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# Make A Wish: Wine tasting, auction land at airport
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/make-a-wish-wine-tasting-auction-land-at-airport/
- Published: 2005-03-18T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T06:19:01.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Events, Santa Monica Airport, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

This weekend at the Santa Monica Airport is all about making wishes come true by eating, drinking and raising money for children with life-threatening illnesses.

The 12th Annual Wine Tasting and Auction to be held on Saturday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m. inside the Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar is not only the largest wine-tasting event of its kind in Southern California, it is also the biggest fundrais-er held by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

This year, approximately 2,000 guests will gather to sample tastings from the finest wineries and enjoy delicious appetizers from some of the most popular restaurants in Los Angeles, brought together by event sponsors, The Wine House and Bread & Butter Catering, Inc., to create an evening of delights at one ticket price. There also will be a live and silent auction, where guests can bid on hundreds of items.

The event that has raised millions of dollars over the past 12 years. With the number of participants increasing each year, the event is now considered the premiere wine-tasting occasion in Los Angeles County, event organizers say.

Last year’s event alone raised more than $530,000, which helped make wishes come true for more than 400 children in the Los Angeles area living with life-threatening medical conditions.

“It’s wonderful to see such an outpouring of kindness from the community,” said Kelli Seely, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Greater Los Angeles Chapter. “All of the participants helped our organization grow and become even more successful.”

As in previous years, guests will have the opportunity to taste wines from a wide array of renowned vintners. Some of last year’s participating wineries included Boony Doon, Kenwood, Coppola, Laurent Perrier, ZD Wines, J. Lohr, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Murphy Goode and Rombauer Vineyards.

Some of the restaurants participating at the event include Bread and Butter Catering, Chez Jay, Katana, Locanda Del Lago, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, Arnie Morton’s of Chicago, Water Grill and Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs, while also welcoming newcomers such as La Boheme, Boa Steakhouse and M Café Fred Segal.

More than 400 silent and live auction packages will available, with a drawing for a seven-day cruise for two on Holland America. One of the focuses of the event is providing an array of auction items that are not easily obtained by the general public, according to event manger Chuck Sawyer.

While the usual auction item categories including trips, cruises, artwork, jewelry, and signed sports and entertainment memorabilia will be featured, as in years past, many of the items will be one-of-kind exclusives.

Featured will be a 2005 Pontiac GTO, customized for the reality show “The Agent” and donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation by show participant and USC defensive-end Shaun Cody.

Guests also will be bidding on lunch for two with famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden; a trip to watch the season finale of the television show The Apprentice in New York City; guitars signed by Sheryl Crow, Slash and Green Day; a Los Angeles Lakers jersey signed by Shaquille O’Neal; a jersey signed by Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart; a foursome of golf at the new Trump National Golf Course Los Angeles; the chance to join the cast of The Simpsons during a table read as a guest of Nancy Cartwright; a ride in the Goodyear Blimp; dinner for four with the cast of MAD TV; lunch prepared by the firefighters at Hollywood Fire Station 27; and more.

Former Entertainment Tonight host Bob Goen agreed to host the live auction again this year, and he will be joined at the event by many celebrity guests who will greet guests, assist at the carving ice martini bar, and help drive up the bidding process during the auctions.

The Santa Monica Air Center’s Barker Hangar is located at 3021 Airport Ave. Tickets are $125 in advance and $150 at the door with special VIP tickets and limousine packages also available. Go to www.wishla.org or call (310) 788-9474 to purchase tickets.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Established in April of 1983, the Greater Los Angeles chapter has granted more than 5,200 wishes to children throughout Los Angeles County while working out of an office located in West Los Angeles. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, including how you can participate in the Adopt- A-Wish program, volunteer your time or donate airline miles, call (800) 322-9474 or go to www.wishla.org.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 18, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031805.pdf?ref=smdp.com)