Ever since I moved to Romania, I have tried to make an impact through my Rotary e-Club Colonne d’Ercole.
In 2022, we shipped dozens – if not hundreds – of boxes of medication to Ukraine.
In 2023, we helped a child with a speech impediment receive speech therapy and donated sheet metal for a family whose roof was on the verge of collapsing.
In 2024, together with Boiler Cafe, we spent seven months collecting ten boxes of non-perishable food each month, which I personally (with the help of friends) delivered to ten elderly people in Bucharest with mobility issues (some missing a leg, others unable to walk).
As 2025 began, I felt the need to turn my attention to helping animals. I checked several shelters and organisations before deciding to support Asociația Măriuța.
Every single day, the founder, Daniela Popovici, and her dedicated team wake up early and devote themselves entirely to caring for over 1,000 rescued animals – horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, dogs, cats, and more. Each has a heartbreaking story of abandonment or suffering, but thanks to our guests’ generosity, they now have a chance at a better life.
The shelter is located in an isolated rural area of Dolj, Romania, without electricity or paved roads, which presents enormous daily challenges. The lack of electricity means relying on generators and facing extreme difficulties in handling medical emergencies, feeding the animals, and ensuring their safety. They urgently need support for food, stable repairs, and, most importantly, connection to the electricity grid.
To raise funds, we decided to organise a wine tasting event on a Thursday in February. But what made it even more special was that our club’s 2024-2025 president, Silvia Cuttita, suggested hosting the same event at the same time in Palermo.
And so, we got to work.
I had organised events before, but it had been a while. Plus, being the only Rotary member of my club in Romania makes it more challenging to run projects. However, my friends were by my side, and that made all the difference.
Bringing the Event to Life
I started scouting venues, and my friends quickly jumped in with suggestions. We ultimately chose A46 Venue Bubbles & More (thank you, Ira!). Luckily for us, the venue’s representative is Mirela Mateescu, a renowned figure in Romania’s wine world and a WSET-certified wine curator and educator. She generously offered to host the wine tasting in support of our cause and even helped connect us with Crama Budureasca, who provided the wines.
The wine selection featured bottles from The Sign Collection by Budureasca, and I highly recommend you try them – they are excellent!
With the date and menu set, I started thinking about how to make the night truly memorable, ensuring that guests would have a reason to return for future editions.
That’s when Vehm Paradis stepped in. She graciously offered to display her stunning maximalist paintings in an exhibition during the event. (Stay tuned – an exciting interview with Vehm Paradis is coming soon!)
Still, something felt missing. Live music would add the perfect touch, so we reached out to Ruxandra Coman, a teacher at the Dinu Lipatti National College of Art. She was incredibly supportive and suggested inviting Adelina Epure, a first-prize winner in numerous national and international pan flute competitions – and so we did.
To connect both events, we also scheduled a Zoom call with our colleagues in Palermo, who would be getting ready to start their own wine tasting at the same time. Silvia would open the call with a speech in English and finish with a message in Romanian.
Finally, we added a surprise raffle to raise additional funds for Asociația Măriuța. The prizes included Budureasca wine bottles, a wine box, handmade artisanal soap, handmade jewelry, a bottle of whisky, and a painting by artist Vehm Paradis.
A Night to Remember
I was incredibly nervous about how the night would unfold – especially about speaking in front of nearly 50 people.
But I am beyond proud to say that the event was a success!
Between the Bucharest and Palermo editions, we raised over €1,100 – more than double our initial goal!
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my Rotary e-Club Colonne d’Ercole for believing in me and supporting me in this event (and beyond). A huge thank you to the two other Rotary Clubs that helped make this event possible:
- Rotary Innerwheel International Brăila
- Rotary Curtea Veche Bucharest (my late father’s Rotary Club)
And of course, my amazing friends – Ionela, Vehm, Irina, David, Gabi, and Alex – who had my back every step of the way.
A special shout-out to my partner, Daniel, who took the stunning photos you’ll see in this article (and also served as our IT guy for the night).
I’ll leave you with some photos from the event below. More on our Instagram page.
Also, make sure to follow The Compassionate Connoisseur so you don’t miss out on our second edition!