Barefoot WinesBarefoot Wines
Overview
We got our start as a "garage wine" back in the Sixties but really stepped up what Barefoot was about in 1986 when Michael Houlihan and partner Bonnie Harvey decided to relaunch the brand. The two of them, along with the first Barefooter, Randy Arnold, believed in making and selling wine that was both delicious and affordable and that could be enjoyed by everyone from first-time wine-consumers to hard-core aficionados.
We believe that we can both promote our brand and satisfy our desire to make the world a better place by partnering with various non-profits and pouring at various fund-raising events. Over the years, Barefoot has been a part of thousands of non-profit events and our popularity has grown along with our support of these ground-breaking organizations.
We took another big step in 2006 by becoming a sponsor of the Association of Volleyball Professions (AVP) Beach Volleyball supporting a grassroots sport that originated in our state-California. We've also teamed up with the grass roots non-profit, the Surfrider Foundation, to create the Barefoot Beach Rescue Project, designed to clean up beaches and ensure they are "Barefoot friendly." These two initiatives help us spread a sense of fun in the sun while furthering the Barefoot philosophy of giving back.
Over the years, our wines have garnered numerous accolades and professional awards, but more importantly to us, we have a growing circle of loyal fans who love to enjoy our wine and who have joined us in the spirit of giving back to our communities and to our world. For us, and we hope for all of you, that's an achievement well worth toasting with a glass of Barefoot wine. Having fun while giving back From the beginning, we at Barefoot have felt that giving back to the community is as important a part of what we do as making great wine. We've been doing it for over 20 years now and it's something we feel extremely passionate about. It was our original Barefooter, Randy Arnold, who really kick-started the whole thing, seeking out groups that shared our philosophy and developing new and creative ways to help out. Today, we have over 25 Barefooters and our events range from big ones like the Multiple Sclerosis fundraiser in LA to small ones like the Hudson River Cruise to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of New York. Over the years, we've been involved in literally thousands of charitable events - over 1,500 in 2008 alone!
But that is only a part of what we do. In 2007, we partnered with the Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots organization dedicated to the protection of the world's oceans, to create the Barefoot Wine Beach Rescue Project. This nationwide project is our effort to clean up the some of the 25,000 beaches in this country that are closed or posted as unhealthy. Local volunteers gather to roll up their shirtsleeves and get the job done. Then, because we've worked hard, we celebrate listening to great live music, eating tasty local food, and, of course, enjoying some excellent Barefoot wine. It's a terrific way to meet up with old friends and make new ones while helping to make your sandy corner of the planet a whole lot nicer.
We're always creating new ways for our friends and fans to get involved. Visit us often to learn about what events are going on in your hometown, or email us if you know of an event happening that you think we should support. The Barefooter motto is simple: Make the world a better place, and for that, we can always use your help.
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