Annapolis, MD –The Rotary Club of Annapolis held the Seventh Annual Maria Maher Wine Tasting fundraiser on November 7, 2024, at the home of Elaine and Jay Shanley of Annapolis.
The annual event is named in memory of Maria Maher, a beloved Rotarian who helped establish the fundraiser several years ago. The wine tasting supports Rotary International’s global program to eradicate polio from the world. Called Polio Plus, the program provides infrastructure and vaccines to combat the paralyzing and devastating, yet preventative, disease of polio. Currently fewer than 100 instances of polio still exist, with cases confined to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Wine Tasting raised over $6,000 from sales, donations, and raffles. Funds raised from the Annapolis Rotary will be matched 2:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for significant impact. When matching funds are added, the Maria Maher Fundraiser has contributed over $115,000 since it first started in 2017.
Event chair Luisa Gil and the International Committee enlisted fellow Rotarians Dave Lillifloren, Jeff Neufeld, and Kevin Hurley as wine servers. Generous sponsors supporting the event included Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits, the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel Autograph Collection, the Vineyards at Dodon, Blackwall Hitch, and Rentals to Remember.
The Rotary Club of Annapolis includes 160 individuals working to benefit people locally and around the world. The club has three groups that meet at different times for the convenience of members.
The Lunch Group meets every Thursday at noon at Annapolis Yacht Club. The Breakfast Group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at Eggcellence at 2625 Housley Road, and the Happy Hour Group meetings on the third Monday of each month at Maggiano’s at the Annapolis Mall (Bestgate Road side). To learn more about Rotary or to attend a meeting, contact EJ Amyot at ejamyot@gmail.com
For more information about the Rotary Club of Annapolis, visit www.annapolisrotary.org
The Rotary Motto is Service Above Self
