Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) celebrated the 14th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction presented by Chuck Hutton Toyota on April 27, and raised $3.6 million for children in need in Northwest Florida. Auction activities raised $2.6 million and a generous $1 million was donated from local philanthropist, Ryan D. “Jume” Jumonville.

“We are fortunate to live in a community filled with caring and generous residents. DCWAF is doing great things in the Florida Panhandle to support organizations that help local children in need, and I am excited to be a part of these efforts,” said Ryan Jumonville.

The funds raised are a $900,000 increase over the amount donated in 2018.

“We are all so very grateful for the hundreds of supporters that helped make our 14thannual auction such a resounding success,” said John Russell, president of DCWAF. “We are grateful to the volunteers from our supported children’s charities, visiting celebrity winemakers and chefs, and the hundreds of bidders that raised their paddles. Experiencing the generosity of so many people is inspiring to all of us at the Foundation.”

The auction kicked off with the Magnum Force lot (50 autographed magnums from DCWAF vintners past and present), which raised $55,000. Raising $40,000 was a six-day trip to Sea Island for four couples donated by Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Board Member, Bob Kirk. This incredible trip included accommodations in a private luxury home, The Cloister at Sea Island, dinner at the Forbes 5-Star Georgian Room, spa packages, and a scenic yacht cruise. An immersive trip to Montepulciano, Italy sold five times for $100,000, while a trip to Costa Rica sold five times for $85,000.

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The funds raised at the annual auction are distributed to 16 local non-profit organizations for specific projects that benefit children and include Children in Crisis, Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Emerald Coast Autism Center, the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Food for Thought, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Opportunity Inc., Pathways for Change, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, Shelter House of Northwest Florida, AMIkids Emerald Coast, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Mental Health Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Westonwood Ranch, and Youth Village.

“The DCWAF auction weekend is an amazing and energized event that attracts wine enthusiasts from all over the country to visit the white sandy beaches of Northwest Florida.  But the most remarkable part is how philanthropic those visitors are and the impact it has locally on children in need. The overall success of this weekend impacts thousands of kids in Okaloosa and Walton County each year,” said Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Chairman, Cory Fosdyck.

In addition, during the Wine Auction weekend, 11 Patron Dinners were held in notable restaurants and private homes in the area. These dinners pair celebrity chefs with participating vintners to create a memorable dining experience for every attendee. Auctions at each of these dinners recorded revenues of over $680,000, with a record-breaking $250,000 raised at a dinner hosted by Jack and Candis Wilson featuring Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery and Barnett Vineyards with Chef Matt Basford.

As the top charity fundraising event in Northwest Florida, the Destin Charity Wine Auction has been ranked among the nation’s top ten highest-grossing charity wine auctions in the country by Wine Spectator Magazine for seven consecutive years and is currently ranked fourth. The money raised at this year’s auction will be presented to the charity partners during a check presentation event in the fall.

The dates for next year’s Destin Charity Wine Auction weekend are April 24 – 26, 2020. For more information on the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, visit www.DCWAF.org.

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