| Miami Valley Institute of Food & Spirits |
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Current Member Count - *101* *Newest Members* Patti & Michael Bollinger (Sep 7, 2026) Kristine Goetz (Sep 6, 2026) Mark Corcoran (Aug 26, 2026) Jane & Bill Haberlandt (Aug 5, 2026) Upcoming events
Events for the rest of the year can be viewed on our Events link. 2026 Annual Meeting - Aug 11, 2026 MEMBERS SECTION** There are no outside activities that members are currently engaged in. Watch for future updates.. **************************  Farm to Table Oakview Garden Club students were very busy in the days before school ended. They prepared the garden, planted vegetables and herbs plus made a walking path through the garden. They decorated the blocks with colorful pictures and thoughts about what the garden meant to them. The students and their families have signed up for weekly maintenance. There will be special events at the beginning of the year where they will enjoy the bounties of their work. Thanks to MVIFS for their support.
FARM TO TABLE SPRING 2026 As the key element of our charitable Farm to Table (F2T) educational mission, MVIFS continues to support the Garden Club Program at Oakview Elementary and, at the request of Kettering Schools, we are expanding our support to include a similar program at Indian Riffle Elementary. Our contributions consist of both financial and volunteer assistance. We coordinate closely with Carly Maguire, STEAM Innovation and Technology Leader for Kettering Schools, as well as the schools’ teachers and principals to synchronize and maximize the benefits of MVIFS’s F2T program. As a result of the kind and thoughtful monetary contributions from the friends and family of John Cloppert, along with MVIFS funds, our 2026 financial support to Kettering Schools’ Garden Club Programs has reached an all-time high. A special thanks to Jeanne Evans who serves as the MVIFS lead for Farm to Table. She has done a magnificent job in making the program a true success. Dorothy Lane Market MVIFS enrolled 6 households with a total spending of $18,270.23. Only those members who spent $1,000 or more are eligible to be included in the totals. Our portion of the $50,000 is $171.41. MVIFS thanks all the 6 households who signed up for this Program. IMPORTANT!!!!!! It is necessary to sign up the first of each year.Sign-up details are available at this link: DLM Community Rewards..
Celebrate the Season
It’s no surprise that | EVENTS---------------------------- In the Blind
“How Sharp is Your Palate” when it comes to wine tasting? Well, the IN THE BLIND event on Wednesday, 23 September at Rumbleseat Wine taught me that my palate is not sharp at all. Wine sommelier Brian DeMarke guided forty of us through flights of three white wines and three reds and we were asked to taste and then identify the wine varietals from a list of seven possible white wine types and eight red wine types. Keep in mind that the wine bottles used to pour the wine were all concealed. I was zero for three on the whites but did a little better with two out of three correct on the reds. Everyone who attended enjoyed this fun and informative event and probably did better that me. Kudos to Rumbleseat for the small plate snacks and a special thanks to Doris Eaton for making the “special” trophy and to Janet Moland for sponsoring this wonderful event. (Charlie McKinzie) Pictures are shown below. Select any picture to view all 20+ pictures. Brewing Up Some Fun!
Nineteen MVIFS members attended Eudora Brewing Co. for a fun, hands-on brewing experience. We learned how beer is made, explored different beer styles and ingredients, and helped the brewmaster create 10 gallons of a special MVIFS-branded Irish Red Ale. During a break, we toured the facility and learned how Eudora produces beer on a larger scale for its taproom. Once our Irish Red Ale is ready (in approx.3–4 weeks), each brewing participant will receive two bottles to enjoy! The “Brew Crew” also enjoyed $20 gift cards for beer, flights and food, while another 8–10 members joined us afterwards for the social. A big thank you to Don Shimmin for hosting this fun and educational event. An Evening in South Korea -
| Wine, Beer & Dinner Bus Crawl – June 2026
Our Wine, Beer & Dinner Bus Crawl was a fantastic day filled with great drinks, delicious food, laughter, friendship, and fun as we traveled by charter bus to popular Southwest Ohio destinations. The adventure began at Rumbleseat Wine, where guests enjoyed wine and appetizers before heading to 3rd Eye Brewing Company, the 2025 National Brewery of the Year. Along the way, themed music and a trivia contest kept everyone entertained, with prizes awarded to the winners. At 3rd Eye Brewing, guests sampled flights, pints, and wine while enjoying appetizers indoors and on the covered patio. Our final stop was Vinoklet Winery & Vineyard, where guests enjoyed a wine tasting and selected a favorite bottle of wine to accompany dinner. The highlight of the evening was grilling our own steak, filet, salmon, or shrimp on the outdoor patio overlooking the beautiful vineyards. A buffet of fresh salad, sides, and desserts completed the meal. After watching a beautiful sunset over the vineyard, we boarded the bus for the ride back to Rumbleseat, ending a day filled with fun memories and great company. A special thanks to Ted Humphrey for hosting and coordinating this outstanding event! Event pictures are in the slide show below: SIP & DIP Winter Social
Guests enjoyed a relaxed afternoon of good conversation, laughter, and wine, paired with cheese and chocolate fondues with an assortment of dippers, and a large variety of shared appetizers. The cozy atmosphere and easygoing atmosphere made it a great way to reconnect, unwind, and melt away winter—one dip at a time. *Soup Party, Feb. 2026* Charlie promised a cold, dark, and snowy evening perfect for warm soup, but it turned out to be a mild and sunny, 50+ degree day. The fine weather, however, did nothing to dampen the wonderful tastes of the soups, chilis, and sides brought by the 25 guests who attended the event at Charlie and Ginny McKenzie’s home. Nobody went home hungry. Consensus was that Liz Betz’s Finnish (Lohikeitto) soup was the hit of the evening. The crowd made a sizeable dent in Charlie’s bourbon and whiskey inventory, due in large part to the superb cocktails prepared by the bartender for the evening, our own Bob Evans. Thanks to Charlie and Ginny for hosting the event and to Bob and Jennie Evans for their assistance.
Friendsgiving Feast
Our expert carving crew—Jim Steiger, Adam Remaly, Dennis Cassette, Jim Folck and Bill McDougall—made sure every plate was piled high with perfection. A big thank-you goes out to the Evans, McKenzies, Steigers, Gillands, Haywards, McDougalls, Remalys, Cassettes, Dave Cocoran, and Nancy Klingler for their help making it all run smoothly.
The afternoon was filled with laughter, great company, and holiday cheer. The event was such a hit, we’re already planning an encore Friendsgiving for November 2026!
Ides of March Italian Wine Pairing - 15 March 2026
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Kroger notified us that our quarterly rewards for February through April was $47.03. 13 members designated MVIFS as their Kroger charity. Thanks to all who participated in the Kroger Community Rewards Program.
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Baby, it was cold outside—but inside it was warm with wine, and wonderful company! Thirty-five members gathered for the SIP & DIP Winter Social, and it turned out to be the perfect cure for the Ohio winter blues.
Fifty-five hungry (and happy!) friends gathered to celebrate friendship, gratitude, and of course—fantastic food! Charlie McKenzie and Bob Evans wowed everyone by deep-frying six golden, crispy turkeys, while members brought an incredible spread of Thanksgiving-inspired side dishes and wines to share.
Well, no one wore a toga, but the Italian-themed appetizers, desserts, and wine were indeed