Like so many others, Wild Life Distillery posted a message to their patrons sharing their decision to temporarily close their tasting room and cocktail service:

Well, we’ve thought a lot about this... And it is especially hard to say on St. Patrick’s Day; however, as of tomorrow, we will be closing our tasting room and cocktail service (March 18th, 2020).
We are socially responsible as small business owners to look out for the health and safety of our staff, our customers and our community. We hope that the collective measures of Canadians will help flatten the curve, and we respect the decision-making process and the difficulty that this will cause many of our colleagues and friends.

Our production team is still strong and healthy, and we will continue distilling whisky until we are legally mandated to stop. If anyone is in the area and in need of a bottle, feel free to stop by to see if someone is here. We will investigate a Bow Valley delivery service for bottles, based on local demand. Stay healthy friends.

The message was similar to that put out by many local restaurants, bars, and businesses - we’ve become all too familiar with this troubling story. While some restaurants and other businesses have been able to maintain some take-out and delivery services, others have been forced to close their doors completely and hunker down to wait out the pandemic.

Wild Life Distillery and Banff Park Distillery rolled up their sleeves and got work, shifting their focus from distilled spirits destined for fancy cocktails to potent hand-sanitizers for those in need. 

In an effort to help alleviate stretched resources, Banff Park Distillery has been providing supplies to Banff’s Emergency Coordination Centre to help assist those in our community who are in need and to support and serve frontline workers in the best way they can. 

WILD Hand Sanitizer is also available for those in need. If you are aware of a group or organization on the front line, they are asked to contact Info@wildlifedistillery.ca for more information. For community members who are self-isolating, Wild Life Distillery is offering free sanitizer along with a minimum online purchase of $50 via their new online store). 

While the distilleries are able to make sanitizer, there’s a temporary shortage of small containers suitable for the distribution of this new product in small quantities. Given the determination and resourcefulness of these businesses, I’m hopeful a solution will be found before long. 

I’m not a spirits drinker myself, but this gesture immediately put several bottles of spirits from these two local businesses on my Christmas gift list for others in my circle who do. 

Thank You - and, Hang in There!

For all those who are now offering takeout, contactless delivery, volunteering to help seniors or those in isolation and under quarantine, thank you. We are, indeed, all in this together and these stories of locals helping locals are restoring my faith in humanity. 

Have a good story about someone making a contribution to our mountain community? We’d love to hear it. Post on social media and tag us on Facebook or Instagram (@tastebanff). We’ll happily give a shout-out to anyone who is helping our community navigate our way through this unprecedented situation.