Southwest Florida Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

(Fort Myers, Fla. – September 2, 2010) – Exclusive Napa Valley winery Staglin Family Vineyard has signed on as the signature vintner for the 2011 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, to be held Feb. 25 and 26 at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club.

Shari and Garen Staglin.

Staglin’s vintages have earned top marks from critics around the world and have been selected for meetings of prime ministers, presidents and dignitaries the world over. Known for their commitment to environmentally sensitive operations and philanthropy, the Staglins raise more for charity than any other vineyard and their wines are available only to select purchasers.

“Having such an esteemed and philanthropic vintner partner in Garen and Shari Staglin will be a boon to next year’s Wine Fest,” says Dr. Steve Machiz, chairman of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest’s sponsoring organization, SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. “Their involvement definitely takes our event up a notch, which we strive to do every year to make our event better and better and to raise an increasing amount of money for organizations that promote children’s health in our area.”

Staglin Family Vineyard was founded by the Staglins in 1985 and was recently proclaimed the elite vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley by wine critic Robert Parker. The vineyard is certified organic and upgraded with narrow spacing and solar power to reflect their commitment to excellence and environmental sensitivity.

Exclusive bottles of Staglin wine like these will don the tables at the 2011 Southwest Florida Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting and Auction.

As signature vintner, Staglin wines will be featured at the festival’s Grand Tasting and Auction on Feb. 26. It will also be featured at one of the festival’s private chef vintner dinners on Feb. 25.

About the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest

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. One of Southwest Florida’s most successful fundraising events, it raised more than $700,000 in 2009 and more than $930,000 in 2010. For more information, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

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$173,000 Raised for “Fund a Cause” Action Lot Alone

Audrey and Mike Sherman bid during the auction.

(March 17, 2010 – Fort Myers, Fla.)

– This year’s Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest, held on February 26 and 27 at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club, raised a record-breaking $930,000 (net, after expenses), most of which will be donated directly to three charities benefiting children’s health care in our area.

Albert E. Gator, Edgar and Joseph West, Richard Johnston and Randy Thomas Wohl pose with this year’s signature art – Joseph’s “Teddy Bear Tebow” at the auction.

The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida will receive $700,000 from this year’s event, $173,000 of which was donated during the auction to specifically “fund the cause” of purchasing a giraffe bed/incubator, a RetCam to help prevent loss of sight in prematurely born infants, and a ventilator for the neonatal intensive care unit. Florida Gulf Coast University and Edison State College will each receive $50,000 to benefit programs related to educating future pediatric doctors and nurses.
“We played off the success of last year’s event, which raised $752,000 net,” said Steve Machiz, M.D., Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest founding chairman. “The trustees and donors had the opportunity to visit The Children’s Hospital late last year to see how the equipment the event sponsors is used to save the lives of premature babies which helped bring the cause home to so many supporters.”

Both the private dinners held the evening of Feb. 26 and the Grand Tasting and Auction on Feb. 27 provided outstanding food prepared by local chefs, fine wine and the opportunity to support the children of Southwest Florida.

“It’s no wonder the event has grown to be the largest in Lee County,” said Dr. Machiz.

Dave and Cheryl Copham celebrate a winning bid.

Professional Auctioneer Scott Robertson, of Commercial Properties Southwest Florida, Voiceover Artist Randy Thomas, 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.

“It poured outside as people were arriving, but that didn’t dampen any of the attendees’ spirits,” said Auctioneer Scott Robertson. “They were all very generous with their bids and donations.”

Northern Trust was the main sponsor of the 2010 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, and Gulfshore Business.

Trey Farmer, Dan DeLisi, and Franz, Ute, Kristin and BJ Rosinus enjoy the fare at the Grand Tasting.

The Wine & Food Fest Grand Tasting and Auction was held in the Beach Clubhouse at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club and its outdoor waterfront venue.

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, or to watch for information about the February 25 and 26, 2011 event, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.

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Original painting featured on event posters, to be auctioned at Grand Tasting on Feb. 27

(Fort Myers, Fla. – Feb. 5, 2010) – Joseph West, of Naples, a 5-year-old cancer patient at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, is a dedicated Florida Gators fan. He even dressed up like Albert E. Gator, the university’s mascot, for Halloween, and decorated his Christmas tree in all things Gator. So when local Artist Ellen Sheppard was planning her painting session with Joseph, The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida’s child artist selected to create the SWFL Wine & Food Fest signature poster, her husband John had just the right idea.  Known to many as the steadfast bearer of teddy bears to every young patient of The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, John Sheppard headed out to find a bear dressed up like University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. 

Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest signature poster featuring child artist Joseph West's original painting, Teddy Bear Tebow.

Not only did Teddy Bear Tebow, as he became known, lift Joseph’s spirits, but he also provided the perfect inspiration for the painting to be featured on this year’s Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest posters. Ellen Sheppard has been offering her guidance to the hospital’s child artists for the signature posters of the SWFL Wine & Food Fest since nearly its inception over 6 years ago.

“Joseph loves his Gators, so Teddy Bear Tebow couldn’t have been a better pick for him,” says Joseph’s mom, Tiffany West. “He loves art projects almost as much as he loves the Gators.”

The Naples family makes several trips a month to visit Joseph’s pediatric oncologist at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida’s Chrissy Brown Cancer Unit for regular rounds of chemotherapy. Two years into his treatment, Joseph is doing well. Now his painting will help other ill children in Southwest Florida get well.

Joseph’s original acrylic painting, along with four tickets to the 2010 University of Florida vs. Kentucky game on Sept. 25, 2010 in the Swamp, will be auctioned off at the Wine Fest’s grand tasting on Feb. 27. 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. 26 when 19 families will host 11 dinners at private homes around Southwest Florida for invited guests donating $500 to $2,500 per seat. Each dinner will feature wines by featured vintners and Southwest Florida’s finest local chefs, including:

 
“ Marbin Avilez Sr.,  Bayfront Bistro
“ Nick Costanzo, Angelina’s Ristorante
“ Reiner Drygala, Bistro 41
“ Caroline Hostettler, 55 Degrees
“ Ryan Leto, Roy’s
“ Jeffrey Lucas, Ruth’s Chris Steak House
“ Thomas Pedit, Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club
“ Michael Ragusa, The Sandy Butler
“ Jayson Rydell, Flippers – Lover’s Key Resort
“ Andreas Singer, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point

“ Jesse Souza, LaPlaya Beach Resort
“ Gil Suarez, Capital Grille
“ Eric Truglas, French Bread Oven
“ Christian Vivet, Blue Windows Bistro & Catering
“ Shannon Yates, Cru

With Special Guests
“ Norman Love, Norman Love Confections
“ Keegan Gerhard, Food Network
“ Casey Thompson, Top Chef Season 3

The signature Vintner is Juelle Fisher, of Fisher Vineyards of Napa Valley. Other wineries represented are Ponzi Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon; Teachworth Winery, Calistoga, California; Bodega Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina; Tablas Creek Vineyards, Paso Robles, California; Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyard, St. Helena, California; Turnbull Wine Cellars, Oakville and Calistoga, California; Castello Banfi, Montalcino, Italy; Silver Oak, Napa Valley, California; V Madrone Winery, St. Helena, California; Honig Vineyards and Winery, Rutherford, California; Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley, Australia, and more.

On Feb. 27, the chefs, vintners, dinner guests and others come together at the Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club for the Grand Tasting and Auction. Participating chefs prepare their favorite signature dishes to accompany signature Champagne Reception sponsor Piper Heidsieck’s Champagnes.

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 $753,000 resulting in a $600,000 donation to The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and $50,000 to Edison State College.

For more information about the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest or ticket sales, visit www.swflwinefest.org or call 239-278-3900.
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