(Photo by Breakingpic from Pexels)
Cork & Barrel, Central Oregon’s largest wine event series, is primed to sip and swirl, in-person, this July 16-17 at The Riverhouse on the Deschutes. Differentiated from other wine events in that the event brings, quite literally, a different wine region to Central Oregon every summer, Cork & Barrel is pleased to welcome 15 wineries from throughout Paso Robles, California wine country to Bend next month. The goal: to raise $500,000+ in net revenue on behalf of KIDS Center, our area’s only medical-model children’s advocacy center preventing, evaluating and treating child abuse in Central Oregon.
The Riverhouse on the Deschutes is the venue host of Cork & Barrel 2021. “With the Deschutes River meandering in the background, we are positive our guests will love the indoor/outdoor environs of CURRENTS, where A Sip of Cork & Barrel will take place on Friday, July 16,” said Robin Antonson, director of Communications & Organizational Development at KIDS Center.
A Sip of Cork & Barrel on Friday, from 4:30-7:30pm, will feature all 15 winery partners in a flow-style event featuring small bites from CURRENTS and 45 different wines from throughout Paso Robles wine country. Saturday’s Grand Cru event kicks off with the Winemaker Reception. The lionshare of giving at Cork & Barrel takes place during the Grand Cru gala fundraising dinner, which includes a Paddle Raise and the exciting Live Auction. Twelve Live Auction lots will be featured on the stage at Grand Cru, and live-streamed real-time for virtual participation. Auction lots include a four-year vertical of Dom Perignon Champagne, special wine country vacation packages, an Oregon Coast getaway and the Wall of Wine, an international collection of wines valued at over $7,000. Cork & Barrel’s online Silent Auction will be showcased on both days, July 16 and 17, with the auctions closing on July 17. Virtual bidding begins July 12, allowing anyone to bid on auction items, whether they are guests of Cork & Barrel or not.
“Cork & Barrel is of paramount importance to our organization this year. With thousands of new residents who have moved to Central Oregon in the last 18 months, there is a need to staff accordingly at KIDS Center. After a year of isolation, we are seeing an increase in child abuse referrals as Central Oregon begins to reopen, and expect those referrals to increase further in the coming months, especially as children return to in-person school at the end of the summer and are under the auspices of mandatory reporters of child abuse. Cost-of-living increases in Central Oregon, life stressors due to financial instability and the housing crisis all increase the risk of child abuse happening in our community,” said Antonson.
KIDS Center is adjusting staffing levels to be best equipped to manage the expected uptick in child abuse cases in the coming months. Critical investments have been made in various departments throughout the organization, including the Forensic Interviewer and Medical Examiner Teams. These collective investments added approximately $100,000 (2 FTE) to the KIDS Center annual salary budget while adding urgently needed capacity and administrative support for the professional team that conducts child abuse evaluations.
“It is our privilege to be the venue host of the 2021 Cork & Barrel wine and food event fundraising series. Supporting KIDS Center and the vital work the organization provides, all-the-while hosting the great wineries from Paso Robles, will make for a great weekend at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes,” said Erick Trachsel, Sales & Marketing director of the Riverhouse on the Deschutes. Chef Bob Parks of the Riverhouse on the Deschutes is at the helm of the five-course Grand Cru gala dinner on Saturday, which will feature four wines from star-studded Paso Robles wineries.
In addition to A Sip of Cork & Barrel and the Grand Cru events, two Winemaker Dinners featuring Paso Robles wineries are on the books for Thursday, July 15: TOP Winery owners, Stanley Barrios and Elena Martinez, will be on hand for a Winemaker Dinner at CURRENTS. Eric and Jill Orgosolka, owners of Zenaida Cellars, will present their wines with the cuisine of Chef Bethlyn Rider of Bethlyn’s Global Fusion at a Winemaker Dinner at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon (UUFCO). Tickets for the Cork & Barrel wine and food event fundraising series are available at CorkandBarrel.org.
Cork & Barrel is presented by Avion Water Company — A Sip of Cork & Barrel is presented by The Hasson Company and Northwest Self Storage, Central Oregon Radiology Associates, First Interstate Bank, Les Schwab Tires, Bigfoot Beverages, BendBroadband, Bend Radio Group, Central Oregon Daily, Combined Communications and Horizon Broadcasting.
KidsCenter.org • CorkandBarrel.org