‘Central Oregon Beer Angels’ going strong

It’s not your average cocktail hour. Women from around Central Oregon are getting together several times a month to discuss beer.

“I was going out to beer events and noticing that there were women, but they were few and far between, but the ones I did meet were super awesome,” Gina Schauland, president of the Central Oregon Beer Angels, said Tuesday . “I thought, ‘Hey, it would be awesome to have a group of women just meet to talk about beer.”

With that thought, the Central Oregon Beer Angels were born. The group was founded in January 2012. About 35 members were at the first meeting, and now they’ve grown to about 300 participants.

The Beer Angels gather at monthly meetings to discuss not only beer, but also fundraising efforts.

A different charity organization is chosen every year. Last year, the Beer Angels raised over $3,000 for Sarah’s Project, a breast health education and outreach partnership founded by St. Charles Health System.

“Part of the membership fee goes towards the non-profit,” Schauland explained.

Volunteering is also a major part of being a Beer Angel. The group gets involved in many volunteering activities around the Bend area.

Most of all, the Beer Angels stay true to their name and enjoy Central Oregon beverages with one another.

“I think people come out just to have a good time, make new friends, and just be in the moment, Sarah McDougall said at Tuesday ‘s event.

Learn more about the group at: http://centraloregonbeerangels.com/