$1,400 Raised for The Vermont Women’s Fund and This Way UP!

On Friday night, March 11th, 2022, couch + cork presented our most-popular tasting “10 Things Everybody Should Know About Wine (Even YOU!)” to a large group who had purchased tickets to A Toast to This Way UP. This benefit was conceived by Barrie Silver, of Huntington, New York and marketed by Silver, The Vermont Women’s Fund and couch + cork. The Vermont Women’s Fund Executive Director, Meg Smith, connected people and encouraged the event, dedicating much time to the organizing of it. The virtual wine tasting raised $1,400 for The Vermont Women’s Fund and This Way UP.

The mission of the Vermont Women’s Fund is, “We fund structural change to advance gender equity and justice in Vermont.” Koziol was featured in a 2021 Panel about entrepreneurs in southern Vermont. During the annual gala for the Fund, Silver selected to attend an abbreviated tasting with Koziol and Lead Wine Educator, Kaiya Kirk and loved the experience.

How Fundraising Works with couch + cork

couch + cork donated the tasting, forgoing their fees except for a small honorarium. They managed all registrations and logistics, using gorgeous graphics designed by the Fund. Participants chose from two levels of tickets. The main ticket tier was $30 to attend the tasting but supply their own wine. For $60 guests were sent a gift of a bottle from couch + cork to enjoy during the tasting. couch + cork handled all of the logistics leading up to the event including selecting the wines, managing purchasing and delivery, providing a private URL with access to the tasting, creating suggested pairings for the wines they shipped. Theses were supplied to all $60 ticket holders, who chose from white, red, rosé or sparkling and were sent a bottle Kirk curated from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. $30 ticket holders could text or email a bottle shot to couch + cork to receive pairings for the wine they selected.

Why were couch + cork willing to do this? Because they believe in the good work of the Fund and This Way UP, which is taking count of Vermont’s women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses. We’re thrilled to have been a part of helping raise $1,400 for the Vermont Women’s Fund.

You can learn more about, and donate to the Fund, at any time.