FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Friends,

I am so honored to be addressing you and reflecting on my first year as President of DCWAF and am so thankful for the support of our Board of Directors, the staff, and all our supporters for contributing to our success this past year. In August, we celebrated by giving away $3.4 million to 16 charities serving children in need in Northwest Florida and surpassing the $30 million milestone in total giving since the Foundation’s inception.

DCWAF began 18 years ago with one simple vision: to connect wine enthusiasts to benefit children in need in Northwest Florida. I am proud to say after 18 years, we have not lost that vision and have grown it beyond our Founders’ wildest dreams. Our newest endeavor, the Legacy Society, was established to provide sustainability to our organization and the children we serve for decades to come. I encourage you all to consider joining and leaving your mark.

This past year for DCWAF began with our most successful Harvest Wine & Food Festival to date. The festival garnered record attendance and completely sold out in September. Our partnerships with St. Joe and the WaterColor community play a pivotal role in introducing new wine enthusiasts to the Foundation. In November, we hosted two wine education dinners, and in February we hosted our 2nd Annual Galentine’s event which raised an impressive $75,000 for special projects.

In April, we gathered for our 18th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction on arguably the rainiest day on record, but the rain did not stop supporters of DCWAF. $3.5 million was raised under the tent that day, under the leadership of our 2022-2023 Chairman of the Board, Lane Redding.

We continue to be humbled by the generosity of this community. I am proud to present this annual report and hope you enjoy reflecting on another impactful year for DCWAF.
Thank you to all who contributed to our year and to our staff who work tirelessly to make it all happen.

With gratitude,

Karah Fridley-Young
President
Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

 Dear Friends,

We have had a truly successful year!! For the past 12 months, I have had the privilege of working closely with DCWAF’s exceptional team. The staff and board members are the best of the best; this staff, small but mighty, works so hard and so efficiently to tackle the mountain of work that reappears every year. Our board, a diverse collective, sustains its dedication to bettering our community through shared knowledge and experience. Every decision is approached through a singular lens of helping the children of Northwest Florida. The Foundation crushed its 18th year, but the job is not done yet. We challenge ourselves to improve our operations and events, to grow this amazing organization and take it to new heights.

While Karah has had a long tenure at DCWAF, this was her first year as President of the Foundation. She assumed this role gracefully, yet with speed and momentum, motivating her team and the board to give their time, talent and treasure to magnify our impact on the community’s children. This year we added new charities to the DCWAF family, expanding our reach to even more children and further into their lives. One of these exciting additions is the Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation, a new charity where local children apply for a scholarship towards college tuition or trade school education. This is a new opportunity to ensure that the children growing up here are not just supported at a young age, but are also provided long-lasting stability and success.

Our growth and progress was made possible by the powerful partnerships we have developed over the last few years. We have forged relationships with generous donors, esteemed wineries from across the world, and our charity partners to multiply the Foundation’s impact.

I want to express our profound gratitude to all of our partners for all that you do. I want to thank the past chairman, Robért Hinojosa, for your leadership and guidance this past year. You are an inspiration for our board members to look up to. I want to thank the DCWAF staff, Board of Directors, Trustees, charities, patrons, and every one else associated with DCWAF for making this another fantastic year!

Cheers,

Lane Redding
Chairman of the Board
Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation

Memorable Moments

This year’s auction boasted two lots that sold for over $100,000. A five-night trip with private air passage generously donated by NetJets sold for $105,000 and a 9L of Thompson 31Fifty Ellison Ingram Cuvée benefiting the Ellison McCraney Ingram Foundation which provides scholarships to teens that have received assistance from one of DCWAF’s charity partners within their lifetime. The scholarship fund was created in honor of longtime DCWAF supporters Doug and Merrisa Ingram’s youngest son who tragically passed away in 2021. The 2023 auction was comprised of 47 Live Lots, 17
Cellar Lots, 32 Super Silent Lots, and 120 Silent Lots featuring rare wines, luxury travel experiences, and many other one-of-a-kind items.