Cheers to Charity: A Toast to 60 Years of VNA Care

On a warm Sunday, September 21 afternoon, Missing Links Brewery was filling glasses of beer for a good cause. From 1 to 5 p.m., Butler County neighbors gathered for the Cheers to Charity event —a celebration of good brews, good company, and a great cause: supporting the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) in its 60th year of care.

“We are deeply grateful to Missing Links for opening their doors and their hearts to us,” said Deb Kaylor, Director of Marketing and Communications for VNA. “Their generosity gave us the perfect venue to bring people together in support of our mission.”

And people did come, filling tables, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers game, and taking their chances on raffle prizes ranging from a Blackstone grill and a Michael Kors purse to Steelers memorabilia, scratch-off lottery tickets.

The Rev. Peter Asplin, who knows the power of community and the role pastoral support plays in healing, won the Steelers ticket package. His win became one more special way to celebrate VNA’s six decades of service.

Those six decades matter. Since 1965, the VNA has walked through countless doors, bringing expert, compassionate care to people who are sick, recovering, or too frail to leave home. The VNA’s nurses and staff have been a steady presence of comfort, helping people live fully, even in life’s most fragile moments.

Although many of VNA’s services are reimbursed by insurance, those funds don’t always cover the full cost of care. That’s why community support is so important and why an afternoon like this mattered. With each raffle ticket purchased, each pint purchased, and each cheer for the live performances by Jenifer Lynn Baker, Zach Rovito, and Nick Glasso, an act of generosity was made, ensuring that the VNA can continue its mission not just today, but for tomorrow and the next 60 years.

“We are humbled by the outpouring of support,” Kaylor said. Congratulations to our winners and to everyone who came out and celebrated alongside us, thank you. Thank you for believing in the work we do. Your generosity ensures that people in our community can continue to live the Abundant Life that sets us apart.”