Local winery employees donate $20k to charity
Kicking off its fourth year of generosity, the staff at Lynfred Winery in Roselle are looking forward to breaking their new record of $21,553 raised in a year for 14 of their favorite local charities (doubling their 2016 total).
The winery is a non-tipping facility; however so many winery patrons were leaving tips that employees just saved the money and used it for pizza parties. As more tips were accumulated, and more donation requests came in for local charities, the staff made the decision to donate the money.
Lynfred general manager Andres Basso was so impressed with the idea he decided he would buy them pizza instead! Soon Lynfred's sister store in Wheeling was so excited about the idea, they joined in the fun and began donating their tips, too!
Local charities are hand-picked by the winery staff and cover many causes - many near and dear to them in their personal lives. Employee Jillian Pogue's daughter, Tiffany, has cerebral palsy and works diligently with Marianjoy; Lynfred named the Marianjoy Foundation as their November 2017 charity of the month in honor of Tiffany and raised $1,624.
Tiffany's mom, Jillian, says, "I really appreciate what Lynfred has done in their charity work!"
Reach Rescue, out of Mundelein, was featured in May 2017 because an employee adopted their dog from them; the tips generated that month were $1,453, and Lynfred Wheeling even hosted an adoption meet and greet!
The winery's charity of the month program has brought joy and enthusiasm to the staff. Lynfred sales hostess Kim Henry says, "When someone hands me a tip, I am proud to tell them that all our tips are donated to a small, local charity! There is a certain pride that comes with knowing we are making a difference."
Lynfred Winery's 2017 & 2018 charities of the month can be found on their website, www.lynfredwinery.com.
Lynfred Winery is the oldest and largest, continuously-operating, family winery in Illinois, producing over 70 varietals and 30,000 cases of fine wine per year. Since 1979 Lynfred Winery has offered guests the finest vintages, gourmet cuisine and luxurious lodging.