Nearly $400,000 in proceeds from the 2011 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, a series of events jointly produced by the Sonoma County Vintners and the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, were distributed today to 26 Sonoma County beneficiaries.
“Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, which sold out last year, has become a wonderful example of the generosity of our Sonoma vintners, grape growers and event attendees,” said Maureen Cottingham, Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance executive director.
Donations totaling $395,385 were made today at St. Francis Winery & Vineyards.
“We are proud to support locally created and executed charitable groups, so that the benefits of both giving and receiving help strengthen our communities,” said Dan Goldfield, Sonoma County Vintners Foundation president, “and with our 25 percent increase in funds over last year we’re thrilled to improve our contribution in the face of the monumental need that is out there,”
According to Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation President Eva Bertran, te 26 recipient non-profits provide essential services such as education, youth services, medical care, food, mentoring and counseling have received funds as a result of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend
“Our committed group of winery and grower members works very hard to help fund organizations with significant needs,” Bertran said.
Two of the beneficiaries, the Redwood Empire Food Bank and the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, each received a grant of $73,500, for a total of $147,000 raised from the “Fund-A-Need” lot at the 2011 Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction, one of Sonoma Wine Country Weekend’s flagship events.
“We are very proud of the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend partnership of Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance with Sonoma County Vintners,” said Honore Comfort, executive director of Sonoma County Vintners, “Our collaborative effort has made us even more successful in both promoting Sonoma County wines and supporting our county-wide community.”
The 2011 charity beneficiaries include: 10,000 Degrees, Aushadi Health Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Sonoma County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, Ceres Community Project, Friends in Sonoma Helping, Hanna Boys Center, La Luz Center, Montgomery High School Education Foundation, Redwood Empire Food Bank, Santa Rosa High School – Panther Spirit Booster Club, Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma Overnight Support, Sonoma Paradiso Foundation, Sonoma Valley High School Ag Department, Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation, Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, Sonoma Valley Teen Services, Soroptomist International of Cloverdale, SVVGA Scholarship Fund, The Children’s Village of Sonoma County, The Living Room Center Inc., The School Garden Network, The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Verity and Willmar Family Grief & Healing Center.
Over several years, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation and Sonoma County Vintners Foundation have raised a cumulative total of more than $11 million that has been donated directly to Sonoma County’s non-profit organizations. The 2012 Sonoma Wine Country Weekend is set for Labor Day Weekend, August 31 – September 2, 2012.
Times are tough right now for this community. This is largely associated with the high unemployment and the national recession, especially effecting the middle class. But over the last two decades the “vintners and growers” have made unprecedented profits (according to Sonoma County business journals… in the many BILLIONS). The extreme profitability of labor-intensive products (like grapes) was exploited by this industry at a time in history when the use of illegal cheap labor has become an acceptable mode of commerce, despite our longstanding American laws and principles that prohibited the use of this type of labor. This, in turn, has led to an unprecedented massive importation of illegal immigrants with low socio-economic status, and very large associated demands for social services, schools, housing, roads, etc. The state’s “safety net” has been depleted, and local communities are drained of their resources. It seems only reasonable for the industry that benefited from this catastrophe, to the tune of billions in profit per year, be responsible to “step up to the plate” and give generously to the community. This (relatively) small amount of money is not adequate. Where are the permanent land and buildings for the seasonal migrant workers, which was promised long ago? Our neighboring county in Napa has been much more demanding of their vintners and growers, and it is time for Sonoma to follow suit.
I am thankful for the Sonoma County Vintners and Growers Alliance to share with the community their hard earned profits. We appreciate the donations to the various charities and are clear in the fact that they do not have to donate to anyone … but they share what they have with the community.