Bill Samuels, Jr., chairman emeritus of Maker’s Mark Bourbon, delivered a message to a crowd at the 2020 OKC Maker’s Mark Beefsteak Dinner.

The event was hosted Feb. 27 for the seventh year in a rowby Okarche’s Center of Family Love, a residential and vocational nonprofit for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Prior to the event, Samuels prerecorded a video message sharing his love for the center and his regret at not being able to attend the event in person.

“The Center of Family Love is an absolutely wonderful resource you have in Oklahoma that respects the dignity of human life like no other organization I know,” said Samuels on the video recording.

Preceding the event, Samuels signed and shipped bottles of his signature Maker’s 46 bourbon for guests to purchase. All proceeds from the evening’s sales, entry tickets, raffle tickets, live auction and special collection drive directly benefit the 130 individuals who will live a lifetime at the Center of Family Love.

In total, the event raised over $120,000, the majority of which will go to covering the deficit of $1.7 million needed to operate the organization each year.