself on honoring icons that keep their communities thriving and we’re thrilled to recognize Richard Casper for his incredible acts of service to the military through CreatiVets. Our longstanding partnership with CMA gives us a platform to amplify the military community we so strongly support and gives them the spotlight they deserve,” said Nicky Heckles, Vice President of Crown Royal. “Crown Royal is proud to come together with Lainey Wilson, CreatiVets, and the larger country music family to celebrate veterans who have selflessly served this country.”
Crown Royal reminds everyone 21+ that living generously is not about what you have, but about what you give. And, most importantly, to always drink responsibly.
**No minimum for additional donation via consumer QR Code scan/website visit. Donation made via the Crown Royal Generosity Fund, a donor advised fund with Diageo North America, Inc. as the donor and which is administered by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, an IRS 501(c)(3) organization. Donation is part of a larger charitable giving initiative through which $1,000,000 will be donated to select national and local charities between 9/8/2022 & 6/30/2023. The dispersal of funds from the Crown Royal Generosity Fund is subject to the approval of the Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.
