For the 17th consecutive year, Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery is being transformed into a winter wonderland outfitted with fine food and wines from local restaurants, all in the name of charity.
For close to two decades, the annual holiday event has raised about $200,000 on behalf the Montezuma County chapter of the United Way, which in turn, doles out the funds to its partner agencies in Southwest Colorado.
This year’s beneficiaries include the Southwest Colorado Chapter of the American Red Cross, Axis Health System, Community Connections, Dolores County Senior Center, Dove’s Nest Early Care and Education Center, Four Corners Child Advocacy Center, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Housing Solutions for the Southwest, Medicine Horse Center, Montezuma County Health Department, Montezuma Emergency Assistance Coalition, Renew, Montezuma County Senior Center, Southwest Open School Health Clinic, The Bridge Emergency Shelter, The Piñon Project Family Resource Center, and Volunteers of America.
After the wine corks begin to pop, platters of appetizers, some prepared by the Montezuma-Cortez High School “Panther Chefs,” will make their way across the venue, and local restaurants will offer their finest fares.
While the food and beverages are a large draw for attendees, the silent auction is another highlight that is not to be missed, said event coordinator and Four Seasons Greenhouse Nursery owner Gail Vanik.
“It’s been a locally based fundraiser for 17 years, and we have great participation each year,” she said.
Previous items up on the auction block include a full-size teepee, handmade quilts and a train ride on the Narrow Gauge railroad with an engineer.
Tickets sell out every year, Vanik said, so it’s encouraged to buy them early at Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery or local United Way agencies.
Four Seasons is at 26650 County Road P, Dolores, Colo.