The SWFL Children’s Charities has established the “Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest Scholarship Endowment Fund” at Florida Gulf Coast University. The proceeds from this endowment will be used to benefit FGCU students interested in pursuing careers in pediatrics.

With the goal of raising $100,000 to fund the endowment, Dr. Brian and Maureen Schwartz, along with Allen and Donna Henry, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and chairwoman of the pre-med program at FGCU, plan to host a Chef Vintner dinner as part of the Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest in their homes. Additional dinners in the future will continue to grow the endowment.

Dr. Steve Machiz, Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest founding chairman said, “Our mission is to help the children of Southwest Florida. As you know, The Children’s Hospital of SW Florida is our primary beneficiary. We are delighted with our new partnership with FGCU. Establishing a medical scholarship to help deserving residents of SW Florida become pediatricians fits nicely with our mission.

Upon completion of the $100,000 pledge, the FGCU Foundation will apply for 50 percent in matching funds from the State of Florida Trust Fund for Major Gifts. When fully funded, the value of the gift will be $150,000.

Proceeds from the fund each year will be used for student scholarships for recipients who are enrolled at FGCU in a 3 plus 4 program partnership between FGCU and another Florida medical school – three years at FGCU in pre-med and four years at a Florida medical school to complete their medical school program. The scholarship will be awarded to students at the beginning of their sophomore year. Preference will be given to students who graduated from high school in the five-county Southwest Florida area. Preference will also be given to students who express interest in pediatrics as their chosen medical specialty.

For more information, media representatives should contact Senior Director of Advancement, Linda Lehtomaa at (239) 590-1071.

Available for public viewing at Saks Fifth Avenue January 21, 2009

 (January 14, 2009 — Fort Myers, FL) – If winemaking is an art then the SWFL Wine & Food Fest has taken that a step further combining world class art with world class wine in a piece that will satisfy a wide range of aficionados; Internationally acclaimed artist Romero Britto is lending his support and talent to the Wine Fest’s fundraising event by painting a 6 liter bottle of Silver Oak, vintage 1996.  Silver Oak Cellars is the signature vintner for the SWFL Wine & Food Fest.  It will be among many other special wine and art offerings up for bid at the Wine & Food Fest Grand Tasting & Auction on February 28, 2009.  The “Britto Bottle” will be on display at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Bell Tower Shops from January 21 to February 19, 2009.

 The bottle of Silver Oak, donated by SWFL Wine & Food Fest Trustee Marshall Hanno, was adorned in acrylic paint by Britto and is packaged as a live auction lot with a 6 bottle vertical of Silver Oak in a collector’s box and a tour of the Napa Valley winery.  Other auction items include large format and unique wines from a variety of special wineries, trips including destination packages to the French Laundry, Jonata Ranch, Domaine Serene Vineyards, as well as experiential auction lots like Formula One Racing, tickets to the Master’s Golf Tournament, a cruise on a 100 ft. yacht with a 10 bottle vertical of Dominus for 8 people, and much more.   Proceeds of the auction and the weekend of Wine Fest events will benefit The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.   Tickets are now available.

The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest will be held February 27 & 28, 2009. The event begins on Friday, February 27 with Chef Vintner dinners at select area homes and continues on Saturday afternoon, February 28 with a Grand Tasting and Auction at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club. The event is presented by SWFL Children’s Charities, Inc. and will benefit the Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and the Pediatric Nursing program at Edison State College.   

Northern Trust is the main event sponsor and the News Press and Grandeur Magazine are the exclusive print sponsors.

For more information about Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest: www.swflwinefest.org or information on sponsorship or ticket sales, call 239-432-9722.

About Romero Britto

A modern day pop culture icon, Romero Britto is one of the premiere Pop Artists of our time. As the youngest and most successful pop artist of this generation, Britto has managed to create contemporary masterpieces that evoke a spirit of hope and convey a sense of warmth. Embraced by the international community, Britto’s paintings and sculptures are currently featured on five continents in more than 100 galleries worldwide, including the Saatchi Gallery in London, who recently incorporated his artwork as part of the stable for their new online gallery. In addition, Britto’s artwork is also included in some of the world’s most impressive private collections.

 A career highlight for the year 2008 is the exhibition of his artwork entitled “Journey” that will premiere on December 11, 2008 in the prestigious Salon Nationale Des Beaux-Arts 2008, in the Carrousel du Louvre, Salle le Nôtre, Louvre Museum.

 As a talented and creative child growing up in Brazil, Romero Britto often painted images on any medium he could find, including scraps of cardboard and newspaper. His inner passion and drive to excel served as an incredible asset for a young man with a longing to nurture his creative side and experience all that life had to offer. His innate love for learning and education inspired Britto to channel his focus and commitment to excellence into his artwork. This dedication is what has helped Britto become an international success during the last 18 years.

Private collectors of his artwork include: Eileen Guggenheim, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Prince Albert of Monaco, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Michael Jordan, David Rockefeller, Gloria Estefan and former United States Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to name a few. Roger Federer, Columba Bush, Shakira, Ryan Seacrest and Martha Stewart all own Britto portraits. Romero did a portrait for legendary art dealer Ernest Beyeler , the founder of Art Basel and the Beyeler Foundation for which the portrait helped raise funds.

Romero has been commissioned and continues to collaborate with corporations worldwide such as: Pepsi-Cola, Movado, Evian, TAM Airlines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Univision Television Network, NFL, Cirque de Soleil, Volvo, Microsoft, Nicole Miller, Bauducco and Disney.

Various museums around the world exhibit Romero’s artwork – Mola, Los Angeles; National Museum of Art, Rio de Janeiro; Evenson Museum, Syracuse; Coral Springs Museum of Art, Boca Raton; Museo de Artes Contemporáneo, Caracas; Museum of Art, Long Island; the Philharmonic Center for the Arts and The Von Liebig Art Center, Naples.