LAKE COUNTY—Five high schools, eight youth oriented programs and ten other Lake County nonprofit organizations have been selected as beneficiaries of this yearʼs Lake County Wine Auction.
Announcing this year’s list, Wine Alliance President Kaj Ahlmann said: “To build a strong community, we need to help the next generation to respect Lake Countyʼs agricultural tradition and to improve their educational skills. With our grants, the Wine Alliance is working towards those goals.”
The Wine Alliance, a nonprofit organization of wineries, wine grape growers, vineyard owners, related businesses and community supporters has contributed $1,081,302.00 to foster the arts, benefit health services, and support the community since it was founded in the year 2000. In addition, the the organization has a mandate to promote Lake County as a premier growing region for fine wine grapes and other crops.
This yearʼs auction, the fifteenth, will take place at The Cole Creek Equestrian Center in Kelseyville on Saturday September 20, 2014 from 4pm to 10pm. This exciting venue, which was the scene of last yearʼs event, has been used for numerous social and community events over the years provides our guests with a unique view into the diversity of Lake County’s agricultural community. The Lake County Wine Auction open to guests 21 years and older.
All proceeds from the Wine Auction activities will benefit the selected beneficiaries. Eighteen organizations, agencies, and programs submitted their funding requests to the Wine Alliance, demonstrating the number of worthy programs in Lake
County seeking financial assistance.
This year’s beneficiaries are: The five comprehensive high schools of Lake County for their arts programs, Catholic Charities for their Food and Benefits Outreach Project, United christian Parish for their Food Pantry, Hospice Services of Lake County
for bereavement support groups, Sponsoring Survivorship for assistance to residents with breast cancer, The Yuba College Culinary Club for scholarships, Clear Lake Performing Arts for beginning string instruction, Lower Lake High School Culinary Club, Lake County Church Women United for their shoes and socks program, The Lake County Office of Education for their student mock trial team, The Lake Community Pride Foundation for their teen shelter, Lake County Channel Cats, Lower Lake School House Museum for student field trips, The Lake County Literacy Coalition for their adult literacy program, The Lake County Senior Centers for their Meals on Wheels program, Operation Tango Mike for support of our local soldiers overseas and Habitat for Humanity new projects to create affordable housing.
Tickets for the Wine Auction will be available through the Wine Alliance website, www.winealliance.org, or by calling1-866-279-WINE to make reservations. Information about sponsorship opportunities is available from Marie Beery, 707-278-0129. Major sponsors confirmed to date are: Beckstoffer Vineyards, Mendo Lake Credit Union, Fowler Chevrolet, Artist John Clarke, St. Helena Hospital, Shannon Ridge Winery, CalPine, Trinchero Family Estates, Kathy and Kelseyville Pharmacy . In addition, $10,000 in matching grants has been received from Deutsche Bank and General Electric.
Honorary co-chairs for the Wine Auction are John and Joanne Van Eck, proprietors of Cole Creek Equestrian center.
Members of the, all volunteer, Wine Alliance Board are Kaj Ahlmann, president; Dr. Judy Luchsinger, vice president; Sharron Zoller, secretary; Rob Roumiguiere, treasurer; and Marie Beery and Bill Groody directors.