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  • Don Neal pours a sip of wine for Susan Powers on Saturday. Derrick Miller/The Duncan Banner

    Don Neal pours a sip of wine for Susan Powers on Saturday.

  • Gayle Kammerer prepares to pass out a couple more wine glasses to Rhonda Huff and Melissa Jennings. Derrick Miller/The Duncan Banner

    Gayle Kammerer prepares to pass out a couple more wine glasses to Rhonda Huff and Melissa Jennings.
September 16, 2012

Wine fest helps fuel AMBUCS

Derrick Miller The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — One glass for one could help make a difference. But numerous glasses could give someone with a physical disability more mobility.

The Duncan AMBUCS organization held its fifth annual Wine’n on the Chisholm Trail Wine Festival as part of the Western Spirit Celebration on Friday and Saturday at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.

The wine festival is the organization’s biggest fundraiser.

Money raised from the wine tasting will go toward the purchase of AMtrykes, which are tricycles that can be pedals by hands and feet.

The group gives away several AMtrykes to children and adults every year.

Gayle Kammerer and Linda Bronaugh, organization members, said the event went well, and they were appreciative of all the people who helped the non-profit raise more money for their cause.

“It’s gone really well,” Kammerer said. “We haven’t been swamped, but we’ve been steady.”

In all, five Oklahoma wineries participated in this year’s wine festival.

The organization members were happy with the winery participation, saying they were lucky to get wineries, especially since there is wine tasting at the Oklahoma State Fair.

Both were happy with the community participation.

“We’ve had a lot of people here: Kansas, Tennessee, Texas, Poland,” Kammerer said. “It’s an international wine tasting.”

Every year, the Duncan City Council approves waving its alcohol ordinances for the AMBUCS to let the group have its fundraiser.

The fundraiser also helps to raise community’s awareness of the organization.

Bronaugh and Kammerer said, despite almost chilly temperatures and rainy weather, Friday night was busy for the wine festival.

Saturday proved to be a good turnout, too.

“People know it’s for a good cause,” Bronaugh said.

Kammerer said the success of the fundraiser is contingent on the return of customers, providing information to new customers and dedication of the club members.

Last year, the dedication of the club members paid off for the organization, she said.

“We were the No. 1 club in the nation last year,” Kammerer said.

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