Sonoma Paradiso Wine Auction - Helping Others
The first GranTurismo to be auctioned for charity

One of the advantages often brought by success is freedom. Financial success can bring the freedom of time to spend on a favorite hobby, freedom from worrying about the future. It can also bring the freedom to help others less fortunate, to use some of the resulting wealth to benefit those for whom such freedom can seem unattainable.

The Sonoma Paradiso Wine Auction is completely focused on helping others by capitalizing on the success and generosity of its benefactors. The first auction was held in 2004 – and yet three short years have already seen over $4.5 million raised to help children in the Sonoma area. Through the tireless efforts of its founders, led by Barbara Banke and Peggy Furth, it has already become one of the premier charity auctions in the country – it holds the distinction of being the first charity auction to offer a jet plane. Maseratis have become a mainstay as highly sought-after lots for those who wish to acquire the finest of cars while contributing to the community.

It would be difficult to come up with beneficiaries more deserving than the ones chosen by Sonoma Paradiso. Both the Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation and the Children’s Village of Sonoma County offer help to abandoned, neglected and abused children in the area. The WCC Charitable Foundation benefits children in life-threatening circumstances, while the Redwood Empire Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in Sonoma County, helping up to 50,000 people each month. Almost half of the children attending the Sonoma Academy receive some level of scholarship to assist them.

The Auction aims to offer lots which have true ‘star quality’ – items and experiences beyond the norm, which deliver something out of the ordinary. Providing an event which is itself great fun, which allows people to ‘splurge on themselves’, as one attendee put it, while simultaneously helping some of the most needy people in the area, is proving to be a winning combination.

Maserati dealers are often involved in charities in their local area, eager to give something back to the communities which support them. Maserati North America is equally committed to being a ‘good citizen’, and to supporting such worthy causes. In 2006, the Sonoma Paradiso Wine Auction featured a new Maserati Quattroporte, which attracted the attention of Jess Jackson – you can read about his experience with the car, and his involvement in the auction, elsewhere in this issue.

For 2007, Maserati North America has come up with a lot designed to attract even greater attention – the brand new Maserati GranTurismo, the car which is already rewriting the definition of ‘sports coupe’. What is more, the car to be auctioned will be the first production GranTurismo to reach North America.

Besides offering such stellar items, the Auction also aims to be a truly great event. The whole thing gets under way with free concerts for children by the Santa Rosa Symphony on July 26. The auction itself is on Saturday October 6th, and for this year it has a new location – the Francis Ford Coppola Presents Rosso & Bianco Winery, located in Alexander Valley. You can find out more about the Auction and its beneficiaries by visiting the dedicated Web site.