Supporting Lori Witham after the closing of Proclamation

We've known Lori and Dave Witham for many years, both as friends and as fellow members of this industry. What they built with Proclamation meant a great deal to this community, and to many of us personally.

As you know, Lori recently made the incredibly difficult decision to close the doors at Proclamation Ale Company after many years of navigating a number of challenges behind the scenes.

What started as a dream by her husband, Dave, more than 12 years ago, grew into something truly special. For over a decade, Proclamation was a place where people gathered, celebrated, and felt at home.

From the very beginning, Lori was part of building that vision. In the early years, she supported the brewery through design and branding, helping bring it to life while Dave made his mark on the beer itself. In 2017, as the brewery grew, she join full0time, and together they experienced the height of the craft beer scene.

Then came 2020. First COVID, then the start of a long and costly legal battle. And then her world was turned upside down when Dave was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and passed away one month later, on December 25th, 2020.

While grieving her husband and raising their young daughter, Lori stepped forward without hesitation to lead the company. She carried on Dave's vision while navigating an increasingly difficult industry - creating new beers, new events, and new ways to bring people together.

Despite years of effort and resilience, the challenges facing the business ultimately became too much to overcome.

This past weekend, at the beginning of May, so many people showed up in a n incredible way - packing the taproom, sharing memories, and helping send Proc off with the kind of love it always gave. That support meant more than words can express and helped bring meaningful closure to the business.

What many may not realize is that Lori is personally facing significant financial responsibility tied to the business closure. It's something she's taken on quietly and with the same strength and integrity she's shown all along.

This GoFundMe has been created to help ease that burden and support Lori directly as she moves forward.

If you know Lori, or if you've ever spent time at Proc - shared a beer with friends, attended an event, or simply felt welcomed in that space - then you've experienced something she helped build.

Please know there is absolutely no expectation here. The support, presence, and love this community has already down has meant so much. But for those who have asked how they can help Lori personally, this is one way to do that.

Whether you're able to give, share this page, or simply keep Lori in your thoughts, it all matters.

Thank you for the support.