The Rotary Club of Annapolis held the Maria Maher Wine Tasting Fundraiser on November 7 at the home of Elaine and Jay Shanley of Annapolis.
The annual event is named in memory of Maria Maher, a beloved Rotarian who helped establish the fundraiser several years ago. The Wine Tasting supports Rotary International’s global program to eradicate polio from the world. Called Polio Plus, the program provides infrastructure and vaccines to combat the paralyzing and devastating, yet entirely preventable, disease of polio. Currently, fewer than 100 instances of polio still exist, with cases confined to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Wine Tasting featured Ancient Peaks Wines and raised over $5,000 from sales, donations, and raffles. Funds raised from the Annapolis Rotary will be matched 50 cents to the dollar by the Rotary District, and that total will be matched 3:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In total, $24,000 was raised from the event toward the international healthcare priority.
Event chair Luisa Gil and the International Committee enlisted fellow Rotarians Dave Lillefloren, Bill Davis, and Jeff Neufeld as wine stewards. Generous sponsors included Ancient Peaks Wines, Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits, Cabot Cheese, Blackwall Hitch, Main and Market, Palate Pleasers, Saucy Salamander, Café Mezzanotte, and Rentals to Remember.
The Rotary Club of Annapolis is celebrating it’s Centennial 1921-2021 – Serving the Community for 100 Years. The club is made up of 145 dynamic individuals participating in numerous projects to benefit people locally and around the world. The club has three groups that meet at different times for the convenience of members. The Lunch Group meets Thursdays at 12 noon at Annapolis Yacht Club. The Breakfast Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Eggcellence on Housley Road, and the Happy Hour Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month at Gordon Biersch Brewery in Parole. Guests are always welcome. To learn more about Rotary or to attend a meeting, contact Paul Skrickus, [email protected] or 410-353-6087.
