DIS

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY
14 | Event
20, 2016
At a Glance:
WHAT: Family Crisis Centers Wine
Gala & Auction
WHERE: Terrace View Event Center,
230 St. Andrews Way, Sioux
Center
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 26. Doors open
at 5 p.m. Auction begins at 6:30
p.m.
COST: $25
CONTACT: 712-722-4404
ONLINE: www.familycrisiscenters.
org
RYLAN HOWE | STAFF WRITER
Crisis Centers:
Family Crisis Centers, formerly
the Domestic Violence Aid
Center, was established by a
group of volunteers in 1982.
The development came after
a group of concerned citizens
recognized a need for services
to assist victims of domestic
violence.
The agency started by serving
4 counties, which eventually expanded
to cover 8 counties. Now,
Family Crisis Centers provides
services to adults and children
victimized in domestic violence
and human trafficking in 17 Iowa
counties. Services expanded to
include WISH Unit, a program
dedicated to serving survivors of
homicide, which covers 29 Iowa
counties. The most recent addition
is Iowa Domestic Violence
Helpline, a 24-hour statewide call
center serving victims and survivors
of domestic violence.
The staff, volunteers and Board
of Directors is committed to
providing the much needed and
deserved assistance that victims
and survivors need. Everyone
deserves the right to safety and
freedom from violence.
- www.familycrisiscenters.org
The Family Crisis Centers is
hosting its sixth annual Wine
Gala & Auction on Friday, Feb.
26. There will be a number of
prizes up for auction.
Sip, sample& bid
Sip some wine, sample some hors
d’oeuvres and bid for a helicopter
ride. The sixth annual Family
Crisis Centers Wine Gala & Auction is
sure to be a fine evening and a fantastic
fundraiser for the organization.
The event will be hosted at the Terrace
View Event Center on Friday, Feb.
26, with the doors opening at 5 p.m.
and the auction beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $25
per person.
“This is our
largest fundraiser
of the year and
a very important
event for us,”
Family Crisis
Centers marketing
director Tara
Raman said. “We
get grant funding
but since it is
regulated there are often gaps and these
funds help bridge those gaps and help
us provide more services for families.”
There will be seven wineries, six
from Iowa and one from South Dakota,
Family Crisis Centers hosts sixth
annual Wine Gala & Auction
on hand providing samples of their
favorite vintages. A Family Crisis Centers
staff member and her mother will
prepare many of the hors d’oeuvres,
which will include things like sliders,
meatballs, fruit and cheese tables, dips
and many other things. New this year is
Catalanos Cucina of LeMars, who will
be bringing their wood-fired brick oven
pizza options to the table.
“The wineries will be stationed
around the event center with auction
items and appetizer tables spread
thoughout so guests can eat a little bit,
try some wine and check out what’s up
for auction,” Raman said. “We get a lot
of support and donations from places
all over the area including Sioux Center,
Sheldon, Orange City, Hull, Sioux City,
Sioux Falls and more.”
A unique item up for auction this year
is a Twilight Flight from Strawbale Winery
in Renner, SD. The package includes
a helicopter flight from the winery for an
aerial view of Sioux Falls as well as a few
other perks. There will also be Disney
World tickets, a wide variety of jewelry,
gift cards, hotel stays and even a trip on
the Sioux Falls Sip ‘N’ Cycle.
The event has averaged about 250-
300 people with attendance steadily
rising over time. A common question
Raman has received about the fundraiser
concerns attire.
“A lot of people have asked me what
they should wear, I think because the
word ‘gala’ is attached they aren’t sure
how formal they should dress,” Raman
said. “We’ve seen it all from jeans and
t-shirts to suit pants and ties to one guy
who wore a full tuxedo.”
No matter what the attendees wear
they can know they will be supporting
a great cause.
“It will be really fun evening of
unique food and a great wine tasting
experience,” Raman said. “Apart from
that, in supporting this event you could
be supporting a friend, neighbor or
someone you don’t know who is going
through a difficult time.”
So sample some wine, try out some
appetizers, perhaps win a prize at auction
and support a great cause all in one
fun evening during the Family Crisis
Centers Wine Gala & Auction. F
Sioux Center | Iowa