A dream should exist in every tiny community. And at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, a long-held wish was that Betty White would return for a visit.
The neighborhood brewpub was open for business. White’s name has long been the most popular on the blackboard that monitors beverages individuals buy in advance for friends who might drop in.
She had more than 40 beers ready for her at the Commerce Street Brewery in 2019, just in case she happened to pop by.
White had been to Mineral Point previously, so the concept didn’t seem so crazy. Allen Ludden, her third (and final) husband, was born and raised there. White attended the burial of Ludden, the presenter of the TV game show Password, at Mineral Point in 1981.
“We around town have always thought of Betty as a Pointer by marriage,” stated Mike Zupke, proprietor of the brewpub and inn.
The Blonde Betty, which Zupke describes as a “homage to Mineral Point’s beloved ‘Golden Girl,'” was brewed in White’s honor. It was a way for White to commemorate his 97th birthday. Commerce Street has revived the brew since White’s death on December 31, 2021, at the age of 99.
The number of beers purchased for White has continued to climb, now totaling well over 110.
Commerce Street wants to donate the money — $565 and increasing — to one or more local animal shelters in White’s honor, rather than attracting the popular actor and comedian to Mineral Point with the promise of a delightfully crisp beer among supporters.
“Once we posted a link for people to buy beers online, the beers/donations have steadily flowed in, from all over the country,” Zupke said.
The concept is similar to the #BettyWhiteChallenge, in which followers of White, an ardent advocate of animal welfare concerns, are uniting to give to local animal organizations on Jan. 17, White’s 100th birthday.
Although White will not be dropping by Mineral Point to raise a glass and tell a joke at the bar, she will always have a particular place in the town.
Mineral Point Mayor Jason Basting remarked following the comedian’s passing last week, “Allen Ludden and Betty White is our connection to Hollywood… For a small town of 2,600 people, it’s pretty neat to have that type of connection. She’s a legend right?”
Source: “A pub that let people buy beers for Betty White will now donate the money to charity” by NPR
