|
By Annabelle Ruch (Published 9/04)
Ready for an upscale event featuring distinctive cuisine, wine tasting, culinary demonstrations, high performance boat & luxury yacht displays, an art show, fashion shows, car displays and live music?
When it came time for The Rotary Club of League City to employ their efforts into a fundraiser, the group decided to go first class. Just three years ago the South Shore Dockside Food and Wine festival presented their inaugural event. After countless hours of planning, members agreed that four wine pavilions, representing worldwide wine regions were to be erected dockside at South Shore Resort and Conference Center. Close to thirty producers of fine wines and spirits were recruited to welcome visitors. Participants were recruited from Bay Area Houston's most prestigious businesses, distinctive restaurants and active organizations.
A covered stage, anchored by PRP Entertainment showcased high-energy music and performance including a fashion show. The waterfront extravaganza offered wine tasting, distinctive cuisine, culinary demonstrations, high performance boats and luxury yachts displays, an art show, foreign car displays and unique interactive exhibits.
The idea of a souvenir wine glass and taster tickets were a huge hit with the public. The fruits of the organizers efforts were realized when close to 5000 festival supporters patronized the event the first year.
In 2003 a Grape Stomp competition was added. Businesses and municipalities competed while having a smashing good time producing the sweet nectar used in making wine. The Grape Stomp was such a success, that it has been added as a permanent attraction at the Festival.
All the planning and hard work paid off. The Festival has continued to be a huge hit. Each thousands of visitors and locals alike flock to the shores of League City to give their taste buds at treat and enjoy The South Shore Dockside Food and Wine Festival. With the winning combination of a fantastic view, amazing food and world-class wines...its a grape day! (blush)
See opposite page for Schedule of Events and more information about the The Rotary Club of League City.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Rotary Club of League City
By Annabelle Ruch
The Rotary Club of League City, presenter of The South Shore Dockside Food and Wine Festival, are not strangers to bringing people together for a good cause. They are a chapter of Rotary International, the world's first service club formed in Chicago almost 100 years ago. This group of business and professional men and women number 1.2 million worldwide in 166 countries.
The Festival is the main fundraiser for the many projects of the League City Chapter. Projects that benefit youth are one of the main goals of Rotary. The League City Rotary awards scholarships to local students specifically Clear Creek and Clear View. With the construction of a new YMCA in League City, they also stepped up to the plate with a generous commitment to the North Galveston Y. According to Chris Glass, a festival organizer and local 2004 Rotary Treasurer, "This year, we have added a very significant event to the list of contributions. As Rotary International marks its 100th Anniversary in February of 2005, each club will be completing a Centennial project in their local city. The plans for League City's project are currently being finalized and proceeds from the festival will help this project become a reality." Other local charitable organizations, which enjoy the Rotary's contributions, include the far-reaching Interfaith Caring Ministries.
The Rotary Club of League City annually contributes to Rotary International's two major projects, Hunger Plus and Polio Plus. These projects are a key in trying to put an end to both polio and hunger across the world.. In 1985, Rotary made a historic commitment to immunize all of the world's children against polio. Working in partnership with nongovernmental organizations and national governments thorough its PolioPlus program, Rotary is the largest private-sector contributor to the global polio eradication campaign. Rotarians have mobilized hundreds of thousands of PolioPlus volunteers and have immunized more than one billion children worldwide. By the 2005 target date for certification of a polio-free world, Rotary will have contributed half a billion dollars to the cause.
If you would like to consider joining this fine organization, check the website www.rotary.org
|
