Health services sips, stomps and boogies at annual event

Saturday, White Shutter Winery and Brewery played host to sipping, stomping and boogying for a good cause.

Health services of Wyandot County, which is made up of Hospice and home health held its third annual sip, stomp and boogie fundraiser and thank you event at the winery Saturday.

Executive director Cathy Browne said the organization has been very lucky to be able to work with White Shutter Winery the past three years and with a multitude of local businesses, which she said are extremely supportive and giving.

She explained that the family friendly event is meant to raise money and also to be a fun way to give back to the community that supports health services.

The proceeds from the day go toward patient care, Browne explained. She said patients are not asked to pay beyond what insurance covers and she noted that the organization often goes above and beyond in its care to provide additional quality at end of life for patients, such as granting wishes.

Browne said that in past years, the event has raised around $4,000 and she noted that the goal was to raise a similar amount this year.

The event featured a grape stomp, which in past years has featured real grapes, but this year was instead water balloons, due to the event being held one month earlier. Other games at the event included a ring toss, an etched wineglass ball toss, a heads and tails game for a $50 certificate to the Winery as well as a cork pull, in which corks with numbers were pulled for prizes and a silent auction filled with donations from local companies and individuals, including several hand-painted wineglasses created by local artists.

Filling out the boogie portion of the event were the bands Fret Mashers and Nebdroola.

Lindsey North and her daughter Ardyn also were available throughout the day for face painting.

Kerri Thiel, who owns White Shutter Winery along with her husband Jake, said that the event started at the winery while her parents, Joe and Cindy Krause, still owned the winery and said that when she and Jake took over, they wanted to continue the example set by her parents of promoting local organizations and businesses.

The winery donates the space and venue each year for the event, she said, and also donates time and manpower for setting up for the event.

She also said that the event brings a different crowd to the winery, which she enjoys.

“It’s just a good thing to do,” she said.

“We like to give back as much as possible.”

By CALLAN PUGH
City editor