Kennay Farms Distilling is no stranger to alcohol, but it wasn’t until recently that it transitioned from producing spirits to hand sanitizer.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses like Kennay Farms have had to adapt to sustain themselves. The family-owned farm and distillery, located in Rochelle, Ill., has been serving its community for five generations selling gin, vodka, bourbon, growlers of beer – and now hand sanitizer.
As demand for hand sanitizer quickly grew in ComEd’s field offices and trucks, ComEd Front Line Supervisor John Schamberger knew exactly who to call. He and his colleagues Eric Henderson and Lenny Gooden became the distillery’s first hand sanitizer customers, purchasing 13 five-gallon buckets for ComEd’s west region offices.
“With a shortage in hand sanitizer, I knew I had to do something to provide for my colleagues who are working tirelessly to keep the lights on for our customers,” Schamberger said. “Being able to purchase the sanitizer from a local small business and help them during this difficult time too is even better.”