Wine-tasting tops $100,000 mark over 11-year history
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on January 2, 2006 1:47 PM
Proceeds from an annual wine-tasting sponsored by HealtHabit and Billie's Restaurant pushed the 11-year-old event over the $100,000 mark in money raised.
The event held in November raised about $14,000 for Volunteer Wayne its affiliated organization, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
Nearly 200 people attended the event.
More than 100 wines were available for tasting and donors contributed through a silent auction of more than 40 items.
Volunteer Wayne Director Barbara Stiles thanked Bob and Susan Crenshaw of HealtHabit and Sarah Heekin of Billie's for their support.
In the past, the event has benefited groups such as Habitat for Humanity, the Community Soup Kitchen, the Lighthouse of Wayne County and the county museum.
Officials with Volunteer Wayne/RSVP said they will use the proceeds for program expenses of recruiting, retaining and recognizing the contributions of volunteers for 68 agencies in Wayne County, and to help build the capacity of community non-profits.
Major wine distributors, wineries, and winemakers who supported the event included Empire, Mutual, Sam Zahran and Sons, Tryon, Owl's Nest, Gallo Wines, Southern Wine and Spirits, The Country Vintner of NC and Catherine Triplett.
Some of the wineries represented from the U.S. were Beringer, Chateau St. Michelle, R.H. Phillips, Charles Krug and Rodney Strong. Dozens of new wines from Germany, Australia, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Chile and France were also featured.
The silent auction alone brought in more than $7,000. Among items up for bid were large bottles from Coppola, Hogue, Krug, Banfi, Sterling and others. Also featured were special vertical sets of harder-to-find cabernets and older wines, as well as bottles signed by the winemakers, a set of champagne, rare and hard-to-find pinot noirs from Oregon, and the latest framed poster and artist series reserve cabernet from Kenwood Vineyards.