Sold-out Winetopia raises money for Kenyan village

The Northwest Arkansas community had the opportunity Friday night (Oct. 12) to help an organization with “Local roots with a global reach” at Winetopia.

The primary cause of Restore Humanity, founded by Fayetteville’s Sarah Fennel, is helping the children of a small village in eastern Kenya.

For a $60-$75 ticket, 350 attended the sold-out event that featured wine presented by Glazer’s, and food from Bordino’s, Petra Café, Arsaga’s, Café Rue Orleans and BHK Kafe at the Pratt Place Barn in Fayetteville.

Silent auction items included art by Matt Miller, Fayettechill swag and lots of bottles of wine resulted in generous bids. In the wine toss hosted by Joe Fennel, owner of Bordino’s and Joses (and Sarah’s dad), attendees could throw 5 rings for $20, and take away any bottle they hit. And, of course, there were the tables and tables of wine tastings, along with music by DJ Shortfuze. Also, all guests took home a Restore Humanity stamped wine glass.

In its fourth year, Fennel realized great success with the event, selling out the maximum 350 tickets a week ago.

“I could probably have sold about 100 more, but we had to meet fire code,” she said.

She credits some of this year’s success to social media and better advertising, which reached the audience she needed.

“We are overwhelmed with the community support,” Fennel said.

Event sponsors Glazer’s, BKD CPAs & Advisors, and Oral & Facial Surgery Center generously helped make it a huge success, along with many other community partners.

On Fennel’s first trip to Africa years ago, she worked in children’s homes and hospice, witnessing the suffering, pain and struggle the people there – specifically children – experienced in their daily life. She also saw organizations there creating solutions. She returned home to Northwest Arkansas with a desire to help, to extend the monetary assistance available at home to another part of the world that needed it.

In September 2006, she founded Restore Humanity, an organization “dedicated to the lives of the less fortunate around the world,” with a mission “to help wherever, whenever, however, responding to the needs of individuals and communities.”

Fennel’s focus landed in the small community called the Hundro Village in Kenya, and there, Restore Humanity has built an orphanage that houses 16 children, with the goal of 20 to be reached this year. The organization’s Outreach program has reached more than 200 children in the village.

Fennel is dedicated to her cause and works tirelessly, but also credits the organization’s success largely to the giving community of NWA.

Restore Humanity plans to open a medical clinic in the Hundro Villlage, and with the orphanage nearly reaching its capacity of 20 children, they plan to extend help to children in the community, in whatever way needed.

She plans to return to Kenya in December or January.