Updates since Oct...9, 2017

This is what we have been doing since Oct. 9th…

Hello to all of our members
Either Debbie, Laura or I have connected with all of our members, either in person, email or on the phone.
As you can imagine the personal stories have been overwhelming.

We have been working diligently to get the word out that our members are open and in need of visitors.
This is a difficult message to distribute, we are not celebrating being open, we are aware of the situation many of you are in.

Our mission is to spread the word honestly and respectfully that our members need visitors, without sounding desperate.

To that end, this is what we have done, or have planned. This is going to be a moving target with new programs being added or fine-tuned as the next few weeks unfold.

We have had about 20 different ticket buyers ask for a refund for Wine & Food Affair. We have asked them all to reconsider, we’ve sent a list of lodging options and simply said – it’s as beautiful as ever and the wineries are all board. So far about 10 have agreed, they’d come and they all booked rooms.

Oct. 10 We added #CAWineStrong to our website and began sharing on social. CA winery associations came together to create this platform for businesses around the world to help via donations and or resources.

Oct. 11 – We’re Open – we began posting a list of our wineries that were open – sharing on our site, on social and SF Gate is using our list. We have updated the list twice a day.

Oct. 15 -Press Release distributed to bay area and nationally to separate fact from fiction – all of wine country was not gone.
Attached is the local “personal” versions sent to bay area contacts, we updated for national press contacts.

Oct. 20 – Lodgings with rooms – we have created a list of local lodgings that have rooms for Nov. 4-5 during Wine & Food Affair. This is on our event pages, on Eventbrite, sent to local Chambers of Commerce and our winery members.

Oct. 21 began to share on social “Wine Road in real time” to show that we are open and as beautiful as ever.

Oct. 25 Press dinner in NYC with SF Travel – Beth to attend, 30+ press will be attending – opportunity to tell our story in person, with hearfelt honesty.

Nov. 1 We will have a new video, showing a variety of winery and lodging representatives, showing off their awesome hospitality skills.

Donations
We will continue to collect YOUR speical offers and add them to the CAWineStrong site, along with posting on our site and shareing via social.

Wine Road will be making our annual donaiton to the Redwood Empire Food Bank Nov. 21. This had been arranged prior to the fires. We anticipate the donation being about $25,000-30,000. We NEED volunteers to help at the food bank that morning from 9:00-11:00am.

Wine Road has made a $1000 donation to Corazon Healdsburg. We will continue to see how we can work with them.

Wine Road – supporting Sonoma County one case at a time. and we are using the hashtag #VisitWineRoad

Beyond our community
We are coordinating Wine Road on the Road consumer/press tastings some of which may become fundraising efforts. Details to follow in the next couple of weeks.

First Responders

We are sending complimentary Wine & Food Affair tickets to our local first responders.

We are sending packets of Wine Road Tasting Passes to all of the departments across the country who came to our rescue. They will be designed to show “First Responder, Wine Country Fires” so when they use it at YOUR winery, you will be able recognize them in your own way.

Laura was able to host dinner for a group of first responders from Oregon, who she used to work with. Wine Road helped cover dinner costs, she provided a much needed home for them to recharge.

Our Board of Directors is taking a hard look at being on the road with our wines, winery owners and a collection of beautiful images, all post fire, so people can see how stunning it still is, along the Wine Road. We can’t make it all happen in one week, we are moving forward with plans for the long haul. We have worked with press. Positive stories are in every type of publication – but visitors need time move past the images they saw on the news for the past two weeks.

The more you share everyday activities at your winery or lodgings not just “we’re open” and “we need you” the better. Share what’s happening as you wrap up harvest, set up for a wine club event, cleaning in the cellar, walking the vineyards – share with “Wine Road in real time” or #VisitWineRoad

I will continue to post updates in the weekly Member Memo.