Even as he proposed what was a fairly novel means of growing scholarship funds in 2002, Ed Littig said he wondered if the St. Ambrose University Wine Festival might, like similar fundraising efforts, have a shelf life.
He shouldn't have worried. Like a fine Cabernet, the Wine Festival has improved with age.
"It has grown exponentially," said Littig, the former vice president for advancement who last year saw the three-event festival series surpass the $1 million mark in dollars raised.
Also last year — the 15th for the fest-record crowds turned out for all three events: March's Wine at the Warehouse in downtown Davenport; April's Wine Festival Preview Dinner in the Rogalski Center ballroom; and May's outdoor Wine Tasting under the oaks west of Ambrose Hall.
Most importantly, the trio of events raised $136,000 for student scholarships. That's $100,000 more than was collected at the inaugural events.
The festival's proceeds bolster a fund that assists the 98 percent of all undergraduate students who receive some form of scholarship aid each year.
"It is just impactful because it allows us to make St. Ambrose accessible to more students," said Director of Alumni Engagement and Special Events Anne Gannaway. "A lot of people call this the premier social event in the Quad Cities. I don't know if we can make that claim, but it's nice to hear. The number of people we are attracting is amazing."
So is the level of volunteer involvement, starting with the man Littig called the festival's patriarch, Dimitri Papageorgiou.
As owner of Dimitri Wine and Spirits, the QC area's premier wholesale wine distribution and import company, Papageorgiou was and remains the festival's contact for participating vintners and restauranteurs-two groups whose numbers also have grown by the year.
Gannaway and Littig both agree that Papageorgiou and his wife, Kathy '94, are the festival's heart and soul. "They give so much it's overwhelming," Gannaway said.
Many others do, as well.
For instance, Molly Carroll and her husband Ed, a member of the St. Ambrose Board of Trustees, have held numerous committee positions since the event's inception. They were event chairs in 2004 and currently co-chair the Preview Dinner committee along with Kurt and Kristyn Tjaden.
"It is a delight to be involved," Molly Carroll said. "It is such a nice event, and all the alumni, faculty and staff work so hard to make it fresh and make it appeal to so many people.
"I think the variety of events is a great asset in that each of the three draw different people," she added.
Wine at the Warehouse, she noted, is a chance to enjoy, or learn to enjoy, wine in a casual, intimate setting. The Wine Preview Dinner is a formal occasion with a gourmet meal and wine samplings from a special guest vintner. Silent and open auctions of wines and wonderful packages-donated by generous sponsors and purchased by equally generous patrons-supply a large part of the annual proceeds.
The Wine Tasting is the largest of the events. It is a casual, festive occasion held under the oaks, affording an opportunity to show off a beautiful campus. "It has built awareness of St. Ambrose," Littig said. "It gets people on campus who otherwise wouldn't have a reason to come."
That helps the university make new friends like Gene and Susan Krueger. Their appreciation for wine brought them to the Tasting several years ago. Soon after, they joined the committee.
The Kruegers served as event chairs for the past four years and NelsonCorp Wealth Management, where Gene is a financial adviser, has been a top-level Wine Fest sponsor for four years as well.
"I am an adopted Ambrosian is a wonderful way to put it," Gene Krueger said. "The relationships we have formed are lifelong."
In 2017, festival chair dutieshave been assumed by Chris '04, '06 MPS and Kristen (Blake) Mandle '07,'08 MOT. Chris has been a volunteer since he was president of the Student Alumni Association while pursuing his degree. He has watched-and helped-the festival grow.
"The very least I can do is give back my time," said Mandle, who benefited from scholarship assistance himself. "St. Ambrose has made me who I am in a lot of ways. It's where I met my wife. St. Ambrose is just interwoven into our lives, and that's true of a lot of volunteers.
"In my circle of friends, people associated with St. Ambrose stay associated with St. Ambrose because it was a good experience and it's family."
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