OUR COMMUNITY
We believe that giving back to our community means to partake in the initiatives that help other community members. This philosophy guides us in so much that we do.
The community in which we live propels our energies forward to ensure we are super focused on others around us. This sense guides us at Domaine de la Rivière, from the naming of our wines to the evolution of our community garden and the philanthropic endeavors that circle our family.
GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND
With a strong sense of awareness it is embedded into our fabric to intertwine our lives with neighborhood involvement and surround ourselves with people and initiatives within our community. Zak and Marla have become certified by The Guiding Eyes for the Blind and on an ongoing basis participate in the home socialization program where they work with puppies between the ages of 5-7 weeks old. Most of these puppies move on to “puppy school” and from there they change the life of someone forever. We believe in the grass being green right under our feet and that the heart of a community is what we all give back.
CANINE COMPANIONS FOR INDEPENDENCE
With our move to Sonoma, we have found strong synergies with Canine Companions for Independence in Santa Rosa. In Spring 2019, Marla enjoyed creating a hospitality event where 50 meeting planners and hospitality vendors volunteered on a Saturday and performed housekeeping, landscaping, painting, and dog walking tasks. We were thrilled that, together, we were able to raise $30,000 for our efforts.
Photo courtesy of Chris Kittredge
HOPE WITH A TOUCH OF SAFFRON
Over the past years, our family has spent time learning how to farm and cultivate the vineyard with Geoff, Duff and Zak very focused on the specific farming techniques while Marla and Shoshana participate in the community garden at Vineyard eleven.
“Hope with a touch of Saffron” (which is named for our two yellow Labrador Retrievers, Hope & Saffron) sits between The Heritage Block and The Red Barn Block, and offers those that work at Vineyard eleven and the neighboring vineyard, to take part in caring for the garden which provides their families with fruits and vegetables throughout the season.
Our family, like many others, has been touched and affected by women who have fought the fight with breast cancer. With all the research and funding there has been much done in the diagnosis area, but no cure, and less research, on the fight for those with metastatic breast cancer. With the loss of a friend, who through her struggle, inspired us to learn more, showed us grace through all of her trials and tribulations, and educated so many on this disease with no cure, we dedicate, our 2017 Shoshana Rosé, to her fight and offer support to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network in her name, Tracy Knox Oliphant. Find out more info here.