By Thomas Celona
Staff Writer

Not even an impending snowstorm could keep people away from the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund's third annual Wine in Winter event Feb. 5, which raised more than an estimated $40,000.

As the first flakes of the weekend's storm started to come down, a sell-out crowd poured into Normandy Farms Hotel and Conference Center in Blue Bell for the food-and-wine-focused fundraiser.

More than 500 people attended the event, which featured food offerings from local restaurants, wine and beer sampling and a silent auction. All funds from the event went to the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund, an Ambler-based charity.

"It really was a remarkable event, especially with the weather," said Peggy Dolan, co-founder and executive director of the fund. "We couldn't have asked for more. Everyone who came was excited, very enthusiastic."

While the weather did cause some registered guests to pull out, the fund was still receiving phone calls the day of the event from people looking for available tickets, according to Lorraine Aurely, director of development.

After being held at LuLu Temple in Plymouth Meeting for the past two years, the fundraiser moved to Normandy Farms this year to accommodate a larger crowd.

The event was split between two ballrooms, with local restaurants offering food samples at tables lining the walls. More than 30 restaurants from across Bucks and Montgomery counties were represented. Additionally, several local wineries, liquor distributors and craft beer companies offered refreshments.

Attendees also were entertained by a DJ in one ballroom, while Upper Dublin High School's Sophisticated Strings orchestra greeted visitors as they came in.

While the food and drink was a huge draw, another was the array of items up for bid in the silent auction.

The three biggest items — a 32-inch screen television, an "instant wine cellar" with $500 worth of wine bottles and accessories and a package of $600 in gift certificates to 14 local restaurants — were awarded through a tombola raffle, with attendees able to purchase tickets.

Tickets for these three items raised nearly $4,000, according to Dolan.

The remaining items went through a silent auction and included a wide range of items, including books, DVD packages, framed artwork, gift baskets, signed sports memorabilia and workout equipment, among many other items.

Perhaps the most sought-after item was a stay at a vacation house in Nags Head, N.C., which incited a bit of a bidding war, according to Dolan. The item's donor then agreed to offer a second trip, with each one bringing in $2,600.

With the money raised from tickets and auction items, Dolan said the foundation estimates it brought in more than $40,000, far exceeding last year's total of $27,000.

"We're just very elated with the results," Dolan said.

The money will go toward the general operating fund of the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund, an organization that "is dedicated to easing the burdens of families in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware caring for seriously ill children through advocacy, education and financial assistance with needs not covered by insurance," according to a press release.

"With the economy as bad as it's been, we've had some very awful referrals coming in here," Dolan said. "The needs are so severe, and the success of an event like this will help us elevate what we can do for a family."