Pick of the Vine 2012

The poster for Pick of the Vine 2012

Pick of the Vine, the 25th incarnation of this lovely food and wine gala and silent and live auction, a benefit for the Senior Advocacy Services Ombudsman Program, Santa Rosa, California, presented by Wine Road Northern Sonoma County, is a perennial favorite and darling of locals. A boon to the community with good works, SAS is looking for volunteers to benefit the elders in our community. Their unique Ombudsman Program exemplifies just what an “ombudsman” does and should do- ( a great word- almost an onomatopoeia, and one of my favorites):

plural om·buds·men
Definition of OMBUDSMAN
1
: a government official (as in Sweden or New Zealand) appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials
2
: one that investigates, reports on, and helps settle complaints.

What a great organization! Anyone on the lookout for capricious acts gets my vote!

Here is the Mission:

Senior Advocacy Services

Promotes the health, dignity, rights and quality of life of seniors and disabled in the North Bay. We offer services that make a difference in people’s lives, helping seniors select the best housing and insurance options for their needs and protecting the rights and well-being of people living in long-term care facilities. We are supported by federal and state programs, community funds and contributions from foundations and generous individuals who care about the quality of life of all of our citizens.

Senior Advocacy Services is a non-profit agency created in June 2000 by bringing together services that have been in operation since 1980.

” OUR AGENCY VALUES DIVERSITY – Whatever your age, ethnicity, religion, country of origin, language, abilities, sexual orientation, or gender . . . you are welcome here.”

Their gala evening includes fantastic food, wines, live music, local celebrities, a silent auction and a live auction. It is a hot ticket! A great cause!

I attended the gala on Saturday 14 April 2012 and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all my favorite Wine Road celebrities- such an altruistic bunch!

I will present a collage of what I saw and heard…my apologies for those I did not snap or properly identify:

Robert Rue Vineyard: