What could be better for a lover of food and drink than an expert-led wine tasting with food pairings? Making that event benefit a good cause. That’s exactly what participants can enjoy at Uncorking Hope: A Spring Wine Tasting Benefit in support of Crisis Services on Thursday, May 29. Tickets are on sale now.
Kevin J. LoVullo, host and producer of "Spiel the Wine" on WGRZ-TV, will guide guests through a selection of wines, complemented with small plates provided by Jazzboline Restaurant and Bar in Amherst.
“It’s a night to come together as a community, have some fun, have some amazing wine and a lot of interactive conversation,” say Crisis Services President and CEO Jessica C. Pirro.
Jessica says the name Uncorking Hope is very fitting for Crisis Services. The non-profit works to create a community where people in crisis can find help, hope, and safety.
“Trying to re-instill hope is something our team is doing every day,” she explains.
Crisis Services has been active since 1968 and is best known as Erie County’s only 24-hour crisis center, operating a hotline at 716-834-3131. The organization also serves as the network center for calls made within the eight counties of Western New York to the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
“The hotline is the gateway into our organization,” Pirro says. “We provide services to anyone who's in crisis; somebody who is having a very difficult day, family members, friends, colleagues, coworkers—when they are concerned about somebody, they can call and talk with a trained counselor to get guidance.”
Crisis Services also offers specialized assistance in the areas of mental health, suicide prevention, rape and sexual assault, domestic violence, elder abuse and trauma response.
“The more I learn about Crisis Services, the more I become attached to their purpose in our community. it’s unbelievable what they do,” says LoVullo. He’s hosted several past wine tastings for the nonprofit and likes to make sure each event is unique.
“Usually a tasting menu is designed, and then wines are selected to pair with each dish,” LoVullo says. “I like to reverse the method; choose the wines first and give the chef tasting notes and let him or her create a menu to pair with each wine. This gives the chef an opportunity to use their experience and be creative and original.”
LoVullo is looking forward to hosting the Crisis Services event.
“It's time to get out of the house or office and decompress at a worthy event … you're seated in a beautiful, relaxing venue like Jazzboline, being entertained and educated about wine and food, enjoying all that together," he says. "Most importantly, you're there to support Crisis Services, which is helping many people cope and overcome some of the most difficult situations they can experience in their lives. The energy is always high, and it's filled with optimism.”
