To address the challenges and opportunities presented by the year 2020, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association and the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation came together over the summer to celebrate wine country and fundraise for local school meal programs.
The Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation adjusted the traditional format of the Livermore Valley Wine Auction for the safety of all participants. The weekend of July 23-26, guests from throughout Northern California bid virtually on wine and wine-related experiences from the comfort of their homes. Auction lots included wine from around the world, with a focus on Livermore Valley wines. Some of the top auction lots were vacations at private homes in Aptos and Donner Lake, as well as verticals (collections of several vintages) and large format bottles. The Livermore Valley Wine Auction was generously presented by First Tech Federal Credit Union with Jeff and Doris Hank.
The Winegrowers Foundation board presented a check for $85,000, the proceeds of the virtual Livermore Valley Wine Auction, to the Board of Education of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District on September 15, 2020. Moving the auction up to July from its usual September timing allowed this donation to reach the school district just as the new school year is beginning.
In these unusual times, the Livermore schools have stepped up to distribute approximately 1,100 meals per day to hungry children. This program started when the shelter-in-place began in March, continued throughout the summer, and remains in place this fall. Funds raised by the Livermore Valley Wine Auction will help the Livermore schools continue and expand this under-funded program.
The mission of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Foundation, a non-profit 510(c)3 organization, is to raise funds to improve the quality of life for under-served local children, For more information, please visit www.lvwf.org or contact Brandi Addington, Auction Director, at (925) 380-3380.