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Working Together: Distillery donates hundreds of gallons of hand sanitizer

First-responders make quick use of it
Columbus Donation.JPG
Posted at 3:52 PM, Mar 23, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-23 15:56:57-04

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COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Fire Department is just one of more than 250 first-responder organizations to receive a big donation of hand sanitizer from a southern Indiana distillery.

Columbus Fire Department Training Officer Captain Ben Spencer made the trip to the Starlight Distillery in Starlight, Indiana and returned with 15-gallons of hand sanitizer to be used by members of the department on their emergency runs.

Columbus Fire Chief Andy Lay expressed his gratitude for the generosity of Starlight Distillery. “ At a time when local supplies of hand sanitizer are hard to come by, this generous donation will aid our firefighters significantly as we take all available precautions to protect our essential emergency responders.”

Starlight is part of Huber's Orchard Winery and Vinyards. Speaking for the business, Dana Huber told RTV6 that more than 250 organizations have received sanitizer donations in recent days. Fire departments, police departments, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are among the recipients.

Distilleries across the country are retooling their operations to make the sanitizer which has become so necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic. Huber says the distillery plans to make more pf the alcohol-based sanitizer, amid a national shortage.