Santé Wine Bar‘s annual bubbles fundraising tasting is putting on the bling, says owner Carla Baden, who has renamed the event, taking place this Thursday, Dec. 15, “Bubbles and Bling and Bee-u-tay!” This year, the tasting raises money for the Little Iron Man foundation to benefit Marough Gardner, a local child battling cancer. Baden describes her decision to focus her fundraiser on the Gardner family in her latest newsletter:
“So recently, as I was ruminating about our annual Christmas bubbles fundraiser for 2011, I was feeling uninspired and a little sorry for myself. I’ve had some pretty major life changes this year and moving into the holiday season has left me a little blue. At about that time, an invitation to Enter the Earth‘s annual Christmas Party arrived.
In that invite, [the gem shop] mentioned that they would be raising funds for Little Iron Man. Some of you may recall that Little Iron Man benefits Marough Gardner, the son of our oldest and one of our dearest wine reps, T.J. Gardner, and that last year, our annual bubbles fundraiser supported this very cause.
Last I had heard, Marough, aka Little Iron Man, was doing great and was having a “normal” summer with his family, including spending time at the beach and the pool. But the fact that the invite mentioned that money was being collected again made me curious and concerned, so I went to the website to find out what was happening.
I was very disheartened to read that Marough is not out of the woods liked I’d (and many, many others) hoped and is still battling Neuroblastoma. A scan revealed new cancer growth and he’s now undergoing treatment in Philadelphia, which has meant much travel and additional stress and burden placed on the entire Gardner family. Upon reading this, I literally burst into tears. Here I was feeling sorry for myself and my current circumstance and the Gardners are, once again, facing matters of life and death. And dear, sweet Marough, in his mere five years on this planet, has known more misery than I have in my nearly 50.
I felt like a putz for being so self-centered … and I was so grateful for the perspective this brave young man provided me in that moment. And if I was going to be a putz, I at least wanted to be a helpful putz, I wanted to DO something.”
Here are the details:
Arrive at Santé anytime between 5 and 8 p.m. wearing your finest sparkly get-up, head to the bar and make your donation ($10 is suggested, but any amount at all is welcome). Then head to the lounge to get your taste on.
Tom Leiner of Grapevine Distributors will have four types of sparkling wine on hand. You’ll be offered a taste of each (four tastes add up to a full glass) in exchange for your donation. Taste something you like? More of what is offered up for tasting will be available for purchase at the bar. Santé‘s usual wine-and-bites menu will also be available.
And Santé won’t be the only shop open in the Grove Arcade at that time. Enter the Earth, Vaquera Designs and Makeup will stay open until 8 p.m., offering discounts and additional ways to give to Little Iron Man. Vaquera, a recent addition to the Arcade, will showcase Phillip Horge from Old Gringo Western Boots, who is visiting the store to do a trunk show featuring cowboy boots, handbags and jackets.
For more information, visit Santé‘s website. http://www.santewinebar.com
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