Program Speakers:
Jan and John Landis, Lehigh Valley Wine Trail
The founders and owners of Vynecrest Winery, Jan and John Landis were this week’s speakers. Established in 1989, Vynecrest Winery is located on a 25-acre vineyard in Breinigsville and offers a large assortment of whites, reds and specialty wines.
Vynecrest is one of nine family-owned wineries that make up the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote agri-tourism and create a premier wine destination and grape-growing region while promoting Pennsylvania wines from the region. The Lehigh Valley’s fertile farmlands and moderate climate provides an ideal growing environment for the traditional Vinifera wine grapes and Native American grapes. Established in 1997, the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is one of the oldest continuously operating wine trails in the State. Its designation as an American Viticultural Area (A.V.A.) allows the nine vineyards to identify the origin of their wines as the Lehigh Valley.
No wineries existed in Pennsylvania back in 1969. The first two wineries opened in Erie County, after which followed a tremendous growth of wineries in the 70s and 80s. Today, Pennsylvania boasts 221 wineries, is the fifth largest producer of grapes in the country, and adds $1 billion to the economy each year.
Starting in 2003, the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail began to assess themselves so, as an organization, they can fund research to produce better fruit and wines, as well as market the wine industry within the community. The Wine Trail hosts several events throughout the year to get visitors on the “Trail,” starting with the popular Vino in the Valley Passport Program in March. The event is limited to 200 tickets and has sold out for the past several years.
We are fortunate to have our own ‘Napa valley’ right in our own back yard, thanks to the Landis family and their fellow vintners!
Announcements:
- Don Hunter recently had surgery and is feeling under the weather. Please keep Don in your thoughts and prayers.
- Tyler Papaz provided the Club with an update on our recruitment of restaurants, sponsors and auction items. WE NEED EVERYONE’S HELP TO REACH OUR GOAL TO RAISE $60,000 FOR SECOND HARVEST. Please contact any of the Taste & Tunes Committee members with restaurant suggestions, sponsorships or auction items. We only have 6 more weeks to make it happen.
- One of our newer and younger Rotarians, Jordan Young, shared with the Club what it means to him to be a Rotarian. Thanks for sharing, Jordan!
- Ron Madison, our Membership Chair, reminded the Club of PG Linda Young’s challenge to add 12 new members during our 2016-2017 Rotary year. He shared a simple idea – invite your best friend to Rotary. If you haven’t done so, ask yourself why. Why haven’t you shared your love of Rotary with someone you care about? Think about it.
- Rotary members were quick to pick out the correct answer on this week’s ‘Who’s That Rotarian?’ question: Who in our Club is a twin? CORRECT ANSWER: Shannon Sigafoos
- Next week’s speaker will be Amy Hollander from the recently opened National Museum of Industrial History
