TRACS fundraiser highlights the world of wines

THOMPSON FALLS – Thompson River Animal Care Shelter will be providing a tasting featuring wines from all around the world on Saturday, September 14 at their first ever “fly in” festival.

Although, the wine tasting event is an annual occurrence for TRACS, this year the new theme will allow pilots, as well as drivers, experience the vast world of wines paired with hors d’oevres and appetizers.

The idea for the fly in event came when the organization decided they wanted to use the Thompson Falls Airport for the event location this year. With that in mind, the group figured, why not have a fly in?

It is unknown how many airplanes will take part in the event but President of TRACS, Wanda Thorpe, hopes for the best.

“Since it’s our first time, we don’t have an expectation. We know we will have a few but we could be totally surprised and have a couple hundred,” said Thorpe with a laugh. “We’re hoping for a small amount to get started.”

This year the wine tasting event will highlight wines from all across the world, featuring ones from Chile, Argentina, France, Italy, Australia as well as Washington and California.

Servers will pass through the crowds offering different treats to pair with the wine.

Thorpe said the “beauty of wine tasting” is trying out different types of snacks with different combinations of wine to see what goes together the best.

The fundraiser will take place in the large hangar central to the airport, where eight wine tasting tables will be present. Each table will offer a variety of five different wines as well as different beers from Big Sky Brewery.

Non-alcoholic beer will also be on hand, just in case a pilot (or driver) decides to have a sip.

“We’re hoping that anybody who flies in is going to stay the night so they can enjoy the wine tasting,” said Thorpe.

In order to make that happen, discounted rates can be found at numerous hotels in the area, making it easier for people to enjoy the full night.

“We’re really trying to get people into our community to stay,” said Thorpe.

Along with the tastings, a silent and live auction will be held with many coveted items available for purchase.

According to Thorpe, a one-night stay including dinner at the Coeur d’Alene Resort is up for grabs as well as a Lapis Lazuli gemstone necklace from Brazil. The gemstone featured in the necklace is a semi-precious stone that reflects a deep blue color.

The silent auction will run during the evening, while different items featured in the live auction will be auctioned off throughout the event.

Entertainment will also be provided throughout the night with Lisa French on the guitar, The High Strung followed by a duo performance by Heather Thompson and Joe Moyer.

The event has been advertised at every airport within a 300-mile radius of the Thompson Falls Airport, hopefully bringing in a lot of pilots.

Thorpe explained that many pilots of small aircrafts look forward to fly in events because it gives the pilots a place to go and a chance to use their aircraft.

“This is our first year (with the fly in) and we thought it would be kind of fun to try,” said Thorpe.

The event starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday and will run until about 7 p.m.