Next Wednesday, patrons at The Shops at Wiregrass will drink wine, sample food, listen to live music, and do a little shopping.
And they’ll help a charity at the same time.
(Courtesy of The Shops at Wiregrass)
Wine Walk Wednesdays, a series of four events scheduled for this year, continues on May 7 at the shopping center, 28211 Paseo Drive in Wesley Chapel. The annual charity series benefits the Jason Ackerman Foundation, an organization that provides educational opportunities and entertainment experiences for young people who have endured various types of tragic circumstances.
They provide scholarship funds directly to four-year universities, community colleges and vocational training schools to benefit recipients based on financial need and their desire to make a positive impact on the community.
Wine Walk Wednesdays is fun for anyone looking for a fun destination, said Shops marketing director Debbie Detweiler.
“It’s a great thing not only for ‘girls night out,’ but also for couples as well,” she said. “And there are families who come out and they’re enjoying the entertainment and activities. It’s really casual and just a fun night, and it’s all for a great cause.”
Those who want to eat and drink will receive “passports” and a map, showing them the location of each tasting station. In addition to sampling wine and food, visitors can enjoy live music on two stages, mini-massages and models showing off the latest fashions.
There also will be caricature artists and free painting classes available.
While Wine Walk Wednesdays has been happening for a few years, the format changed for 2014. Instead of having it on four consecutive Wednesdays in one month each year, The Shops decided to host it on the first Wednesday in four different months: April, May, September and October.
Detweiler admitted that she wasn’t sure how the new format would be received, and was a little nervous before last month’s event. But when she saw people lining up for their passports, she knew it was going to be a success.
Judging by the final numbers, the change was a good one: April’s Wine Walk Wednesday attracted 560 participants and raised about $8,400 for the charity, making it the biggest opening of any year so far. While the first event is normally a bit slower, the strong start in 2014 allowed them to pace well ahead of their annual goal of $20,000.
The event is a true collaborative effort, Detweiler said, with several sponsors donating wine, food and many activities so the community can come together and support a good cause.
“It’s all of us working together, we’re going to be able to put a lot of scholarship dollars in the hands of these students,” she said. “We’re doing a lot of good for the community.”
The Jason Ackerman Foundation also takes an active role in the event, providing volunteers and helping put it together.
“They’re just a great organization and have a strong source of volunteers who are committed to the cause,” Detweiler said. “They’ve been a great partner for us the last three years and we’re really excited too work with them again this year.”
Wine Walk Wednesday runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is free, but participating in the wine and food tasting has a donation request of $15, of which 100 percent goes to the charity.
And in thanks for their donation, each participant also receives a wine tumbler to keep.
For information on Wine Walk Wednesdays, visit TheShopsAtWiregrass.com, or call (813) 994-2242.
For information about the Jason Ackerman Foundation, visit JasonAckermanFoundation.org, or call (813) 915-2766.
Published April 30, 2014
