North Fork wineries offer holiday cheer and toy donations
What better way to celebrate the holidays than raise your wine glass, visit one of the renowned North Fork wineries, and play an important role to a needy child by donating a toy at a participating vintner? A group of East End hospitality businesses are offering Holiday Spirits, a food and wine getaway to Long Island’s renowned wine region. A two-night/three-day package includes accommodations at the finest Bed & Breakfasts on the North Fork, a fun-filled day touring Wine Country with guided transportation, four wonderful tastings with winery owners, a wine and cheese pairing at exclusive North Fork locations, full gourmet breakfast each morning, a wonderful dinner for two at a choice of several of the region’s finest dining establishments, as well as high tea lunch for two at one of the North Fork’s most popular lunch locales. The package is available for $439 per person with single and corporate rates available.
While you experience the atmosphere of the North Fork during the holiday season, you can also help those who are less fortunate. Through December 21, participating Long Island wineries will have collection boxes for visitors to donate new, unwrapped toys that will be distributed to underprivileged and sick children across Long Island. The program is being coordinated by the John Theissen Children’s Foundation, a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization which has collected and donated more than 550,000 new toys to children in over 185 hospitals and child care facilities across Long Island since its inception in 1992.
According to John Thiessen, Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation, “I am so honored for the support of all the wineries. This year the demands are much higher than previous years. With their support, I hope we can fill every need. I am grateful to the Long Island Wine Council for their help and support.”
The Foundation’s collection boxes will be located in the following winery tasting rooms: Castello di Borghese, Corey Creek Vineyards, Duck Walk Vineyards, Jamesport Vineyards, Laurel Lake Vineyards, The Lenz Winery, Lieb Family Cellars, Long Island Meadery, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Pellegrini Vineyards, Pindar, The Old Field Vineyards, Osprey’s Dominion, Roanoke Vineyards, The Tasting Room Peconic, Waters Crest Winery, and Wölffer Estate Vineyards.
Many of the wineries will be offering special promotions to encourage toy donations during the collection period. “Our members are generally very active supporters of various community and charity causes, but this is the first time we have come together for this type of collection drive,” said Steve Bate, executive director of the Long Island Wine Council. “When we asked whether they would agree to help John Theissen this holiday season with this very important initiative, the response was immediate.”