Kaufman, Rossin in the Community: Miami Beach Veiled Wine Society

Wolfgang Pinther talks about his community involvement.

Which organization are you involved in and what is its objective?

My organization is the Miami Beach Veiled Wine Society (MBVWS). It was established to raise funds for local charities through wine tasting events – a fun way to meet new people, taste a variety of wines and help different local charities. It’s one of the coolest ways to raise money for great causes. Each event we host supports a different charity – so we touch a lot of people in our community, and people get introduced to all these great causes they might not have known about before.

How the event works:

Wolfgang Pinther (right) of Kaufman, Rossin volunteers at a Miami Beach Veiled Wine Society event to raise money for a local charity.

• Participants arrive in teams of 2-3 people
• Each team brings 3 bottles of the same wine (2 for tasting and 1 for the prize)
• There is a suggested $10 donation at the door (100% of the donated funds go directly to the charity)
• Each team tastes all the different wines and scores them (they are covered so you don’t know which one you are tasting)
• The team with the best score gets 70% of the unopened bottles, 2^nd place gets 30%, and last place gets their bottle back!
• The night includes great raffle prizes – again 100% of the funds go directly to the charity

It’s something you have to experience! Make sure to like our Facebook page!

What is your role with the organization?

I’m a board member and the volunteer coordinator. I love it. I help find the charities we host the events for, and I work with the volunteers during the event. Most of our events are at SET or Mansion, so that means I’m behind the bar in some of the hottest nightclubs here in Miami.

Why did you decide to get involved in this organization?

I actually volunteered at one of the events when I was involved with Arts for Learning. They asked me if I’d like to volunteer again next month, and I said sure since I had a blast. I thought it was an Arts for Learning event, and when I got there, I realized it was a different charity. I loved it. The people are all professionals who share common interests: wine, a good time, and of course bettering our community. I had so much fun, met great people and learned about new charities, so I kept doing it!

How has Kaufman, Rossin contributed to your success with this organization?

Kaufman, Rossin is supportive, and since so many of our professionals are involved with community organizations, I’m able to host some of these events for them and help to raise money for their charities. Each event needs a $300 sponsor to cover our costs, which is how the selected charity receives 100% of donations collected that night. Kaufman, Rossin has been the sponsor for many of our events, and now they are holding a jeans day to help raise funds.

What is your advice for others who are thinking about getting involved in the community?

I’m sure it’s not new advice, but find something that you really enjoy and care about and that you are able to commit to. Even if you believe in a cause, if you don’t have the time, then it’s probably not the right fit at the moment. As you get more involved, it becomes something that’s just a part of your life. And make sure you have fun doing it!