2012 ¡Salud!
On Nov. 9 and 10, winemakers and principals will gather once again to show their support for the seasonal vineyard workers — without whom Oregon wine would not be possible — at this year’s ¡Salud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction.
Attendees will have a chance to preview the 2011 Pinot Noir vintage and bid on exclusively made ¡Salud! cuvées — highly prized by collectors and available only at this event — during the big board, oral and silent auctions. All money raised benefits seasonal vineyard workers and their families, allowing them access to much-needed medical services through Tuality Healthcare.
No event exemplifies the Oregon wine community’s renowned camaraderie in the same way as ¡Salud!
“To our understanding, no other agricultural industry in the world, certainly the United States, supports its seasonal workers at this level,” said event co-chair Will Neuhauser. “Despite the best intentions in the world, we can’t supply health care and other benefits to this vital workforce because they are only with individual vineyards for a short period of time, often just days or weeks. This is an impactful way to give back to the people who work hard to bring us the grapes to make outstanding wine.”
In 2011, more than 3,600 workers and family members were registered in the program, 917 of whom attended a clinic at a vineyard or their worksite. More than 7,000 medical and dental encounters were documented, including 3,402 dental procedures, 658 influenza and tetanus vaccinations, 237 vision exams and glasses, 201 X-ray and lab diagnostics, 106 major medical services — emergency room visits, surgery and hospitalization.
The total program expense for fiscal year 2011 was $695,307, averaging $98 per encounter. Largely in part of effective collaborative relationships with partnering healthcare organizations, ¡Salud! is able to deliver $3 of service for every $1 spent, making the organization highly cost-effective.
Tickets are $395 and include the Friday tasting and “Big Board” auction at Domaine Drouhin Oregon, as well as a Saturday dinner and auction gala at the Governor Hotel. Tickets are available through www.saludauction.org.
