by Carolyn Christian
It has been a great honor to serve as president of the Orange County Wine Society this past year and I am very thankful to be re-elected as President for another term to continue the work that I have started.
We have a great board this year that I am very proud to lead: Vice President – Fran Gitsham, Treasurer – Fred Heinecke, and Secretary – Rich Skoczylas, along with six Board Members – Sue England, Linda Flemins, CL Keedy, John Lane and Daniel Vlahovic. Together we will bring OCWS forward with several goals to keep the organization resilient, vibrant and fun.
With wine as our shared interest, we will continue to focus on what we share in common and work together to bring members along on their personal wine journey. Although we are an organization that focuses on wine education and enthusiasm, we do share the value that wine is a personal taste and there is a wine for everyone.
As stewards of the organization, the board is focused on keeping the organization financially successful. We continue to invest in our members and grow our flagship events such as the OC Fair Competitions and The Courtyard at the OC Fair, while keeping the organization fiscally viable.
One of our goals this year is to work on member retention, involvement and engagement with more volunteers to share the work that we do. Member feedback is important to us and you will be given the opportunity to share your thoughts with us.
Recruiting new members will be a focus this year with community outreach at wine festivals and new opportunities like our recent community partnership with the Newport Beach Film Festival. We will be exploring new events such as wine trivia and finding new ways to share our love of wine with members.
The Winemakers’ Group is one of my favorite parts of the organization. As the founders of our organization in 1976, they are a vital part of our group to which we owe much gratitude. If you have not tried some of the incredible wines that our Winemakers’ Group members make, you are missing out. And if you ever wondered about making wine on your own, this group is a great resource and provides mentors to help you achieve that goal.
As members of OCWS, we are all ambassadors of the organization. I invite you all to champion our organization to California wineries and discuss with them the many benefits of our competition to market their wines to our members and the Southern California wine market.
And lastly, as we draw closer to our 50th anniversary in 2026, I invite you to participate in our gathering of historical information and planning of anniversary events and keepsakes. We will be continuing with our Vintage Member Luncheons, moving forward in time by member join dates.
I am very excited about the upcoming year and hope that you will join me in promoting the OCWS to prospective members and wineries. This year’s List of Responsibilities will be posted on our website and I invite you to review the list and contact the committee chairs if you are interested in participating. I appreciate the opportunity to share my vision and lead this organization that has been part of my life for over 38 years. As always, I welcome your input and feedback and hope you continue your participation in this incredible all-volunteer organization that brings us all together in the name of wine and wine education.
As our tagline says… “Pairing Wine Education and Fun Since 1976!”
Cheers to you all!
(Link to Responsibilities List)