The Charmer Sunbelt Group to Host Wine & Wishes 2009
The economy may be slow, and business down, but that is not keeping NY restaurants and some of the world’s best-known wines from coming together to help raise funds for The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Metro New York.
Wine & Wishes 2009, the annual wine tasting and auction hosted by The Charmer Sunbelt Group, one of the nation’s leading distributors of fine wines and spirits, is an annual benefit for the New York City chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This year’s event will be held on March 25, 2009 from 6:00 to 10:00pm, with a live auction beginning at 8:30pm, at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers in New York City. The event will be emceed by CBS2 Anchor Chris Wragge. Tickets are $250.00 and can be purchased by calling 212-957-9474. VIP tickets at $1,000 are also available.
“As a Board Member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, I know first-hand how this organization touches the lives of children in need. I am deeply grateful for the significant generosity of our customers and suppliers – particularly during this challenging business climate – who are contributing not only their financial support, but also their time and exceptional skills to help create a tremendous event that benefits a great cause,” said Charles Merinoff, CEO and Vice Chairman of The Charmer Sunbelt Group.
Wine & Wishes 2009 features 18 of New York’s top restaurants and caterers, who are preparing signature dishes for the attending ‘foodies.’ Participating this year are: Abigail Kirsch, Acappella, Aegean Cove, Cercle Rouge, The Culinary Institute of America, Habana Room, Hudson River Café, Mamajuana Café, Pera, Pescatore, Robert’s Steak House, Talay, Trattoria L’Incontro, Tribeca Grill, Uncle Jack’s Steak House and Water’s Edge.
“The fun generated at this event is equally matched, if not surpassed, by the benefits reaped for the Make-A-Wish-Foundation of Metro New York,” said Pat Clemency, President and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York. “Celebrating the luxury worlds of food and wine, while raising monies that help grant children’s wishes, makes for a wonderful combination.”
VIP ticket holders are treated to “Coveted Corks,” a special tasting of rare and collectible wines, including vintages from Penfold’s Grange, Groth Reserve, Château Mouton Rothschild and Georges de la Tour, among others.
In the past five years, Wine & Wishes has raised more than $1.5 million; more than $650,000 last year alone. While ticket sales from the estimated 600 guests help greatly in generating funds, the event would not be possible without support from the events Grand Cru Sponsors, Diageo, NA and The Boston Consulting Group. (A complete list of event sponsors is attached.) In addition, a record number of donors have contributed to the event’s Live and Silent Auctions, which in the past have contributed nearly one-third of the evening’s proceeds. This year, Live Auction items include such rare experiences as a Triple Crown Package, with hotel and tickets to each leg of the Triple Crown, a round of golf at the exclusive Gleneagles Resort in Scotland, a Yankees Package featuring an on-the field clinic for young Yankee fans and tickets to a game at the new stadium and a bottle of Macallan Scotch 1946.
“I’m deeply touched by the outpouring of donations for our live and silent auctions,” said Merinoff. “I’m very aware that in today’s challenging fundraising environment, there are a vast number of worthy beneficiaries, and that so many NY businesses have chosen to support this event is a testament to the important work of Make-A-Wish.”
About Make-A-Wish®
The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. The Metro New York chapter, which serves the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau County, Long Island began in 1983 and is headquartered in Lake Success with a field office in Manhattan. Since its founding, the Metro New York chapter has granted more than 7,500 wishes. In Fiscal Year 2008, the Metro New York chapter granted 500 wishes and hosted another 278 children from Make-A-Wish chapters around the world whose wishes involved travel to New York City. That equates to one wish every 11 hours, making Metro New York one of the most active chapters in the national network of 66 Make-A-Wish chapters across the country. For more information, please visit www.metrony.wish.org.
About The Charmer Sunbelt Group
The Charmer Sunbelt Group (CSG) is one of the nation's leading distributors of spirits, fine wines, beers and bottled water. CSG is a group of affiliated companies operating in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and The District of Columbia, markets which collectively account for nearly half of total US spirit and wine consumption. Together, these companies employ more than 8,000 associates and distribute more than 60 million cases per year. For more information about CSG, please visit www.charmer-sunbelt.com.
Contact:
The Charmer Sunbelt Group
Laura Peet, 212-699-7005
lpeet@c-sg.com