Return of ‘Taste of Wine & Cheese’ becomes a record breaker

By Patrick Lynn

The return of an annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club was a rousing success—and broke its own fundraising record.

The 18th annual Portage County Taste of Wine & Cheese event raised over $250,000 for programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County. The BGC reported more than 600 guests and over 150 sponsors, making it the most successful in the event’s history.

Following a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the event was held in the Noel Hanger of the Stevens Point Municipal Airport on April 22.

The event featured over 80 wines from around the world, dozens of specialty cheeses, hand-crafted local brews, desserts, fruits, a silent auction, a Green Bay Packer Bus Trip raffle, a Dippin’ for Bling event, and a wishing tree, filled with wish-list items the BGC needed to be filled.

“You could feel the energy inside the hangar from all our guests,” said Mikayla Kleifgen, director of marketing for the club. “People were excited to be out networking again, having fun with one another, and supporting their community.”

A private charter on the Miami Yacht Cruise, out of Miami, Fla., was a big hit of the evening, prompting a bidding war that resulted in the sale of two three-day cruises and bringing in $52,000.

Funds raised assist the Boys & Girls Club in providing free, healthy meals daily, assistance with homework, fun activities, and being a safe place for children while parents are at work during the school year and summer months.

The entirety of the night’s funds will go directly to the BGC programming.