Staff Report

The 3^rd Annual Corks for Kids event brought in significant revenue for the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County’s northern club sites in Solvang and Buellton.

This year’s event presented by Michael and Misty Hammer and the Armand Hammer Foundation was held at Hotel Corque on March 6.

Corks for Kids is a unique event that highlights Santa Ynez, Solvang and Buellton. Wine vineyards and tasting rooms were invited to pour tastings while guests enjoyed heavy appetizers, bid on silent auction items, and tried their hand at casino-inspired games.

“The goal is to raise money to reach even more kids in the valley that need our services,” remarked UBGC Santa Barbara County CEO Michael Baker. “For many of the families in the Santa Ynez Valley, they work in either Santa Barbara, Goleta, or in Santa Maria. That means they are on the road at least 40 minutes to and from work. That also means their child is going home to an empty house, most likely when school is out. This can be a recipe for disaster and why we have our valley club locations all on school campuses.”

Thank you to this year’s 2020 wine vendors Buttonwood Winery, Esfuerzo Wine, Martian Ranch & Vineyards, Pence Vineyards, Sandoval Mergenov Wines, Final Girl Wines, Martellotto Winery, and Brick Barn Wine Estate.

Thank you to our event sponsors Exxon Mobil, the Dinner and VIP Reception Sponsor, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians as the Cork & Fork Sponsor, Rice Ranch Homes as the Chip Sponsor and Cottage Children’s Medical Center.

A special thank you to Art by the Glass and owner Ryan Naumu for being the entertainment sponsor and leading a fantastic Wine Glass painting activity. Thank you to the Solvang and Buellton community for the silent auction items and all wineries who donated a few bottles for the wine pull.

“Corks for Kids is an amazing opportunity for the community to come together, support our great organization, and to have fun.” said Buellton/Solvang Club Director Chelsea Lincoln. “Our parents, community members, local officials, and more, have been instrumental in this event. It is important in this community since we are so small and tight-knit that we all come together to support our youth. This is exactly why I work for the UBGC, because of the amazing people that I get to work with on a daily basis.”