Hundreds of guests slipped into their most fashionable shoes for the second annual Wine, Women & Shoes Jacksonville, an evening of shopping and fun supporting Episcopal Children’s Services (ECS). Colleagues, daughters, mothers and grandmothers, sisters and friends throughout the Northeast Florida area gathered at Timuquana Country Club on May 12 to raise more than $90,000 net to benefit the nonprofit.
“First Coast News” and “First Coast Living” anchor Jordan Wilkerson served as the host for the evening as guests sipped, shopped and supported the agency that serves more than more than 25,000 children and their families in 14 Florida counties offering School Readiness, Head Start and Early Head Start programs and services.
Attendees were treated to a never-before-seen fashion show featuring fashions from Zags, Cedric Brown Collections and local business An Unlikely Pear. They also enjoyed a sophisticated evening of wine tastings, a live auction featuring lavish trips and experiences, a silent auction featuring incredible products and retail goodies and a fun fashion marketplace.
Guests also enjoyed what was described as a “spectacular” marketplace with the latest trends and go-to finds, and one resident won the “Key to the Getaway,” a trip to Sonoma, California.
All the funds raised will be used to directly benefit the children and families of North and Central Florida.
“This event exceeded our expectations, and we are beyond pleased with the generosity of the Jacksonville community and their support of ECS,” said Chief Development Officer Lauren Hopkins. “We are looking forward to next year’s event and raising even more funds for the well-being of the children and families in North and Central Florida.”
“We are so grateful to have the help of our many sponsors and thankful for their fervent support of our ECS community,” stated Chief Executive Officer Connie Stophel. “We could not do what we do without our community partners, and we are appreciative of their investment in our children and families.”
Community sponsors for the event included Jacksonville Business Journal, Florida Blue, Timucuan Asset Management, VyStar Credit Union, LassiterWare, Black Knight, Jaguars Foundation, Pajcic & Pajcic, Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund, Kathy & Jerry Weedon, Best Bet, Baptist Health & Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Gate Foundation, Kaplan, Sight & Sound Productions, An Unlikely Pear, Florida Insurance Trust, The Florida Times-Union, The Episcopal Diocese of Florida, THE PLAYERS, Martha & Tom Baker, Jeanne Dillard, Pamela Y Paul, Connie Stophel, Smith Hulsey & Busey, UnitedHealthcare, Dex Imaging, Davy and John Parrish, Julia and John Taylor, Paula and Jay McGarvey, Eric and Destinee Swanson, Temple and David DePlato, Ross and Sally Singletary, TD Bank, Money Pages, First Coast News, Newmark Phoenix Realty Group, Minuteman Press and Inspirations at Town Center.
Episcopal Children’s Services offers programs in St. Johns, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam, Marion, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lake, Levy, Citrus and Alachua counties. It uses research and best practices to help families ensure their children enter school ready to learn. Teachers and staff work with children from birth to age 5 and their families to build a strong educational foundation.
