Category Archives: Southwest Florida Wine and Food Fest

March 7, 2012- Fort Myers, Fla.) – The 2012 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, held on February 24 and 25 at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club, raised a record-breaking $2 million (net, after expenses) thanks to Joe Anderson of Benovia Winery. In the final minutes, Anderson made a $100,000 pledge and inspired dozens of generous bidders to make additional donations.

The proceeds of the event will be donated directly to three charities benefiting children’s health care in our area. The weekend started with nine Chef Vintner dinners held the evening before in host homes from Naples, Miromar Lakes, and Bonita Springs to Fort Myers.

Special touches and exciting auction lots included the NFL Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders dancing and igniting the auction goers, the celebrity of AC/DC bass player Cliff Williams, an appearance by a Danica Patrick look-a-like, the trip of a lifetime to Cuba including mass with Pope Benedict XVI and a VIP trip to Benovia Winery in Sonoma Valley.

This year’s “Fund A Cause” surpassed all expectations by raising more than $400,000 to purchase GE Giraffe baby incubators for The Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Over the past three years generous Wine Fest patrons have given enough to purchase seven of these specially equipped beds that mimic the mother’s womb. This year’s “Fund A Cause” will provide an additional nine incubators.

The signature painting created by 7 year old oncology patient Olivia Ramsey, generated $125,000 in donations. The original piece will be donated back to the hospital and featured along with previous years’ child art on a wall named in memory of Jerry Schmoyer, long-time supporter of Wine Fest who lost his battle with cancer last year.

Professional Auctioneer Scott Robertson, Voiceover Artist Chris Corley, and NBC-2’s Kellie Burns guided several hundred attendees through Saturday’s bidding and festivities at the Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club. Along with the auction, local chefs joined more than a dozen wineries and distributors in the event’s Grand Tasting of wine and food.

The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida will receive the majority of the proceeds from this year’s event as the primary beneficiary. Edison State College and Florida Gulf Coast University will receive donations to support Edison’s pediatric nursing program and FGCU’s music therapy program.

“We exceeded our expectations again this year, thanks to our very philanthropic supporters. We netted $1.6 million last year,” said Steve Machiz, M.D., Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest founding chairman. “The trustees, dinner hosts, wineries, chefs and donors really stepped up to take this event truly over the top. I am always amazed by the generosity of the wonderful people attending Wine Fest.”

Northern Trust was the title sponsor of the 2012 Wine & Food Fest. Along with Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club, other supporters of the event included Norman Love Confections, Angelina’s Ristorante, and Palm Printing – Strategic Solutions. Media sponsors were The News-Press, Grandeur Magazine, Gulfshore Life, Gulfshore Business and Florida Weekly.

The Wine & Food Fest Grand Tasting and Auction was held in the award-winning Beach Clubhouse at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club and its outdoor waterfront venue. Miromar Lakes was recently selected at the Best Community in the United States by the National Association of Home Builders, and as Best Clubhouse last year by the same prestigious organization.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. For more information and more photos of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

– If you are interested in
partying like a rock star, or traveling to some of the most prestigious
sporting events of the year, the auction offerings at the 2012 Southwest
Florida Wine & Food Fest may be just the ticket. Auction lots will be sold
to the highest bidder(s) during the The Grand Tasting and Auction at Miromar
Lakes Beach & Golf Club, on Saturday, February 25^th, concluding
this year’s Wine & Food Fest Weekend.

This year’s packages,
donated by the trustees and friends of Wine Fest, offer bidders the opportunity
to travel to London for a week at the Olympics, journey to British Columbia for
an ocean fishing adventure, or be in the audience as Pope Benedict XVI
celebrates mass in Cuba. Bidders can also vie for Grandstand Seats at the Grand
Prix Monte Carlo, or passes to the final rounds of Ryder Cup play. And, there
are lots of fine wines, and the opportunity to bid on lifesaving equipment for
Southwest Florida’s only Children’s Hospital. Over the past two years, the Fund
a Cause lot has resulted in the purchase of seven GE Giraffe beds for the
hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  To see the entire book of
auction lots on the website at: http://www.swflwinefest.org/dinners-and-auction/auction/

One of the most popular
auction lots each year is the artwork created by one of the local children who
has been served by The Children’s Hospital. This lot is frequently donated to
the hospital, where it remains on permanent display.

The Southwest Florida Wine &
Food Fest donates 100% of the funds raised during the auction directly to the
benefitting charities.  The primary charity is The Children’s Hospital of
Southwest Florida which has received over $3-million from the Wine & Food
Fest.  Also benefitting are Edison State College’s pediatric nursing
program and Florida Gulf Coast University’s endowed Music Therapy program.

Tickets for the Wine Fest weekend
of fun range from $500 for Saturday Grand Tasting and Auction tickets to
between $750 and $1,500 per person to also attend a Chef Vintner Dinner,
depending on the dinner and availability.

Northern Trust Bank is the title
sponsor of the 2012 Wine & Food Fest. Event sponsors also include Miromar
Lakes Beach Club, Angelina’s Ristorante, Norman Love Confections, Palm Printing
and Strategic Solutions, the News-Press Media Group, Gulfshore Media, and
Florida Weekly.

The Southwest Florida Wine &
Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3
non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local
children.  The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida is this year’s primary
beneficiary and secondary beneficiaries are Edison State College’s pediatric
nursing program, and Florida Gulf Coast University’s pre-med endowment for
scholarship for a local student interested in studying pediatrics.

For more information, to receive an
invitation or to purchase tickets, go to www.SWFLWineFest.org
or call 239-278-3900.

Hospital Patient Creates Signature Art for Southwest Florida

Wine & Food Fest

Original painting featured on event posters, to be auctioned at Wine Fest

event on Feb. 25

(Fort Myers, Fla. – January 10, 2012) – Butterflies and a bright purple kitten are featured in this year’s signature painting created by Olivia Ramsey of Fort Myers for the 2012 Northern Trust Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest. The painting will be
auctioned at the Wine Fest Grand Tasting and Auction on February 25.

Olivia “Liv” is 7 years old and an oncology patient at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Now in the second grade, she was diagnosed with leukemia in December of 2010. According to her mom, Michelle, she is now in the maintenance phase of her 2.5-year
treatment program. “Her first 6 months of treatment were the hardest, but she
always handled everything with a smile. If you met her, you wouldn’t know she
was battling cancer except for having shorter hair!”

The Ramseys considered moving north, to a cancer treatment center, before meeting Dr. Emad Salman of The Children’s Hospital. “We didn’t know what we had in our own back yard,” Michelle said. “The facility is phenomenal. The nurses, the physicians, they
are so knowledgeable and they treat you so well. They’ve made us feel
comfortable the whole way through and it’s scary ride.”

The doctors and nurses at The Children’s Hospital have become heroes to Liv. “They’ve done so much for me and they’ve helped me a lot. I don’t have to worry. I know that I’m going to be fine,” she said.

Olivia is giving back something of her own as well. She has founded Olivia’s Wagon of Wonder.  Throughout the year, she will be giving other pediatric oncology patients all sorts of arts and craft items that have been donated to the Wagon.  When Olivia
spent time in the hospital she passed the time with doing many art projects and
she said wants to help other children do the same thing.

Liv’s original watercolor and acrylic painting will be auctioned off at the Wine Fest’s grand tasting on Feb. 25. Wine Fest Chairman Dr. Steve Machiz says the children’s artwork is
typically one of the highest-bid lots.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is a signature event of the SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides funding to local charities serving local children. It begins the evening of Feb. 24, with Chef Vintner dinners in
private homes around Southwest Florida for invited guests donating $1,000 to
$1,500 per seat. Each dinner will showcase wines by featured vintners and
culinary offerings from Southwest Florida’s finest chefs.

Then on Feb. 25, the chefs, vintners, dinner guests and others come together again, at the Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club for the Grand Tasting and Auction. Participating chefs
prepare their favorite signature dishes to accompany the wine tastings.

The Auction features exceptional packages of special and unique wines, exclusive trips, amazing dining experiences and more. All proceeds from the auction and event ticket
sales will benefit three causes benefiting children’s health care in our area:
The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, Edison State College’s Pediatric Nursing
Program and an endowment to Florida Gulf Coast University to establish a
pre-med student scholarship.

Last year’s event netted $1.6 million resulting in a $1,250,000 donation to The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and $100,000 to both Edison State College and Florida Gulf
Coast University for their respective pediatric nursing and pre-medical
education programs.

To view a video about Olivia and an interview with her mother Michelle, or for more information about the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest or ticket sales, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.