LAKE COUNTY—The board of directors of the Lake County Wine Alliance invites nonprofit organizations, agencies and programs in Lake County to apply for a share of the proceeds from the 2013 Lake County Wine Auction. The fourteenth annual benefit will be held in September with the exact date and location soon to be announced.
Applications must be postmarked or submitted via email by March 1, 2013. Applications for funding may be obtained from the Wine Alliance web site, www.winealliance.org. A downloadable application can be found under the Beneficiaries Tab. Applicants may also contact Judy Luchsinger, chair of the beneficiaries committee, at (707) 263-3280, or judy@isoqed.com.
The Lake County Wine Alliance may be contacted by phone, (866) 279-9463, or by mail to P.O. Box 530, Kelseyville, CA 95451.
Fifteen nonprofit organizations, including agencies, programs, senior centers and high schools, received $96,000 from the proceeds of the 2012 wine auction held last September at Brassfield Estate Vineyard and Winery. Awards are made in the fields of the arts, health services, and the community. The Wine Alliance has contributed $991,302 in proceeds to Lake County groups since the inception of the annual charity event in 2000.
Proceeds include ticket sales, donations from sponsorships, live and silent auction income, purchases of reserve wines at the event, and sales of special edition, commemorative fine art posters by Lake County artist John R. Clarke.
Local wineries, wine grape growers, restaurants, and other businesses and individuals are generous supporters through their donations to the live and silent auctions and to the food and beverages served at the gala affair. Lake County and regional businesses provide support through sponsorships.
The charter of the Wine Alliance directs its efforts to foster the arts, benefit health services, and support the community, while promoting Lake County as a premier grape growing and fine wine region. The Wine Alliance is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization of Lake County wineries, wine grape growers, and business and community supporters that annually presents the wine auction as a fundraising charity benefit.
Members of the Wine Alliance board are Kaj Ahlmann, Lower Lake, president; Judy Luchsinger, Lakeport, vice president; Sharron Zoller, Kelseyville, secretary; Rob Roumiguiere, Kelseyville, treasurer; and Marie Beery, Kelseyville, and Bill Groody, Kelseyville, directors. Honorary chairman of the 2012 event was Jerry Brassfield, proprietor of Brassfield Estate Winery and Vineyard, High Valley.
Our success over the years would not have been possible without the help of our valued sponsors. For their support in 2012, we would like to thank: Mendo Lake Credit Union, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Brassfield Estate Winery, Calpine, Six Sigma Ranch, Bella Vista Farming, St. Helena Hospital, Kathy Fowler Chevrolet, Shannon Ridge Winery, TricorBraun Packaging, Kelseyville Pharmacy and the Lake County Winegrape Commission