The V Foundation Wine Celebration Smashed Fundraising Records
Raising a Staggering $21 Million in the Fight Against Cancer. This weekend in Napa Valley’s Wine Country. A landmark year that marked the 25th anniversary of this exceptional celebrity charity event.
A fundraising initiative inspired by Jim Valvano’s iconic speech at the ESPYS, focused on accelerating the victory over cancer. They celebrated over a quarter of a century of excellence geared toward finding a cure. Founded by the legendary basketball coach, Jimmy V, the accomplishments of the Wine Celebration would undoubtedly make him proud today.Speaking directly to his Don’t Give Up…Don’t Ever Give Up!® legacy.
Witnessing the dedication of the people who lead and who support The V Foundationis remarkable, as they all strive to fulfill the goal of fighting the big fight. Against cancer.
Wine Country is never one to pass up on a big celebration either! Since the foundation first started throwing parties in Napa, they have raised millions of dollars by raising a glass and an auction paddle. That’s right – wine + giving back. A perfect pairing.
Raising over $158 million dollars to date! Plus, 100% of direct donations are used to fund projects. A top-rated charity. The V Foundation empowers early-career researchers to be fearless in pursuits of new cancer therapies with cutting edge ideas. Every single penny raised supports game-changing studies.
If you have experienced the losses and heartache that cancer can bring, you’ve probably felt like joining the fight. The fight to find a cure. The Wine Celebration, now in its 25th year – it was time to Go Big or Go Home.
With Coach “K” leading the show – it was full of the kind of antics that only he could bring. The goal was focused: fund game-changing research to accelerate Victory Over Cancer®. If anyone was perfectly placed to win the big game – it would be Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, Former Duke Head Coach of Men’s Basketball.
Joining him on the Wine Celebration Team this year were Famed Restaurateurs & Award-Winning Chefs – Superstar Musicians and Performers – World-Class Vintners – Grant Honorees and Rockstar Board and Staff Members plus all those Inspiring Donors. A three day weekend packed with adventures and experiences in food and wine. Once again, it proved to be a huge success! $21.1 million is staggering.
Over 600 guests enjoyed wine, food, experiences and performances that were next level fabulous – all while celebrating the remarkable efforts of grant honorees. But wait – there’s more – the 3 day weekend was packed full of inspiration.
Events kicked off on Thursday with a Humanitarian and Founders Luncheon at the uber chic Wappo Hill home of Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo, wine country legends and eclectic art collectors. Michelin Star Chefs Kyle and Katina Connaughton, founders of Single Thread Restaurant in Healdsburg put together a feast for the senses straight from the spectacular dreams of a horticulture artisan. Bottles were popped to start the festivities and awards passed around.
Leading into an evening to remember at a ‘Dinner With The Docs’ at the wonderful Hall Wines St Helena hosted by Craig and Kathryn Hall. Twenty world-class oncology experts who make up the V Foundation Scientific Advisory Committee each took turns speaking about their specific efforts in the fight against cancer and their own battles to find funding for research needs.
All while guests enjoyed the meal and delectable treats presented by one of wine country and the world’s most highly regarded Chefs, Charlie Palmer, who also interacted with tables and “worked the room” – always such a delightful gentleman. Next, Ethan Zohn, past winner of Survivor: Africa and two-time cancer survivor shared about his journey and lessons learned along the way.
Thursday evening capped off perfectly with superstar pianist and performer Michael Cavanaugh, who was hand-picked by Billy Joel for the Broadway musical Movin’ Out, spreading musical vibes and playing directly to the crowd. All the favorites from Neil Diamond to Bennie and the Jets to Elton John. A rousing success to kick off the Wine Celebration.
On Friday – Kate Johnson, an Olympic Medalist, World Rowing Champion, and breast cancer survivor, brought her own cancer story to life during an engaging conversation with special guest Suleika Jaouad. The event, titled ‘How to Thrive in the Wake of Life’s Unexpected Interruptions’, took place at the fabulous Spottswoode Family Wine Estate in Napa’s Wine Country and also took time to honor the vintner grantees from past years.
Jaouad, a New York Times bestselling author known for her book ‘Between Two Kingdoms‘, and the creator of the Emmy Award-winning series ‘Life, Interrupted’, is also one of the top ten most popular Ted Speakers of 2019, amassing nearly 5 million views! Her words and cancer survivor story captured everyone’s attention. The room was filled with tears of joy and awed silence as her every word resonated.
This remarkable and inspirational woman not only shared her story with great candor and authenticity but also highlighted the ups and downs that come with a cancer diagnosis. With warmth, humor, and unwavering passion, she left a lasting impact on everyone present. Her personal journey was shared, highlighting both the positive and negative outcomes that a cancer diagnosis can bring. Full of emotion.
Speaking of emotions – music is powerful when it comes to the mind. On Saturday morning, guests were delighted to enjoy a “Music as Healing” luncheon geared towards the emotions that only sound can inspire.
A healing presentation led by Amy Marks Dornbusch, V Foundation auction co-chair and Board Member – Molly Carr, Juilliard violist, educator, and artistic director and recipient of numerous international prizes and awards – Indre Viskontas, a professor of sciences and humanities at the San Francisco Conservatory of music where she is pioneering the application of neuroscience in musical training – and two-time GRAMMY® winning artists Time for Three. The overall impression – Music has a profound impact on us.
Sounds can effortlessly turn our frowns into smiles, relieving our stress and breaking the monotony of everyday life. It connects us with our emotions, acting as a gateway towards our more expressive and introspective side.
There are now many physicians that offer music therapy as an integrative treatment for cancer. The feelings that come with cancer can be as unpredictable as a wild weather forecast. It’s like going from bright sunshine to a sudden rainstorm in a matter of moments. Music can connect us, heal us and help us to make changes for the better – just like the V Foundation Cancer Celebration does with their tireless work for the past 30 years.
Speaking of great music. Don’t forget a fabulous Friday evening with Rock the V Party at The Estate Yountville, where a check was presented in Coach K’s corner for $1.8 million – which is what has been raised so far through the Constellation Beer Distributor program. This magical donation moment happens each year where all dollars go to V Foundation for Cancer Research general funds. The check presentation at Wine Celebration was a triumph acknowledging their efforts and incredible, ongoing support.
Attendees wined and dined – bid on auction items and enjoyed the vibes from Grammy award winning artists. Local wines and food supporters were on hand plus a barrel auction, and entertainment by Arkai, the award-winning electroacoustic duo and Eightlock Band, featuring GRAMMY Award® winning Gallant.
Saturday morning also featured the annual V Foundation Answer for Cancer Research Symposium where current grantees spoke about their cutting edge research and how important foundations like the V are for opportunities to complete critical work and research to work towards finding a cure.
Then on Saturday evening for the finale – a Gala Dinner and Auction took place at the extraordinary Nickel and Nickel Winery in St Helena, where the V Foundation honored contributions of Beth Nickel and her late husband, Gil, in making the Wine Celebration a resounding success. The efforts of this wonderful couple truly deserve a lifetime achievement award. Beth was awarded with the inaugural Wine Celebration Humanitarian Award.
A truly extraordinary moment unfolded during the auction itself. Among the numerous highlights, one stood out and left everyone in awe. During the “Fund A Need” auction, an astonishing number of donors, over 8 in total, stepped forward to raise their paddles and contribute at the seven-figure level. That’s right, each donor selflessly donated a staggering $1 million towards the cause.
What made this moment even more remarkable was the spontaneous generosity of two contributors who decided, on the spot, to pledge $1 million each. The room fell silent as jaws dropped in astonishment. By the end of the evening, there wasn’t a dry eye in sight. The emotional impact of this act of giving cannot be understated. It was truly awe-inspiring.
These remarkable donors along with everyone who raised a paddle for the Fund-A-Need lot exemplified the true meaning of selfless giving, finding joy in contributing without expecting anything in return. An unforgettable moment for the V Foundation. With Coach “K” leading the way, the entire weekend was nothing short of spectacular, furthering the ongoing quest to find a cure. An iconic milestone.
V Foundation CEO, Shane Jacobson, expressed his utmost gratitude with words that expressed how ecstatic the foundation is to honor the staff, donors, sponsors and the incredible Vintner Grant awardees. Their unwavering commitment and support have accelerated the pace of cancer research today, leading to more lives saved tomorrow.
The fight against cancer has been made possible by the collective efforts of the V Foundation, the donors, sponsors and everyone who attends and spreads the word to others about this important mission. Their dedication and support have accelerated the pace of cancer research, leading to more lives being saved. Fuck cancer.
For more information about the 25th Anniversary Wine Celebration Weekend, or to make a donation, please visit winecelebration.org. For more information about the V Foundation for Cancer Research, please visit jimmyv.org.
Check out past years V Foundation Cancer Celebration Shenanigans with the V Foundation:
