Wine Tasting Event at the Livonia Spree

On Friday, June 27th, a beautiful collaboration between the Rotary Clubs of Livonia AM and Livonia Noon culminated in a civic celebration of community during the Livonia Spree. The opportunity to host the event was given to the clubs as a means to raise money for the Rebuild Rotary Park effort led by Livonia Rotarians Nancy Darga and Deanna Gaffney. The wine tasting had been a long-standing feature of the Spree. Pausing prior to 2020, the clubs had to re-create the details of the event in a very short time as the previous organizers were not available to offer historical data or advice.

A committee was soon formed with duties divided amongst club members. Erin Dobbins embarked on a trip to local liquor stores to solicit donations of wine through their vendors and helped secure the raffle and liquor license from the state of Michigan. Bill Friske set up electronic payment methods and a QR code to add to the flyer created by Wayne Kinney.

Wayne stepped up as a champion for the event using his professional experience in creating a roadmap of the event space and promoting through social media and print materials. He targeted various community connections, which resulted in the Brass Mug Party Store providing all of the wine and staff to pour and describe each product.

Taylor Rotarian, Alice Prusak of Prestige Catering and Banquet Center was called in to serve light fare as advertised and provide a liquor license in case the Foundation’s was not approved in time.

Meanwhile, Claude Kendrick assembled volunteers with faith the event would come together, adding and subtracting positions, and massaging shift times as the event details solidified. Wayne printed lawn signs and postcards made with input from many club members. Wayne and Sharon Pommerville distributed the signs advertising our wine tasting throughout the Spree. We then watched for Bill’s updates on event registrations which climbed each day.

Friday came with a sigh of relief and an air of excitement. The Eddie Edgar Ice Arena, home of the Wine Tasting, was transformed into an intimate space with a fabulous grazing table by Prestige, over 60 varieties of wine to sample, a prominent display of the Rebuild Rotary Park campaign, 50/50 raffle and added entertainment with the quirky, but fun Spin to Win wheel. Wayne emceed the event, keeping the atmosphere alive with announcements of game winners and new wine bottles being cracked open for sample. Bill Joyner and his wife attended the event complimentary, as a thank you” for his ongoing support of Rotary. In all, approximately 110 people attended the wine tasting, including several paid volunteers and their family and friends from both Livonia clubs.

This inaugural opportunity demonstrated our ability to pull together and create a successful and memorable event sure to grow year after year.

"Kudos to all who gave their time and energy to participate in an elegant and fun fundraising activity."

 Erin Dobbins