Naked Vine raises $16,200

The Kiwanis Club’s 20th annual Naked Vine fundraiser netted $16,200 that will be distributed to causes that benefit local children.

The event, held Saturday at St. Supéry Winery, drew about 150 people and featured live and silent auctions with lots that included wine, gift certificates donated by local businesses and art by local artists.

The proceeds were down from last year’s tally of $30,000. Kiwanis President George Watson said organizers were expecting the economy to have an impact on the bottom line, but the number of attendees was a pleasant surprise.

“It was a very nice turnout, and we’re very pleased,” he said, attributing the strong turnout to increased public relations efforts.

The evening’s biggest prize, an “instant wine cellar” made up of four cases of wine, was raffled off to benefit the RLS Nature Trail. The winners were Pam and Mark Smithers of St. Helena.

The raffle raised about $4,600 for the Nature Trail, where Kiwanians funded and helped build two greenhouses last year.

The money raised at the Naked Vine goes to the St. Helena Kiwanis Foundation, which last year provided college scholarships for graduating St. Helena High School students, helps fund the St. Helena Police Department’s juvenile diversion program, and donates to local causes such as St. Helena Boy Scouts, the St. Helena High School Saints Athletic Boosters, the St. Helena Public Schools Foundation and St. Helena Little League Baseball.

The Kiwanis Club also hosts an annual Christmas dinner for seniors, sponsors the RLS Builders Club, and last year helped ship more than 100 desks and 100 chairs to a Costa Rican school.