By Kate Mikos
Every spring along the Emerald Coast, wine lovers with a lot of heart gather April for the Destin Charity Wine Auction. Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), one of the nation’s premier fundraising organizations located in the Florida Panhandle, has a mission of connecting wine enthusiasts to raise money which benefit children in need in Northwest Florida. Since its inception in 2005, DCWAF has donated an impressive $21 million which impacts the lives of almost 100,000 children, including those afflicted by health issues and abuse. How do they connect wine enthusiasts to raise money for a good cause? DCWAF has found the most successful way to enliven the generosity of its supporters is to produce world-class wine and culinary events that encourage patrons to raise both their glasses and their paddles.
Currently ranked #4 on Wine Spectator’s list of ‘Top Charity Wine Auctions in the U.S.’ for the second consecutive year, the annual auction is the foundation’s signature event. A beautiful three-day event held the last weekend in April each year, the weekend is filled with exclusive wines and excellent food from a variety of celebrity chefs. The weekend kicks off with 12 patron dinners hosted in the most exquisite homes and restaurants on the Emerald Coast.
The next afternoon, patrons converge under a 25,000 square foot auction tent in Grand Boulevard for what can only be described as the party of the year. The day begins with a Reserve Tasting showcasing 29 internationally acclaimed vintners pouring luxury wines while attendees bid on a dynamic silent auction. The event culminates with a high-energy live auction, which includes rare wines, spectacular trips, and other incredible one-of-a-kind items. For those who have never been in the auction tent, the energy fueled by the desire to create a brighter future for those who need it most – and perhaps a little wine – is unlike any other.
At the Foundation’s annual check presentation this September, a whirlwind of emotions filled a room of about 350 people at the Henderson Beach Resort as a record-breaking $3 million was donated to DCWAF’s 16 charities including AMIkids Emerald Coast, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Children in Crisis, Inc., Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Food for Thought Outreach, Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, Mental Health Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Opportunity Place, Inc., Pathways for Change, Sacred Heart Hospital of the Emerald Coast, Shelter House of Northwest Florida, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Westonwood Ranch, and Youth Village.
Throughout its 14-year lifespan, DCWAF has not only impacted the lives of children through its fundraising, but also in the family-like network it creates amongst its benefiting charities.
Charities that once competed for the same dollars have found themselves working together to build a larger network that can serve their clients in multi-faceted ways. Children from Youth Village and AMIKids visit Food for Thought’s Full Circle Kitchen to learn how to cook affordable and sustainable meals for themselves on a budget, while Shelter House visits Boys and Girls Clubs to teach their students about healthy relationships. Children’s Volunteer Health Network, which provides free dental care to uninsured children, sends its mobile dental clinic to Children in Crisis, Youth Village, and a variety of other DCWAF charity locations. This is just a small sampling of the different ways DCWAF’s charities work together to ensure that the needs of children in the local community are met.
Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation invites all those with a philanthropic heart to their annual events. In addition to the auction, DCWAF also produces Harvest Wine & Food Festival October 24-26th in WaterColor, Florida. Tickets for Harvest are on sale now, and patron packages for the auction will be available beginning November 1st on the Foundation’s website dcwaf.org.
To learn more about Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation visit dcwaf.org.
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