Gold Coast Eagle Owner and President John Saputo looked over Thursday evening at his vice president of sales, Pat Bruenning, and thought back to their military backgrounds.
"He is Army, I am a Marine," said the retired Marine Corps colonel. "We learned if you give back to others, payback is double."
Saputo's Lakewood Ranch business is associated with 1,200 charity events a year and that set up Thursday's payback.
Gold Coast Eagle was honored with the Ambassadors of Excellence Award from Anheuser-Busch, which recognized the company's distribution and sales, along with its community involvement.
To commemorate the event, Anheuser-Busch sent a team of Budweiser Clydesdales to march down Lakewood Main Street. The team also will march down Main Street in Sarasota on Friday, Oct. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. The team makes its final appearance in the area from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 down Bridge Street on Anna Maria Island.
Although the event was planned on short notice, hundreds of people showed up to get a look at the magnificent animals.
"This team is a United States icon," Saputo said. "They are part of the fabric of America. You are not going to see anything like this in the animal world, unless you go to Africa."
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The Budweiser Clydesdales begin their march down Lakewood Main Street on Thursday in celebration of Gold Coast Eagle Distributing earning the Ambassadors of Excellence Award from Anheuser-Busch.
David West can't let a Clydesdale go to work with a dirty face.
Brady Janssen obviously has a lot of trust in the majestic horses as he goes underneath to do a little foot combing.
Gold Coast Eagle Distributing and the Clydesdales delivered a free case of Budweiser to Main Street merchant Tommy Klauber of Polo Grill & Bar.
Driver Rudy Helmuth might have gotten a little too close before the team started its march.
Pat Bruenning, Gold Coast Eagle vice president of sales, and John Saputo, owner and president, shared a few laughs before the event.
John Saputo, the owner and president of Gold Coast Eagle, did the deliveries along Lakewood Main Street personally.
It seemed as if everyone along Lakewood Main Street had a camera to capture the Clydesdales visit.
Hundreds of spectators were allowed to get up close and personal with the Clydesdales.
Alyssa Brown, Adeline Kushto and Jessica Kushto came because Adeline "had never seen anything like it."
The Clydesdales, who were shipped from their home base in St. Louis, were very calm as they were prepped for the march.
Driver Rudy Helmuth is kept company by the Clydesdales' dog mascot, named "Clyde" of course.
Do you think this Clydesdale realizes this is only a painting on the side of the truck?
Each Clydesdale must weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds to be on the team.
The final Clydesdales are hitched to the team. Eight Clydesdales pull the wagon with two kept in reserve.
Mom Breanne Panetta of Palmetto , grandma Jackie Guy of Lakewood Ranch and daughter Taytum check out the Clydesdales because "they are so unique."
The march around Lakewood Main Street took about an hour.
Gold Coast Eagle owner John Saputo must have figured if he was going to deliver Budweiser on Thursday, why not drink one?
Gold Coast Eagle owner John Saputo must have felt like the king of beers on his big day.
A little snuggling takes place before the Clydesdales go to work.
Vanessa Fine Jewelry owner Don Baugh came out of his business to enjoy the excitement.
Sometimes it pays to take a different view of the world.
Clydesdales must be at least 4 before they can pull the wagon.
Every last part of the Clydesdales is groomed for the exhibition, from head to tail.
This team appeared at the 2017 World Rowing Championship in late September. They didn't pull a boat, though.
At a ceremony back at Gold Coast Eagle on Thursday, John Saputo is presented with the coveted Ambassadors of Excellence Red Jacket.
John Saputo, Gold Coast Eagle's owner and president, delivers an emotional message to his employees after accepting the Ambassadors of Excellence Big Jake (in background) statue.
