Irish 31
by Susan Shalhoub
Irish 31 in Oviedo is more than merely a popular pub with great drink specials, delicious food, and the best place in town to catch a game on the wall-to-wall TVs. The venue is also home to lively events like Music Bingo, Trivia Tuesdays, a weekly Run Club, and live music on select nights. But though Irish 31 is about fun and good food and drink, it’s also a family-owned business that appreciates its neighbors and recognizes the importance of giving back to its community whenever the opportunity presents itself.
That’s why Irish 31 established its newest charitable initiative – Pubs with Purpose. The Pubs with Purpose program will highlight one deserving nonprofit organization per quarter and donate one percent of all five restaurants’ loyalty club sales to support it along with proceeds from various fundraising events at the pub for the duration of the partnership. The inaugural beneficiary is Pilots N Paws, a group that helps facilitate the rescue of at-risk animals from around the world through its network of volunteer pilots, rescues, and foster families.
As the nonprofit’s name implies, most rescue missions involve emergency air travel courtesy of volunteer plane owners and pilots. Melissa Maloney, Irish 31’s director of marketing and branding, says Pilots N Paws will go to any length to save an innocent animal’s life, and that’s just what the pub and its patrons love about it.
“We host a variety of fundraisers over the course of any given year, and partner with a wide range of organizations doing important work in our communities,” says Melissa, “but Pilots N Paws offered us a unique opportunity to celebrate both the volunteers doing the saving as well as the pups that have been saved.”
Irish 31 has a long-standing love of animals, so the current Pubs with Purpose beneficiary is a perfect fit.
“Our pubs are all dog friendly, and guests love to grab a bite and a pint with their pup,” Melissa says. “We have an amazing dog menu with homemade treats, and our venue is built to welcome dog lovers and their pets, so recognizing and supporting fellow animal lovers resonates with our team and guests alike.”
The volunteer pilots living near any of Irish 31’s five Florida locations have also been given a special keychain they can show for a free appetizer each time they come in and make a purchase of equal or greater value.
“It’s a token of gratitude,” Melissa says, “for the lifesaving work they do.”
The mission of Pilots N Paws is to find fur-ever homes for as many at-risk pets as possible, and when they do, Irish 31 will be ready to pamper them – all while their rescuers and new owners celebrate with the finest food and drink in town.