Like most of you, I check my social media probably more times than I should each day. With tensions running high, a lot of posts are by people angry about politics or frustrated by the pandemic. But, luckily, I also keep coming upon posts by Ed Brady.
If you're in my industry, you most likely know or have heard of Ed. He's the owner of Huck’s Filling Station in East Greenwich and The Thirsty Beaver restaurants (Cranston, Smithfield and Wrentham), and was the owner of Milk Money in Providence, which closed due to COVID. He also happens to be a Cranston City Councilman.
If you want faith in humanity, just look to see what Ed's been doing. I don’t have to recap what has been happening the last 10 months, but Ed took action right away. He started dropping off meals to first responders, placed signs on lawns for people to stay strong, fed 500 mothers on Mother’s Day, did his annual turkey drive for the homeless and held his annual holiday toy drive. There’s more, but I think you get the picture. (And you can see by the word “annual” that he’d already been doing these things.) Ed has also been instrumental in fighting for small businesses throughout Rhode Island.
The newest campaign that he has undertaken is going to 90 small RI businesses in 90 days. Today he's on Day 26.
Ed goes to these businesses, spends money, meets with the owners and promotes them through his social media channels. The stories that he hears on a daily basis could take a huge toll on people and make them want to hide under the covers. Not Ed Brady, he's fighting day and night for the small business community. He doesn’t care where you stand politically and believes in putting people first to get things done. Ed recently said, “Let’s continue to spread hope and positivity for the survival of these small businesses that are obviously a backbone of our economy.”
Imagine what could be achieved if everyone thought like this? The hospitality industry and the City of Cranston have a strong champion in Ed Brady.
