Lance's original IndieGoGo campaign was successfully funded in June, 2014!
We're so grateful for all of our incredible supporters. Their generosity helped Lance's journey continue and allowed us to begin post production on Lance's documentary. Best of all, shortly after this initial campaign was funded, Lance's cause became a registered 501(c)(3) charity! Although Lance's time on the road came to an end, his journey away from the public eye continued. While we can't give details about Lance's whole story prior to the documentary's release, we can say Lance's Brewery Tour became so much more than we ever imagined!
In 2013, a beer historian with autism named Lance Rice left home on his own for the first time at the age of 55 and began a nationwide journey to pursue his dream to write a book about the history of American beer and give back to others with autism. With the support of generous people and breweries across the country, Lance overcame incredible odds and traveled nearly 40,000 miles over the next few years. Despite experiencing miraculous growth that helped inspire a movement to give hope to others with disabilities, setbacks and heartbreaks in the years that followed brought Lance's journey to an end and put his lifelong dream at risk of never being fulfilled.
100% of current contributions go to support families and Individuals touched by autism and disabilities through Lance's charity.
In 2014 Lance’s Room, a 501 (c)(3) charity, was established to help others touched by autism and disabilities. Proceeds from Lance’s Brewery Tour will go to support Lance’s Room and its efforts to provide scholarships, vocational and life skills training and direct aid to individuals and families touched by disabilities.
![]()
This May the Lance Rice Hope Scholarship will be awarded to a special education student at Vermilion High School, Lance's alma mater. 100% of current contributions to Lance's IndieGoGo campaign go to Lance's Room's national scholarship fund. Our hope is to have an additional scholarship available this year for a student with autism pursuing post secondary degree in the fall of 2017. To learn more about Lance's charity visit LancesRoom.org.
A message from the Director
Your support and support from the brewing and disabled communities brought Lance's dream to life and helped us make an impossible journey possible. But for the better part of 2016-2017 our journey has been private – and at times more difficult than the years we spent on the road. Our promise was to tell Lance's entire story and we've kept that promise believing the most powerful story we can tell is the whole story.
While so many of Lance's miracles were public, it's the life that was lived in between and after those miracles that became the most difficult story to tell – and at the same time the most beautiful part of our story. For the small team that continues to stand by Lance as he nears sixty years old and is so close to achieving his dream, we say thank you. Thank you to all those who supported us along the way. Thank you to all those who continue to believe with Lance. Thank you to everyone who continues to believe in us!
From a man who's parents were told in the 1960's to "expect little" from their son; From a man who was once afraid to leave home; from a man who defied the odds and decided to face the world and chase his dream in his mid-fifties; from a man I am proud to call my uncle, his quote is the heart of our journey and it's a lesson Lance taught me that has forever changed me, "Never lose hope. We all have our challenges. If you believe in yourself and have hope in yourself, you can accomplish great things." ~Lance Rice
![]()
From our very first day at Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland, OH (pictured above) to today, no one could have imagined the journey that was ahead of us. With the finish line in sight, Lance's team and I are overwhelmed with excitement to give Lance's story back to the world and help further his cause. We are forever grateful to you for your generosity, support and for helping us persevere. Some journeys are worth a lifetime.
With many thanks,
Aaron Rice
Our Commitment – Hope First
Lance’s Brewery Tour began with the goal to give hope and aid back to those touched by autism and disabilities. While seeing Lance’s dream through to the end was our primary focus, we were inspired by those who supported and inspired us along the way to give back as soon as we could. Beginning with this successful IndieGoGo campaign in 2014, Lance's Room has awarded 4 scholarships for students with autism as well as an adoption aid fund awarded to assist a family adopting children with special needs.
While outstanding expenses still remain to edit and release Lance's film and publish his book, all publicly donated money goes directly to Lance's Charity. While we are still in the early stages of growing Lance's cause, we've already been able to give back through Lance's story – and it isn't even fully realized! The potential for Lance's documentary, life and charity to help others touched by disabilities is tremendous. More than anything, we look forward to finishing Lance's Brewery Tour and seeing the seeds of generosity and hope you helped us plant grow to help so many others.
