Honorary President's Message

Traditionally, the end of the calendar year is the busiest period for our Society as branches around the world, accompanied by the best in holiday food and wine, celebrate in multiple ways.  Last year’s events were subdued or non-existent.  Hopes for this year were certainly higher.  Yet the deadly Covid-19 virus rages again in some places.  For those of us who are safe, we celebrate our good fortune.  For those of us in danger, we must remember that we have many friends both nearby and faraway.  We remain an international body that extols the holding of hands across great distances.  My hand is out to you.  Our hands are out to all in the Society.

The Felton home in America’s Southern California is surrounded by a half dozen active and thriving IWFS branches, and we are favored in belonging to two of them.  My Pasadena branch had its first large in-person dinner event early in November.  Cognizant of the reality that many members may be reluctant to continue participation in an organization whose focus is on the gathering of like-minded friends, in person, the branch decided to announce the opening of its oldest case of cellared wine – a 1986 Chateau Leoville Las-Cases from Saint-Julien in Bordeaux.  It was an enticement.  Pure and simple.  To enjoy the wine, members had to sign up for the dinner.  To sign up for the dinner, members had to renew their membership.  The denouement was over forty diners happily making all twelve bottles disappear.  Enticement indeed.

My year-end wish to you is that any worries may disappear for that time that you spend with family and friends.  Happy Holidays.

Dave Felton