Wine flows in the street
for HB Ed Foundation
People used to big charity events in the South Bay might be forgiven for thinking they had gone to the wrong place when they approached the site of the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation Wine Walk on October 10. There was plenty of parking right by the entrance and no valets in sight.
The Wine Walk has an unusual venue – two blocks of Powers Street.
“That’s what you get for living in a small, supportive community,” said event organizer Lynn Barr. “I’d estimate that 95 percent of the people who attend here live in Hermosa. They’re parents of Hermosa View or Hermosa Valley students. They bring family and friends, and they’re the ones who get the word out.”
Those amateur promoters are sharing news of a unique, annual event that draws 350 people for two blocks of tables laden food, beer and wine from dozens of area restaurants. It was sold out as usual, when the capacity crowd gathered on the unseasonably warm evening. Entertainment was provided by guitarist Joe Cipolla who sang classic pop hits from the 1940s onward.
“I’m a crossing guard at Hermosa Valley School and a noon aide at Hermosa View school. I’ve loved music all my life, but didn’t do it as a career. I owned clothing stores. Now, I also teach guitar to children”
Other benefactors include the Uncorked wine store, which has donated over a 1,000 bottles of wine over the years and has mobilized wineries to participate.
“We don’t have kids in the schools, but we own two businesses here,” explained co-owner Cathey Knoll-Bonafede. “The Ed Foundation is our number one charity. To keep our little 1.3 square mile community strong, we need strong schools.”
“Not everybody on this street has kids in the schools, but they’re incredibly tolerant and supportive,” said HBEF President Allie Malone. “We try to do the same. Earlier today, after the road was already blocked off, someone needed to get out and we moved everything out of the way so they could move their car.”
For more information, visit HBEF.org. B
