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Make-A-Wish Rio Grande Valley granted $10,000 in marketing support for October "Wine for Wishes" after board vote
Summary
Make-A-Wish Rio Grande Valley requested $20,000 for marketing its October Wine for Wishes event; staff recommended $10,000 and the board approved $10,000 by a 3–1 vote. Organizers said the event generated about $37,500 net and produced hotel room nights last year but have not finalized venue or room block for 2025.
Make-A-Wish Rio Grande Valley asked the board for $20,000 in marketing support for its second annual Wine for Wishes event planned for Oct. 3–4, 2025; the organization’s CEO, Becky Gerhardt, and Chief Development Officer Christie Gonzales presented the request and described last year’s results.
Why it matters: The bureau’s marketing allocation affects event promotion, hotel occupancy and the nonprofit’s capacity to grant wishes for local children with critical illnesses.
Gerhardt said Make-A-Wish RGV’s fiscal year begins in September and that since the fiscal year start they have granted 51 wishes and currently have 75 children waiting. Referring to the 2024 Wine for Wishes, Gerhardt said the event sold about 345 tickets and netted $37,500 for local wish grants; she said the event generated 74 hotel room nights and that 244 attendees came from out of town.
Organizers described planned changes for 2025: expanding to a two-day format with an additional packet-pickup/preview day, creating a roped-off VIP area with wait staff, increasing the number and variety of wines, and partnering with local restaurants for food-and-wine pairings. Gerhardt said they hope to raise ticket prices modestly, to roughly $50–70, while keeping the event accessible.
Board members asked about venue and room-block details. Gerhardt said the Convention Center has a soft hold for Oct. 4 but the Oct. 3 location and a host hotel block were not finalized; she said discussions with two hotels were underway. Staff noted that final venue and room-block confirmations matter for the bureau’s calculation of hotel-occupancy-tax (HOT) impact and media-imprint value.
Staff recommended a $10,000 marketing allocation—the same amount granted last year. After discussion, a board member moved to approve $10,000; another member seconded. The motion passed on a 3–1 vote, with one member voting against because they preferred granting more support in year two. A staff member reminded organizers to coordinate with CVB staff to document HOT impact and media imprints.
The grant was approved conditionally; staff and the organizer will follow up on venue confirmation, room-block arrangements and post-event reporting to document hotel-night and media-imprint metrics.
