A local brewery is hoping to expand its contributions to help with initiatives featuring furry friends.

Steel Hands Brewing in Cayce is set to host the second annual benefit for its Steel Paws program, centered on a wheat ale from which a portion of proceeds go to fund canine initiatives, including the efforts of local police and sheriff’s departments.

This year, the brewery will look to expand that impact across state lines, including its new community surrounding its expansion location in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Cayce Police Department, the sheriff’s departments for the counties of Lexington and Richland, and the Greensboro Police Department are set to receive funds for canine programs.

And hopefully, they’ll have a lot to divvy up. Steel Hands says it hopes to raise $150,000 from this year’s Steel Paws event, set to take place this weekend.

For Cayce Police’s part, the funding allows the department “to put more dogs on the streets for police purposes such as tracking dogs, explosives detection dogs at airports or in the community to narcotics intervention dogs,” Chief Chris Cowan said.

“It also provides a great policing tool with children and senior citizens. There are multiple reasons for this program canine unit. Fundraising helps us put these dogs in the community.” 

The Steel Paws initiative was born when Cowan approached Steel Hands, said Ashley Lambert, the brewery’s marketing and business development director.

She emphasized the program was inspired by “an actual need.”

“The Cayce chief came to us because they retired a canine so we came up with the idea of a steel wheat ale brew,” Lambert said.

The beer can be bought at Steel Hands’ taprooms in Cayce and Greensboro and in various retailers across the Carolinas and Georgia. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the beer are donated twice a year to support K9 units at the partnering police and sheriff’s departments.

The dog who retired last year was the partner of fallen Cayce K9 officer Drew Barr, who was shot and killed in the line of duty. The retired dog, Molly, is now living with Barr’s parents.

The department now has four dogs on the force, two of which came to the departments as a result of Steel Paws funds donated last year, Cowan said.

“Basically every piece of equipment the handler needs” was paid for by the benefit, the chief explained.

The funds also allowed Cayce Police to add a therapy dog named Hudson (after local car dealer and fellow department benefactor Jim Hudson).

“The therapy dog is completely trained to assist people of all ages [with] emotional and psychological impacts happening in their lives,” Cowan said. “We’re one of the only departments in the state to have a therapy dog. Our dog is specifically assigned to [school resource officer] Cpl. Mandy Fournier.”

Steel Hands has high hopes to meet its ambitious fundraising goal and make further impacts this year.

Lambert said the goal starting the first iteration of Steel Paws was to raise $19,000. But with the help of the local community — still reeling from Barr’s death, which happened less than a week before last year’s event — the brewery raised more than $106,000.

This year’s event is free to the public, but VIP packages are available to help boost the fundraising. And there will be Steel Paws merchandise available for purchase.

The funding allows the departments to buy critical protective gear and supplies for the canines they might not otherwise be able to afford. This includes gear such as tactical vests for officers and their dogs, canine training, vet exams, supplies, window tints for canine cars, leashes, collars, dog food and other supplies necessary when taking care of canines, according to a press release. 

The event, which includes canine demonstrations from local law enforcement, also looks to build momentum and awareness in the community for these police endeavors. And that, in turn, helps the initiative raise more money.

“If we can get more support, word will spread to retailers, taprooms, bars and restaurants,” Lambert said.