On Thursday, December 13, 2012 the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) hosted an audience of 115 supporters at their annual holiday fundraiser at the Carriage House of the Waccabuc Country Club,Wine & Wolves.

The event celebrated the WCC’s recent achievements including education innovations to acquire a global audience to increase awareness of different wolf species and the Center’s efforts to recover them. While the WCC’s accomplishments in 2012 reached far beyond the gates of the Center’s 27 acres in South Salem, the event itself had community flair.

The WCC reached out to local restaurants and merchants to ask them to sponsor “tasting tables.” “The response was inspiring,” reported WCC Acting Director, Maggie Howell. Bacio Trattoria (Cross River), Bluebird Ice Cream (Cross River), Crabtree’s Kittle House (Chappaqua), Distell, Gail Patrick’s Cafe (Chappaqua), Grissini’s (Vista), Haiku (Cross River), The Horse and Hound (South Salem), Le Chateau (South Salem), Market Place Kitchen and Bar (Danbury), Mount Kisco Seafood (Mt Kisco), Opici Wines, Two Meatballs Pizzeria (North Salem), and 121 (North Salem), generously agreed to provide delicious food and wine and Cartwright and Daughters (Carmel) provided the plates, utensils, and glasses – all completely free of charge to the WCC. In addition to the wine and food tasting, dozens of local stores and artists donated items for auction which brought in additional funds to help the WCC continue its mission. “This event literally took place completely through the generosity of the community – the people who attended, the food and wine vendors who participated, and the others who donated for both the raffle and the auction,” said Board President, Martha Handler. “It really makes me proud to live here.”

“It’s been a great year for the WCC ,” explained Howell, “and it was such a treat to celebrate with our supporters and so many of our neighbors too.” County Executive Robert Astorino joined the “pack,” recognizing the WCC as unique community resource. He enthusiastically recalled his experience howling with Atka and watching elusive Mexican gray wolves emerge to feast on Westchester’s own road-kill deer! But the highlight of the evening was when Ambassador Wolf Atka joined the party. Not only did he “teach” the packed room about the importance of his wild brothers and sisters, he also made a pair of bartenders jump when he rose to the bar as if ordering a cocktail! The event is called Wine and Wolves after all…