TRACS first annual river wine festival a hit

surgically re-constructed knee couldn’t dampen Thompson River Animal Care Shelter president and co-founder Wanda Thorpe’s spirits last Saturday evening as more than one hundred Clark Fork Valley locals showed their support for TRACS by attending its First Annual River Wine Festival. All proceeds from the fundraiser, hosted by the Rocky Point Ranch, will go to support TRACS.

According to Thorpe, the event was, “Something a little bit different that hasn’t been done before here in the valley much.” She went on to say, “Primarily, this is something that we put together to be a fun and entertaining getaway for people.”

“I hope they think it was a benefit and that they’ll come back next year,” ranch owner and TRACS supporter Sam Bernhardt said of the event’s success. “I really think it turned out great, I can’t add any more adjectives to that.”

As for the knee, it was on the mend after a collision with a 90-pound German Shepherd mix named Cowboy during a game of fetch.

“I was injured on May 1, and had surgery on May 7. I was in a wheelchair until just about four weeks ago,” Thompson said, who made her way around all night on crutches.

The fundraiser was a way for people to support TRACS, and socialize in a picturesque setting. Not only did the event feature thirty different wines and three micro-brewed beers, but hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment as well.

Lisa French graced the stage with a guitar and vocals act while the Merry Maries, a Renaissance trio, provided comic relief and invited the crowd to sing along to favorites like Frere Jacques.

Before the evening concluded there were both silent and live auctions to raise money for the animal shelter. Among the auctioned items were gift baskets, some rare and unique bottles of wine, tickets for two to a U of M Grizzlies game along with a hotel stay in Missoula, and a half day float for four people down the Alberton Gorge.

Although fun was had by all, the purpose of the event was not lost on those in attendance.

“There was at least twenty people who volunteered their time and effort, and money as well, and all for a good cause,” Bernhardt said of the people who made the event possible. “Our job basically is to save lives everyday, our pet’s lives.”

In the four years since TRACS was founded, it has taken in nearly 1,350 abandoned, abused, and neglected pets, and has adopted most of them to local families. The shelter is currently at maximum capacity, housing approximately twenty dogs and fifty cats.

“Most of the shelters, pretty much throughout the whole area, are jam packed right now,” Thorpe said. “It’s the economy that’s making things worse for the animals, just as it is worse for the people.”                                                                                             

The Rocky Point Ranch itself was chosen because of its location, scenic beauty, and their belief in TRACS’s cause.

“It was kind of unique,”  Thorpe said of the Ranch located just off Hwy. 200 between Plains and Thompson Falls. “It’s just a very nice venue, it’s an outdoor venue. The folks that run the ranch are really nice people. They’re supportive of TRACS and so it just seemed to be a really good fit.”

According to TRACS board member Howard Bakke the organization is funded entirely by government grants and local charity. The Wine Festival then, was initiated to supplement TRACS’s two existing  annual fundraisers, the Spring Fling held in Trout Creek every March, and a garage sale each May in Thompson Falls.

Earlier this week, with fewer than fifty confirmed guests, there was a lot of guessing and flexibility involved in the planning process. Barnhardt, who is no stranger to large event planning, commented on the process, saying, “This year was kind of like a mystery event. We kind of just did our best.”

“We just had a lot of hopes and prayers that a lot of people would show up and they did,” he said.

Participating in the fundraiser were wineries from Western Montana, the Spokane Valley, and Walla Walla, Wash. The wineries included Mission Mountain Winery, Knipprath Cellars, Trapper Peak Winery, Latah Creek Wine Cellars, Bergevin Lane Vineyards, and Sleight of Hand Cellars. Also featured were beers from the Bayern Brewery in Missoula.