The end of the year is when friends, family, and communities come together to feast and fete. This December, held will host its last event of 2024 at the mission-driven Orange Bike Brewing Company and reflect on what community means to all of us and how we can collectively maximize our impact. Our focus will be on The Locker Project, a non-profit that connects food-insecure children in Maine with nourishing food, which all event proceeds will go towards.
“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” - Desmund Tutu
Photo by Markus Spiske
Details
Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024
Time: 6 - 8 pm, please arrive by 6 pm
Location: Orange Bike Brewing Company, 31 Diamond Street, Portland, ME
Fee: $45 per person for a flight of beers, local NA drinks, and snacks (all proceeds will be given to The Locker Project). For those who cannot attend, please consider donating to the Locker Project - write “held” in the comments section so we can showcase the collective impact.
Cancellation policy: All sales are final and non-refundable. However, your tickets are transferable to an individual. If transferred to someone, please email us their name and email address at hello@heldportland.com.
What to expect
The topic and opening remarks - Being seen and supported as a community is central to held’s mission. For December, we’re partnering with Orange Bike Brewing Company, local businesses, and our community to support The Locker Project monetarily. Tenaya and Mary Beth will introduce Kathryn Sargent, Executive Director of The Locker Project and her non-profit’s focus on maximizing impact to help support food-insecure families, and Meg and Tom Ruff, owners of Orange Bike Brewing Company, and their company’s mission of the triple bottom line—social, environmental, and financial—and setting a new standard within the craft beer industry.
A tasting and each craft’s community - Attendees will sip on a flight of beers and hear the stories behind each craft—the brew masters, the hop farmers, and the communities where they live and work. Meg and Tom will share their personal connections with each partner and the components needed to make each brew. For those who don’t fancy beer, local NA beverages will be available to taste and enjoy.
What community means to you and connecting deeply with attendees - We’ll grab our drinks and gather into groups, answering prompts about how each of us defines community and when we have felt most supported and seen by our communities. The remaining time can be spent continuing the conversations within our groups or with Kathryn, Meg, and Tom about their organizations.
Kathryn Sargent
Kathryn Sargent is executive director of the Locker Project, a South Portland-based nonprofit that operates school- and community-based take-home food programs for children and families in Cumberland County. She worked as an academic editor for over 25 years before moving to Maine and taking on her current role.
Kathryn holds a B.A. in economics and religion from Bowdoin College, an M.A. in ethics from the University of Virginia, and a graduate certificate in applied research and evaluation methods from the Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine.
Meg Batterson
Meg Batterson is a dedicated social justice advocate at Orange Bike Brewing Company, where she leverages her background in social work to drive the company’s mission of creating an inclusive and equitable space within the craft beer industry. With a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Columbia University and certification in relational therapeutic modalities from The Relational Center, Meg combines her expertise in social justice and community outreach to foster impactful partnerships and support restorative justice initiatives.
In addition to her role at Orange Bike, Meg has over 20 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker, providing psychotherapy and consulting services focused on relational, gestalt, and mindfulness-based approaches. Her unique perspective, informed by years as a professional dancer, allows her to explore the mind-body connection and support personal development for individuals, families, and communities.
Tom Ruff
Tom Ruff is the founder and CEO of Orange Bike Brewing Company, Portland, Maine’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery. Tom’s vision for Orange Bike goes beyond award-winning, naturally gluten-free beer; it’s about creating a business that serves as a force for good. Guided by a mission to foster inclusivity, sustainability, and social impact, Orange Bike Brewing combines Tom’s dedication to craft brewing with his commitment to positive change.
With a foundation in the triple bottom line—prioritizing social, environmental, and economic responsibility—Orange Bike Brewing actively partners with organizations like the National Black Brewers Association and the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition to support diversity, equity, and restorative justice. Tom also serves on the board of ClimateWork Maine, an organization helping businesses address climate change, where he collaborates with industry leaders to promote sustainable practices.
Before founding Orange Bike, Tom led Tom Ruff Executive Search, a successful recruiting firm he established and grew over three decades. Now, with Orange Bike Brewing, Tom seeks to set a new standard for what a purpose-driven business can achieve, creating a space where everyone feels they belong and building a legacy rooted in impact and community.
Caroline Cutter
Caroline and her family have been involved in Orange Bike since its inception, including assisting Alan Pugsley in brewing most of Orange Bike's original recipes. Caroline is the founder of Sweet Caroline’s food enterprises. Caroline graduated from James Madison University with a B.B.A. in Business Management, focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship. She is a homebrewer and beer lover.
held Partners Who Donated to The Locker Project
