Participants in a past Shellcove Wine Tours’ Pink Up Shellharbour day. Photo: Supplied.
Shellcove Wine Tours Charity Day is set to make a triumphant return this October, bringing together community, charity, and a splash of “flower power” after a four-year hiatus.
Co-organiser Carlie Page-Quinn said what began in 2016 as a small gathering had grown over five years to attract 220 women, featuring everything from marching bands to a bucking bull.
Carlie said after it stopped due to COVID, committee members kept talking about bringing it back, until finally deciding to revive it this year.
“It just started with a little idea of getting a few people together, doing a fridge-to-fridge, going to different people’s houses around the Shell Cove area,” she said.
“It was bringing people together to share their love of wine and having a good time, and it’s just grown into something much bigger over the course of the five years that we had it going.
“It grew into quite an epic day out, where our last wine tour we had 220 women joining us, walking around Shell Cove with entertainment, drinks, fun and costumes, all while making a difference in the lives of others in our community.”
Carlie said over that time, they raised more than $110,000, providing much-needed financial assistance to Illawarra families battling debilitating illnesses.
“Now, because it’s getting bigger and bigger each year, we’re hoping we can pull off another massive fundraising effort this year,” she said.
“We all put our own time, effort and hearts into bringing the day together, and all proceeds go towards whoever it is we’re fundraising for that year.”
She said their goal this year was to raise $40,000, with all proceeds being shared between the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre and an Illawarra family in need of support.
To do that, participants are being encouraged to embrace this year’s theme of “Hippy Love”, celebrating peace and community.
“It’s all about peace, about love, about coming together and having those positive vibes,” Carlie said.
She said those familiar with the concept could expect much the same this October, with participants starting at a house mid-morning for breakfast and entertainment, with a DJ, marching band and live music featured in the past.
“Then we just move from house to house with different food and entertainment, depending on what our theme is,” she said.
“One year we had cowboys and cowgirls, so we had a bucking bull at the event.”
Carlie said they usually visited four homes close together within Shell Cove, and in the past had even had a police escort to move them between houses to ensure everyone’s safety.
Everyone on the committee pitches in, having become “like a big family”, with even husbands helping serve wine and cook the barbecue.
Carlie said while tickets hadn’t been released yet, organisers were first focusing on securing support through sponsorship, donations and vendors to contribute services, gift vouchers or money.
“It means whatever they can give us for the day, the ticket price then doesn’t have to be spent on bringing it together,” she said.
“The more we can get donated, the more money we can put forward to the actual charity.”
Carlie said the response to the event’s return had been overwhelming.
“It was great to see the response we got when we posted that we’re coming back, because so many people were tagging all their girlfriends saying, ‘It’s back’,” she said.
For more information or to offer sponsorship or support, contact Cassy Peters on 0400 933 331, Chelsea Peters on 0426 976 995 or Carlie on 0434 265 277.
Follow the Shellcove Wine Tours Facebook page for ticket sale announcements for the 25 October charity day event.
