Slideshow: Domenico Winery Holiday Boutique Doubles as Benefit

Many of the shoppers at Thursday's annual Ladies’ Night Holiday Boutique at Domenico Winery in San Carlos probably didn't realize that by sipping wine while browsing through the unique selection of everything from jewelry to olive oil, they were also raising a few dollars for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Domenico Winery owners Gloria and Dominick Chirichillo are natives of Toms River, NJ, one of the areas hardest hit by last month's superstorm. The couple donated 25% of the evening’s wine sales proceeds to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund. (https://sandynjrelieffund.org/index.html).

The evening's event raised over $1,100 for the relief fund, and each of the 30 vendors donated an item for the raffle, with prizes ranging from $5 to $100.

Over 300 shoppers attended the event, and the Chirichillos were pleased with the turnout and the support for the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.“Many of us in the Bay Area are touched directly or indirectly by the terrible situation on the East Coast,” Gloria Chirichillo said. 

“We have family, friends and a wine-making operation in New Jersey, so helping out is a natural imperative for us.  We selected the New Jersey Relief Fund because we know donations will stay in our home state and the need is enormous right now.”

The Ladies’ Night Holiday Boutique is in its fourth year – and has doubled in the number of vendors and attendees since its inception in 2008.

Domenico Winery is located at 1697 Industrial Rd. in San Carlos. For more information, call 650-593-2335, or go to www.domenicowinery.com.