This year’s fourth annual Vines for Life Tasting Event promises to be the largest fundraiser to date. Benefiting three local cancer charities, this year’s wine and craft beer tasting has added a craft liquor tasting and moved to The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club.
“We simply outgrew the Indianapolis Yacht Club,” said co-founder Jeanne Britt. “Over the last two years, we have reached capacity, and we needed a Geist-area venue to host a larger crowd.”
Organizers, including Ray Cox with Elite Beverages, have also added a craft liquor tasting this year to appeal to those that enjoy bourbons and whiskeys from small distilleries. Last year, craft beers were added and warmly received. Cox says that this will be the most diverse tasting to date. “Kentucky bourbons are big right now, and we plan on introducing some of the most popular, independently owned distilleries.”
What started as a southern Indiana wine tour aboard a chartered bus evolved into a sold-out 60+ wine tasting at the Indianapolis Yacht Club in 2010. So far, over $70,000 has been raised and split between Creating Hope, Indy SurviveOars and Team Luke.
For Creating Hope, moneys are used to purchase “Hope Kits” which consist of art supplies and instructions for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Similarly, Team Luke funds Rhythm Pax for cancer patients at Riley Hospital for Children. Indy SurviveOars uses their proceeds to fund their breast cancer survivor dragonboat racing team on Geist Reservoir.
More tickets are available this year, up from 250 to 350. Pricing remains at $50 per person and includes all the tastings, heavy appetizers, live music by Bongo Boy Music, parking and live and silent auctions. Tickets are available online at VinesForLife.com on a first-come, first-served basis.
