Must! Charities event raises record $2.8 million
About 125 guests attended the invitation-only event at Law Estate Wines
– About 125 people raised $2.8 million for Must! Charities during the annual Purpose fundraiser Aug. 8 at Law Estate Wines in Paso Robles.
The invitation-only event recorded the highest fundraising total in its history. The event has generated nearly $13 million since it began.
The fundraiser included food, wine, live entertainment, an auction, and direct donations. Winemakers and winery owners hosted guests who traveled from across the country.
One auction lot, called “Uncorked Masterclass,” raised $360,000. The private wine and culinary experience includes access to Séduire Wine, a hilltop estate in the Willow Creek District that is closed to the public.
The experience will include a hands-on culinary program with Les Petites Canailles chef Julien Asseo featuring Champagne, caviar, dinner, rare wines, and behind-the-scenes access.
Attendees donated another $1.3 million during the event’s Fund-a-Need portion. Individual donations included $152,000, $151,000, and $150,000.
This year’s Fund-a-Need focused on launching Dentistry in School, a project with Tolosa Children’s Dental Center that will bring dental care to children in San Miguel.
“People will see $2.8 million and understandably focus on the amount,” Must! Charities CEO Becky Gray said. “But what moves me is everything it took to get there. Long before a paddle was raised, people were already giving. They gave their time. Their wine. Their talent. Their relationships. Their resources. Their ideas. Their trust. Winemakers opened their cellars and their tables. Sponsors stepped forward. Volunteers, staff, and committee members poured countless hours into creating something extraordinary. Guests traveled from across the country, ready to give generously. That is collective giving.”
Gray continued, “There is tremendous power in what happens when people decide that caring isn’t enough, and that they’re willing to act on it together. To have the opportunity to serve this community, to lead alongside people who care this deeply, and to love this place well is something I will never take for granted. Purpose reminds me what is possible when we stop asking, ‘What can I do?’ and start asking, ‘What can we do together?’”
