Benefit proceeds go directly to fire victims in community
Petaluma, March 2018 — The public is invited to a benefit for victims of the October fires on Saturday, April 7 at 1:00 p.m. The benefit is being organized by Kaveh Azari, a co-proprietor of Azari Vineyards in Petaluma: the event will take place at the winery, 1399 Spring Hill Road. The event will consist of a feast made of local artisanal foods provided by purveyors including Della Fattoria, McNear’s, Ray’s Tavern, Petaluma Market, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Aqus Cafe and Spring Hill Creamery, among others. The winery’s wood-fired pizza oven will produce pizzas as well. There will be live music by local musicians and comments by dignitaries.
The winery is located at 1399 Spring Hill Road in Petaluma (94952). Carpooling is recommended. Advance ticket purchase is necessary.
Azari is calling the event a “Community Focused Wildfire Benefit” because tickets are being sold on a pay-what-you-can basis, with 100% of proceeds to be split among community families. “All of the ticket sales will be split evenly among any family who enrolls online,” says Azari.
Families are encouraged to apply for benefits/claims which will come from funds raised on April 7 (in English and in Spanish).
“We are trying an experiment,” said Azari in explaining the event. “Last year’s fires stole so much from us. They claimed so many homes, and with them, all the things of a life: letters and pets, books and wedding bands. The trauma of losing everything at once hit everyone—rich and poor, documented and undocumented, insured and uninsured—but the ongoing struggle of trying to reassemble a post-fire life is affecting the most vulnerable among us the worst. At Azari, we knew we needed to do something, but we weren’t quite sure how to run a benefit in a way that directly helps those that need it the most,” he added.
“This is an experiment in community building, all of us coming together to lift all of us up. We’ll share wine and stories and help each other rebuild our homes and hearts,” he continued.
Founded in 1988, Azari Vineyards is a spectacular 40-acre estate in the heart of the Petaluma Gap appellation in Sonoma County. The winery’s current releases are 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012 Shiraz, 2015 Riesling, 2012 Pinot Noir, 2010 Shiraz, 2017 Saignée of Pinot Noir and 2015 Chardonnay. The winery welcomes visitors Monday-Sunday by appointment only and also offers a Wine Club.
