Cancer advocates' wine and jazz fund-raiser Saturday

The ninth-annual Winter Wine & All That Jazz fund-raiser for the Carson Advocates for Cancer Care is Saturday. It's an evening of wonderful wine, great music and delicious hors d'oeuvres - but it's also much more.

"This is our major fund-raiser for the year," said Ann Proffitt, president of the advocates who help cancer patients pay for treatment. In 2003, they spent $178,000 on 121 patients.

"When we started this event, we were only helping about 20 - so we've come a long way," said Proffitt, herself a survivor of breast cancer.

Winter Wine & All That Jazz is in the Carson Nugget Ballroom from 7-10 p.m. Live music will be provided by the Sierra Swing Band orchestra.

"We've got over 100 different samplings of wine from 21 wineries and over 40 silent auction packages," said Cancer Advocates Executive Director Jon Coats.

Wine will be poured from close to home - Carson Valley Winery in Gardnerville, Tahoe Ridge Vineyards in Minden and Jodar Vineyards in Placerville, Calif. - and from as far away as the East Coast - Dewitt Winemakers in Willamstown, N.J.

This year's silent auction includes impressive package deals, including a round-trip voyage for two to Tahiti, an overnight stay at the Bliss Mansion, a Soar Minden gliding package and his and her Harley-Davidson jackets.

"The list just goes on and on," said Coats, a two-year survivor of prostate cancer.

There are dinner packages and overnighters at David Walley's Hot Springs, Caesars Tahoe, the Tahoe Biltmore, the Carson Valley Inn and the Peppermill; golf packages from Carson Valley Golf, Thunder Canyon, Sunridge Golf Club and Genoa Lakes; a slot machine donated by International Gaming Technology; and ski passes from Squaw, Diamond Peak, June Mountain and Northstar.

"And I'd like to also thank Garibaldi's and Adele's (restaurants) for their generous donations," Coats said.

Advocates is a mostly volunteer organization, with Coats the only paid employee.

"That helps us keep our overhead to an absolute minimum," Proffitt said.

The group, which is currently helping 92 patients, hopes to raise about $40,000 this year. Last year, they made $20,000.

Coats said he is thankful for the community's support.

"We have had just a tremendous response from the community. Without them, we couldn't put something like this together," he said.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $32 at the door. For tickets or information, call 883-7477.

Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.