The occasion was KINfolk’s 11th Annual Wine Tasting and Raffle Drawing hosted by the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington Nov. 14. “This is a special event for KINFolk,” said Executive Director Jazette Lane-English, “because virtually everything for the event is donated. Sponsors, donors and attendees alike appreciate that all of the proceeds from this event go directly to our laptop lending programs.”
For the fifth year, Branmar Wines & Spirits donated the wine tasting.
Highlighting the evening was the drawing of the winning tickets for KINfolk’s Annual Raffle. Cheryl Blackman, recently selected as a Governor’s Volunteer of the Year Award winner, has sold thousands of raffle tickets for KINfolk over the years.
First prize of $2,013 went to Michelle Berdelle of Milford. Second prize, $1,013, went to a Rehoboth resident who has not yet responded to the announcement; third prize, $513, went to Mark DeStifano of Scranton, Pa.
Sponsoring the raffle first-place prize this year, as they have done in the past, were Scott and Nancy Sherr. Jeff Weiner sponsored the second-place prize, and Jane Brady sponsored third-place prize. Wilmington University was the event sponsor. Other sponsors of the event were A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, MySherpa, Delaware Today, and Delmarva Power. Special thanks went to Les Dukart and Ronald McDonald House Charities for their generous donation of $15,000 to support the program. Special thanks also went to Dr. Jamie Lane for the lovely poem, "KINsight," written for KINfolk and dedicated to KINfolk's founder, M. Jane Brady.
Other raffle prizes were donated by Domaine Hudson, Nemours Mansion, George & Lynch, Harry’s Savoy Grill, BBC Tavern, MySherpa, Prom Girl, Big Fish Grill, Déjà Vu Hair Stylists, board members and other supporters.
KINfolk is a Delaware nonprofit organization serving the needs of hospitalized and homebound children by providing laptop computers. Founded in Georgetown in 1999 by then-Delaware Attorney General M. Jane Brady, KINfolk is the country’s largest laptop lending program allowing seriously ill children to keep up with their education and to remain in contact with friends and family. Since its inception, KINfolk has served more than 12,000 sick children in 32 states around the country.
Proceeds from the event and raffle sales will be applied to the general expenses supporting KINfolk’s Laptop Lending Program.
