For the City Times

Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area reintroduced its annual wine and beer tasting gala, A Toast to Great Futures, on April 29^th. Over 250 people gathered at the Nekoosa Community Center to sample wine, craft beer and local cuisine.

One-hundred percent of proceeds from the event directly benefit over 1,600 children and families in the community who attend Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area.  A Toast to Great Futures raised over $24,000 for the Boys & Girls Club.

“The first annual A Toast to Great Futures event was a huge success. The proceeds will make a positive impact on Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area,” said Boys and Girls Club Development Director, Katie Tomsyck. “Our organization thrives thanks to the generosity of our community members. These funds help fulfill our mission of improving the lives of children and families who need the Club most.”

At A Toast to Great Futures, guests sampled local cuisine from Great Expectations, over 40 wines and 35 craft beers.  In addition to the tastings, Great Northern Distilling poured their hand-crafted cocktails with help from Current-Wisconsin Rapids.

During the gala, guests had many opportunities to win a vast variety of prizes through silent auctions, 52 card drawings, raffle baskets and a wine pull. All while enjoying music played by the Paragon String Quartet.

The Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area would like to express their gratitude to all involved in making A Toast to Great Futures a successful event.

Wine Glass Sponsor: The Dental Suite, LLC

Beer Glass Sponsor: TerMaat Glavin Group

Food Sponsor: Aspirus

Beverage Sponsors: Richard’s Liquors, Steckbauer Builders, TJ’s Auto and Collision Center

Barrel Sponsors: Applebee’s – Wisconsin Rapids, Bank-A-Count Corp., Golden Eagle Log Homes, Ron’s Refrigeration, Spectrum Insurance, Tenacious Badger Hops

Bottle Sponsors: Lake Arrowhead Association–Snoblast, McCain Foods, Nekoosa

One of the many wine vendors at the event offering samples to attendees. (Contributed Photo)

Coated Products, Quality Plus Printing, Inc.

Media Sponsors: Y106.5, Big Cheese 107.9, Hot 96.7, 103.3 WGLX

Community Partners: Heart of Wisconsin – Chamber of Commerce, United Way

Floral Sponsors: Nekoosa Floral & Gifts

“A Toast to Great Futures would not have been possible without the generosity from our sponsors and donors,” said Tomsyck. “Proceeds from the event will help Boys & Girls Club offset the costs of providing membership scholarships, homework help, school supplies, healthy snacks and meals, and so much more. We are truly thankful to everyone who joined A Toast to Great Futures and made it an unforgettable evening.”

For more information on Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area, please contact the Club at (715)424-2582, visit us online at www.bgwra.org, or on Facebook by searching “Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area”.

 About Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area

The Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area provides before and after-school programming for youth ages 6-18 in Wisconsin Rapids, Nekoosa and Port Edwards. The mission of Boys & Girls Club is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Boys & Girls Club focuses programming efforts on three key outcome areas: Academic Success, Good Character and Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. The Club serves over 2,100 youth throughout South Wood County each year through membership and additional outreach programs for non-members. Learn more by visiting bgcwra.org and facebook.com/bgcwra. The Boys & Girls Club is a proud partner program of the United Way of Inner Wisconsin.