Submitted Photo A food and wine pairing dinner fundraiser for the Rural Ministry will be held at the Rotunda Grapevine Railway Farm in Fredonia, Friday, Aug. 23.

The Chautauqua County Rural Ministry has come up with another creative fundraising event to offer a unique dining experience to local residents looking to make a difference.

On Friday, Aug. 23, beginning at 6:30 p.m., the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry will be holding Sip and Support, a food and wine pairing dinner event at the Rotunda Grapevine Railway Farm in Fredonia. Campano’s Cucina Italian restaurant in Fredonia will be providing four-course meals for the event, with the wine supplied by Liberty Vineyards and Winery in Sheridan.

“Guests can expect great wine and great food at a beautiful venue. It will be a nice night out with your significant other or your friends or family,” said Bridget Majka, Chautauqua County Rural Ministry Executive Director. “It’s going to be a really nice, relaxing event.”

Seats are $55 per person or $100 for a pair. All proceeds will benefit the Rural Ministry. Payment can be made via check or by PayPal.

Tickets will not be sold, so seats must be reserved ahead of time. Space is limited, as only 100 seats will be filled for the event. To reserve a seat, visit the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry at 319 Washington Ave., Dunkirk, or call (716) 366-1787.

“It’s a nice, upscale event,” said Lorie Mets, board member and organizer of the event.

After losing a substantial amount of grant funding in the past year, along with the sudden passing of former Executive Director Kathleen Peterson, the Rural Ministry has been working hard to stay afloat in recent months. Majka and several Board members and staff have searched for new and creative ways to fundraise, and the Sip and Support event is the latest among them.

“We’re trying to do different things to reach different groups,” said Mets. “This is a nice evening out at the end of the summer. We’re trying to think outside the box.”

The event comes after a successful Cinco de Mayo Music Fest fundraiser held in Dunkirk on May 5.

“The Cinco de Mayo event was great. It was a family event, a lot of fun, and very successful,” Mets said.

In addition to goods and services donated by Campano’s restaurant, Liberty Winery, and the Rotunda Grapevine Railway Farm, the event is sponsored by Farrell Roofing and J.F. Grant Consulting Services. Chautauqua County Rural Ministry is grateful for its sponsors and encourages additional sponsors to inquire prior to the event.

“We thought it might be good for us to try it out. We reached out to a couple different people and they were readily willing to help,” Majka said. “People are wonderful in this community.”

The Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, a nonprofit organization, was established in the 1950s to support the community through various services. The Rural Ministry today offers many resources, such as the Friendly Kitchen, which serves meals Monday-Friday and Saturday mornings through a partnership with the United Way; an emergency food pantry, which offers up to three meals a day for a five-day period to anyone in need of assistance, open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m.; and several community programs such as parent coaching, sustainable food practices, emergency housing assistance, and holiday events.

To donate to the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry, monetary donations or donations to the food pantry are welcomed at 319 Washington Ave., Dunkirk.