Neighborhood Heroes: Brian Christenson, Blinking Owl Distillery
Amid the catastrophic coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s essential to acquire a phase again and recognize the positives. Appreciating glimmers of mild inspires us to triumph over these dim and hard periods with each other.
A person beacon is selfless assistance. We have seen the innumerable acts, the two small and significant, by organizations and individuals alike, performing challenging to decrease lasting destruction. These are not only individuals on the front lines—ER health professionals, nurses, to start with responders—but also the fantastic Samaritans following doorway, preventing this disaster from damaging their immediate communities. These are the grocery retail outlet stockers, the postal workers, the small business proprietors, and even these who are searching for their aged neighbors. These are the Community Heroes.
We tip our hats and increase our glasses to all of the local heroes out there—to honor these executing the thankless perform now to support their communities down the street to an unsure long run ahead.
In this to start with installment of Community Heroes, we’re highlighting the crew of Blinking Owl Distillery in Orange County, California. We a short while ago caught up with CEO Brian Christenson to obtain out what he’s executing to support.

Title: Brian Christenson
Title: Chief Government Owl, Blinking Owl Distillery
Location: Santa Ana, Calif.
Years on the Work: 5
MJ: How has your perform changed in the very last two weeks?
BRIAN CHRISTENSON: It is greatly changed. Our whole logistics has switched more than from production of vodkas, aquavit, gin and whiskies to generating hand sanitizer whole-time. This suggests sourcing new substances, new bottles/packaging, new machines, and a new method which involves a great deal of improvising and finding out on the fly.
What’s the biggest challenge at hand proper now?
Not being in a position to develop sufficient hand sanitizer to satisfy desire, which also suggests we can’t get it to as lots of folks as we would like to.
Do you really feel at-possibility or threatened?
I assume we all really feel a bit at possibility and uneasy from the unknown of this pandemic. Individuals feelings do not overpower the too much to handle response of gratitude and guidance we are receiving each day from the neighborhood, who are encouraging and thanking us each day. It actually propels us forward.
Do you recognize any indications of hope?
The too much to handle favourable response from folks who are donating substance, time and dollars. It is astounding to see and knowledge the guidance, kindness and willingness from folks all more than who want to lead to our endeavours.
Do you really feel that folks should really be performing proper now? How can individuals support in all this?
I do not have a fantastic reply other than try out to do what the industry experts request for the greater fantastic of us all. We are hoping to do what we can by earning hand sanitizer, though also executing what we can to restrict the possibility of exposure to our workers, buyers and neighborhood. Hopefully this is delivering a thing of benefit to absolutely everyone during these unusual, unsure periods.
You can donate to Blinking Owl’s initiatives right here.
Do you know a Community Hero earning a variation on the front traces of your neighborhood? There are a few uncomplicated techniques to nominate another person to be showcased: 1. Nominate your Community Hero in the reviews underneath and basically allow us know why they ought to have to be showcased and how we can call them. 2. Send us a Direct Message on Men’s Journal Instagram with your nomination. three. Article their photo on Instagram employing #weoweyouadrink (possibly on Tales or Feed).