SAN DIMAS, Calif. — Vintage wines were on the menu March 16 as supporters of credit unions raised $170,000 to help sick children at a wine auction, according to the Financial Service Centers Cooperative, one of the sponsors of the event.

“This is just our second auction and we raised more than $50,000 than last year,” says Tony Boutelle, CEO of CU Direct Lending and one of the event's leading sponsors. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the credit union movement.”

The event was held at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pasadena, Calif. Because it was a formal affair with room for fewer than 200 guests, sponsors were stunned at the $170,000 total.

“Attendees could see we had some extraordinary and even rare wines,” said Diana Dykstra, CEO of San Francisco Fire Credit Union. “I'm sure the fact that we were doing this to benefit Children's Miracle Network hospitals made that high-end wine purchase easier to justify.”

In addition, event sponsors paid all upfront costs of the auction, which means that all the money raised will go directly to the hospitals. “People knew that virtually 100% of their purchases or donations would help a sick child. That made it even easier to be generous,” said Brett Martinez, CEO of Redwood Credit Union in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Other event sponsors included CO-OP Financial Services, WesCorp, the California Credit Union League, CUNA Mutual Group, Redwood Credit Union and San Francisco Fire Credit Union.

In an evening full of highlights, one of the most memorable was when 13 year-old Trent Sullivan and his mom (pictured here), Lori, shared their experiences at Children's Hospital of Orange County. Despite his challenges, Trent spoke eloquently of his desire to help other kids. Later, Trent took to the dance floor and showed the other guests the proper way to do “the Sprinkler.”

“What can I say,” laughed his mom Lori Sullivan. “Trent's a 13 year-old boy; he doesn't like wearing a tux, but he enjoys dancing.”

The money from the wine auction will go to support children in nine California hospitals: Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, Bakersfield; Children's Hospital Central California, Fresno; Children's Hospital Los Angeles; Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, Salinas; Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara; UC Davis Children's Hospital, Sacramento; Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego; Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland; and Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange.