St. George Wine Club Foundation donates $45,000 during three years of nonprofit status
By Marianne Hamilton
As 2018 draws to a close, it’s also the close of the St. George Wine Club Foundation’s third year as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. In that time, the foundation has returned $45,000 to the local community through charitable donations, which are made possible via the club’s monthly socials.
From September through June, the St. George Wine Club gathers at various venues throughout Washington County to enjoy live entertainment and socialization. In addition to bringing a bottle of wine and an appetizer to share, each attendee is encouraged to make a $10 donation, which assists in paying musicians who perform at the socials. The remaining funds are then distributed through the St. George Wine Club Foundation, primarily to local arts and education entities, in denominations ranging from $500 to $1,000.
In 2018, the contributions topped $17,000, a new record for the foundation. Among those benefiting from the donations were the Center for the Arts at Kayenta; Dixie State University’s College of the Arts, and the university’s Alumni Center; the New Works Festival at Tuacahn Center for the Arts; the Art Around the Corner Foundation; the DiFiore Center’s “School of Rock” youth music program; and a number of other worthy causes. Hosts at private venue where socials are held are also welcome to identify a charity to which the monthly donation will be made. Thus, during the last year, the St. George Wine Club Foundation also funded such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, RSQ Animal Rescue, DOVE Center, and the Utah Food Bank.
Since the St. George Wine Club Foundation was established as a nonprofit in 2015, registered under and administered by A.R.T.S., Inc., co-administrators Doug Hamilton and I have seen continuous growth in the size of the organization and the reach of its giving.
“We’ve been extremely gratified by the generosity of our members and their willingness to support so many worthwhile groups,” Doug Hamilton said. “What started six years ago with a few people gathering in each other’s homes to share a glass of wine is now an organization with nearly 1,800 members. And all of them have embraced our model of ‘doing well by having fun.’”
The really encouraging thing is that we’ve established strong connections with the community, and we now receive repeat invitations to host our events at such venues as DSU and Kayenta. We appreciate the fact that these groups understand and appreciate our vision of giving back and support our desire to connect responsible people who happen to enjoy adult beverages.
Kayenta Arts Center executive director Jan Broberg is one such arts administrator who has extended her facility’s hospitality to the St. George Wine Club on multiple occasions.
“We love having the club here!” Broberg said. “Their events are always festive and fun, and their members are strong supporters of the arts. Plus, their contributions are a great benefit in helping us to continue presenting wonderful professional productions and concerts to the community.”
Susan Jarvis, chair of the board of directors of the Art Around the Corner Foundation, expressed gratitude for the St. George Wine Club Foundation’s sponsorship of a pedestal in the current Art Around the Corner outdoor sculpture gallery.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Wine Club Foundation for supporting public art,” Jarvis said. “Wine Club members contributed a $1,000 sponsorship, and they are acknowledged on the nameplate for the Cheryl Collins sculpture, ‘Emerging,’ which has been on display since last April. The Art Around the Corner Foundation looks forward to future collaborations with the St. George Wine Club Foundation.”
We are currently finalizing plans for the 2019 socials, which will include a performance at the Kayenta Center for the Arts by the award-winning barbershop quartet the Newfangled Four, the third-annual “Sears Gala Weekend Social” at DSU’s Sears Gallery, and a spring social at the DiFiore Center for Arts and Education.
For more information about the St. George Wine Club and the St. George Wine Club Foundation, visit stgeorgewineclub.org.
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