Residents from all over the county and neighboring Santa Clara
and Monterey counties will bring their wine glasses and, hopefully,
a large appetite to Paicines Garden Ranch on Sept. 11 in
celebration of the 54th annual Wine
&
amp; Food Tasting.
Residents from all over the county and neighboring Santa Clara and Monterey counties will bring their wine glasses and, hopefully, a large appetite to Paicines Garden Ranch on Sept. 11 in celebration of the 54th annual Wine & Food Tasting.
The event, which helps to highlight both the food and wine industries in San Benito County, is a fundraiser held by the Gabilan Chapter Kinship Center where the proceeds go to the support system for foster youth seeking adoption, said Kay Filice, Gabilan Chapter president.
The Kinship Center expects 700 to 800 guests, down from year’s pasts, from all over the Central Coast region to visit the two-and-a-half-hour event that will showcase every winery in San Benito County, Filice said. The event will also have tasting for wineries from all over the area, including Monterey and Santa Clara counties.
The event will begin at 4 p.m. and end by 6:30 p.m.
“It gets better every year – to explore local flavor because we have so many exceptional wineries,” she said.
Showing local flavor and flair is the importance of the event. Filice called the event the oldest wine-tasting event in California and one of San Benito County’s best social gathering events that grabs people from all over the state.
“It gives us an opportunity to show San Benito County and all of its beauty,” Filice said.
A silent auction, that has items such as wine, art and golf packages up for bidding, will be held during the event.
For a first-timer, be prepared, Filice said.
“They would be overwhelmed by the collection of old friends and lots of new faces – lots of young, new people enjoying a heartfelt and beautiful atmosphere,” Filice said.
To plan the event of its size, 35 women from the Kinship Center spent six month planning every detail. They do it because of the money generated for those in need.
And at $50 per person, the event is a fundraising success.
“The most important statement you could make is our chapter supports services of children who are looking for safe, loving forever families,” she said. “It’s to help abused and abandoned children find family in a successful and safe adoption.”
The money generated will go to support groups and “intensive” training for the parents wishing to take in one of the children, Filice said. Unlike most adoption agencies the Kinship Center has a high rate of successful adoptions and it’s because of the support system.
This event is one of the main sources of revenue.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the county to get others in the region to see the resources of San Benito County, all for the benefit of abused children looking for a loving home,” Filice said.
For the first time, the Kinship Center will have a showcase that shows exactly where all the money goes and what the center does for the children.
“It’s important to show people where their money is going,” she said.
Tickets are available at the Kinship Center’s website at www.kinshipcenter.org or at Hollister businesses Cheap Seats, She’s, Drapoel’s, Timber and Textiles and Postal Graphics. No tickets are sold at the gate and no one under the age of 21 is allowed.
