September 2024 By Carolyn Christian
It is hard to believe that summer is officially coming to an end this month. As I close this year as president, I am reminded of what an amazing group of people we have in this organization. Whatever our backgrounds or beliefs, we all share a common love of wine and the willingness to share our wine journey experiences with each other.
It always astonishes me (and others) that this organization is made up of over 1,000 volunteers who come together to put on such amazing events. For those who joined at the OC Fair, I welcome you to this organization that has been a part of my life since the OC Fair in 1986!
Website Upgrade
We have recently gone through a major website software update. A big thank you to Stacey and Wendy Taylor for their dedication to making this transition go smoothly and polishing up the look of the website.
The Courtyard
With the OC Fair behind us, we owe many thanks to Fred Heinecke, Fran Gitsham and all of those who helped make The Courtyard at the OC Fair happen. We broke records this year and had an incredibly successful fundraiser and membership event.
Annual Business Meeting
For more details on our successes throughout the year, including the Courtyard, please attend the Annual Business Meeting Sept. 6 via Zoom. The OCWS board has found that this format works well for this annual review of the organization’s finances and activities. Please note that we are adding a new event in October to replace the social aspect of past business meetings.
Board Elections
Each September, we have board elections to replace three outgoing board members. Candidate statements are posted on our website, and you will have an opportunity to hear them speak at the Annual Business Meeting Sept. 6. Ballots will be emailed in September. Now is a good time to log on to your account to confirm your email address.
Volunteer Recognition Reception
This Oct. 20, we will hold our first Volunteer Recognition Reception. Please note this is a date change from Sept. 29 to allow us to hold this event in The Courtyard and be able to present the new 2024-2025 Board of Directors. This event replaces the volunteer recognition portion of the Annual Business Meeting. In addition to enjoying appetizers and wine, we will recognize the volunteers who have dedicated so many hours to the organization. Invitations will be sent mid-September to those receiving awards.
Vintage Member Luncheons
We continue to move forward in time with our Vintage Member Luncheons as we prepare for our 50th Anniversary celebration in 2026. Invitations have been sent out through a join date of 2000. If you joined after 2000, look for your invitation in the future as we work through the list. Invitees are helping us gather stories and information about the organization we are compiling into a book.
Other Events
We have a host of other events for you to attend; Hocus Pocus Fall Social, Bubbles and Brunch at The Cannery, Winemakers’ Group Quarterly Meeting and OCWS Outing at Laguna Canyon Winery coming up.
Closing
To all of you who have contributed to this organization this year, I send my heartfelt thanks. There are too many to mention here, but I look forward to recognizing you Oct. 20. To those who are new to the organization, thank you for joining us. I welcome you to this incredible organization that will bring you new friends and great memories on your wine journey. Cheers to all!