Beaufort Wine & Food Festival donates $1 million

BEAUFORT, N.C. (WITN) - Several festivals will take place across the east this week one of which is celebrating 17 years of wine in food, all in the name of charity.

The Beaufort Wine & Food festival says it has given away $1 million in charitable donations to organizations and communities throughout eastern North Carolina since it got started in 2005.

From after-school care building improvements to deck renovations for economic developments, and most recently a $100,000 donation for a patio addition to the Carteret Community College Hospitality and Culinary Arts building. Charitable donations given from money donated at the Beaufort Wine & food festival over the past 17 years have gone a long way.

“This is wonderful but the most important thing that they do is scholarships to allow them to come free for two years they pay for everything they pay for everything textbooks uniforms nice kids and all the classes,” expressed Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management chair Shana Olmstead.

Lindsay Parker, President of Beaufort wine food says Sunday brunch at the festival will be held at the culinary school this year these community donations are part of their effort to help improve the opportunities and resources all throughout the east.

“Support programs like the culinary school and with scholarships in the building of that of that culinary and hospitality building we can sort of see the next generation of chefs and culinary masters so come out here start their own restaurants get in the kitchens of the current restaurants and help us throw these events year after year,” said Parker.

Parker says some $20,000 in scholarship funding were used to seat students and cover their educational expenses in the culinary arts program.

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