SIPS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS A PERFECT PAIRING OF FUN AND PHILANTHROPY
Located just about an hour’s drive north of downtown San Francisco via scenic Highway 101, Sonoma County’s rugged, old-California beauty and award-winning vintages have made it a can’t-miss destination for wine enthusiasts the world over. And this spring, it will serve as the host site for a weekend-long celebration of USD spirit that’s well on its way to acquiring can’t-miss status in its own right.
In just its third year, the USD Parents Association’s Sips for Scholarships event has become something much more than a getaway weekend for Torero moms and friends, and Director of Parent Relations Renda Quinn couldn’t be more pleased. “It started out as an effort to build community among USD moms, while also raising funds for the Parent Partnership Fund,” she says. “It’s really been great to see how well it’s been received, and it just keeps getting bigger and better each year.”
The three-day event, which is scheduled to run from Friday, March 21 through Sunday, March 23, provides attendees the opportunity to escape the daily grind and sample some of Sonoma’s most celebrated varietals with friends and classmates. According to Quinn, it’s the perfect blend of fun, friendship and philanthropy. “Originally, the event was basically mothers of current students, and the atmosphere was so fun and festive,” she recalls. “Since they all had such a good time, they started bringing their friends, and everyone who’s participated can’t wait to come back this year.” (Pictured above are last year’s attendees at Napa Valley’s Castello di Amarosa Winery.)
Proceeds from the event go directly to supporting the Parent Partnership Fund, which to date has raised more than $170,000 and helped 35 USD students who, because of unexpected financial hardship, would have otherwise been unable to continue their education at USD. The weekend’s cornerstone event is the Saturday night silent auction, where an elegant evening of wine tasting, food pairing and delectable desserts will delight guests, including alumnae and friends of the university. And for this special weekend, even the boys make the cut.
“It’s still a ladies’ weekend, but not exclusively so,” says Quinn. “The most important part of the weekend is connecting people with the Parent Partnership Fund, and I know everyone agrees that it’s a program worth supporting,” says Quinn.
To learn more about Sips for Scholarships, call (619) 260-4808 or email parents@sandiego.edu.
