April 12, 2014 at 10:12 a.m.
Wine, Beer, Cheese and Chocolate Tasting event supports Kinship
Wine, Beer, Cheese and Chocolate Tasting event supports Kinship
"We had a lot of raffles, silent auction items, lots of good food and, of course, lots of fun," said Kinship director Jennifer Sackett.
The event is Kinship's main fundraiser of the year. The money raised is used to fund the organization's mentoring program, Sackett said.
"We use the money for background checks for the mentors, program activities, supplies. Of course (the event) costs a lot of money too, to put it on, so we use it to pay for that, so hopefully we can make more money to support our program," she said.
The program is an important one as it brings youth in the Northwoods together with adult mentors.
"Kinship is a community-based youth mentoring program. We match up a caring adult from the community with (a child between the ages of 5 and 17)," Sackett said."The mentors provide extra support to the kids when they need it and are an extra friend in the community to be there for the child."
Looking out at the huge crowd that had gathered to support Kinship and enjoy the festivities, Sackett could not thank the community enough for the continued support.
"It's always amazing to see how many people will come out to enjoy the event and support us. It really shows us just how important the mentors are to the kids of the area," Sackett said. "I can never say enough about how great this community is."
Given the importance of Kinship's mission, attendees said it was an easy to decision to attend the fundraiser. All the wine, beer, cheese and chocolate didn't hurt either.
"I'll be honest, with how great everything tastes, I'd probably be here even if it wasn't a fundraiser, but knowing just what these guys do for the community and the kids of the community, it makes everything taste that much sweeter," said Jim Karstens. "I actually had a mentor myself when I was growing up because my dad had passed away when I was really young and my mom had to work two jobs to support us. He turned out to be the best friend I ever had and I stayed in contact with him right up until he passed away as well. These mentor programs have always held a meaningful place in my heart and Kinship is one of the best I've come in contact with."
The lure of the food and beverages was a strong one for many, but the real meaning of the event was not lost on anyone.
"It's great food, excellent drinks, but you can't forget why you're here. It's really all about the kids, but it's about the adults, the mentors, as well," said Susan Kortano. "It's great to come out and support the kids, but we're also here to support the people who stepped up to mentor these kids. You can't forget about them. They are truly heroes, not just to the kids, but to the community as a whole."
Marcus Nesemann may be reached at [email protected].
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