‘An evening at the vineyard’ to benefit Habitat for Humanity

Celebration to raise money for new homes

By MICHAEL NEARY, Messenger staff writer
The celebration of fine wines is slated to help raise money for the building new homes.

Karen’s Spirits & Wine Ltd. will showcase fine Iowa wines Saturday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Fort Dodge Ford Showroom. Proceeds from the event — called ‘‘An Evening at the Vineyard’’ — go to Webster/Humboldt County Habitat for Humanity.

The night will feature a trip raffle, prizes and a silent auction — as well as live entertainment from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Deb Aswegan, a member of the Habitat board of directors and the fundraising chairwoman, said the event comes at a time when several project are in the works or in the planning stages.

‘‘We’re just finishing a house in Fort Dodge,’’ she said, referring to new construction on S. 15th Street.

Meanwhile, she said, members will be building a new house in Humboldt on an already-purchased lot, and they’ll be scouting out another lot in Fort Dodge.

Aswegan, who said the fundraiser has taken place for the past several years, mentioned that some board members will be on hand on Saturday.

‘‘We’ll have information there, and a lot of members of the board will be there ... but basically we set it up as a fun social event,’’ she said.

Karen French, the owner of Karen’s Spirits & Wine, said the beverages of four Iowa wineries will be featured Saturday night: Grape Escape, Jasper Winery, Tabor Home and Prairie Moon.

‘‘These are wines that have been produced primarily from Iowa products,’’ she said.

The musical segment of the evening will feature a sprawling selection of artists organized by Jeanette Lawrence, a member of the Fort Dodge Area Symphony who gives viola, violin and cello lessons from her home studio.

Lawrence will play the violin in a duet with Madison Boswell, of Humboldt, who’ll play the viola. Sophia and Tiffany Huang, of Fort Dodge, will play the violin; Jared Ulicki, of Fort Dodge, will play the classical guitar, and Sue and David Johnson, along with their children, will perform choral selections, according to Lawrence.

Lawrence said no particular theme will inform the selection.

‘‘It’s a shade early for Christmas,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s just good musicians bringing their best.’’



Contact Michael Neary at (515) 573-2141 or m'>mneary@messengernews.net'>mneary@messengernews.net.