Wine & Chocolate Experience

08/25/2026

As the last of the Quad Cities students head back to school this week, we would love to once again thank all sponsors, attendees, and volunteers that participated in the 2nd Annual Wine & Chocolate Experience last November. As a direct result of your generosity, we were able to quadruple our impact on Quad City students this year -- filling 180 backpacks and 133 hygiene kits with all the supplies necessary for a successful school year!

Thank you to all of our supporters, and best of luck to all Quad Cities students & teachers this year!

08/03/2026

This past Saturday, our amazing Jaycees of the Quad Cities members and Wine & Chocolate committee packed backpacks and hygiene kits for more than 300 local students! 🎒💙

You might spot a few familiar faces in these photos! 👀

A huge shout-out to our co-chair, Sam, who teamed up with our Treasurer and committee member, Wylie, to help plan this year's event. Thanks to her hard work and organization, we packed a record number of backpacks compared to previous years! We would say she's pretty good at planning events. 😉👏

You can also spot Charmaine and Carolyn jumping in to help with the packing. It truly takes an incredible team to make an impact like this.

What an amazing day of service, teamwork, and giving back to our community. We are so grateful to everyone who volunteered and helped make a difference for local students. ❤️

08/02/2026

Because of all of you, more than 300 local students have been impacted through the Wine & Chocolate Experience.

At last year's event, you heard us share our goal of giving back even more to our community. Thanks to your support through ticket purchases, silent auction bids, and generous donations, we didn't just meet that goal; we exceeded it.

Together, we were able to impact four times as many students as we did the previous year. That incredible difference happened because of people like you who believe in investing in our community and our youth.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us make such a meaningful impact. We can't wait to see what we can accomplish together this year!

Quad Cities Jaycees pack 180 backpacks, 133 hygiene kits ahead of new school year

07/22/2026

This week, we are happy to introduce our next committee member, Vanessa Kime. Vanessa has been a general member of the Jaycees of the Quad Cities since February 2025. Working in the education field, it’s no surprise that her favorite pastime is winding down with a good book.

Last year, Vanessa volunteered at the Wine & Chocolate Experience, where she ran a chocolate table. Her favorite part of the event was getting to chat it up with attendees about which wines and sweets they were enjoying best. This year, Vanessa is joining our committee for the first time as a member of the social media team, and she is enjoying being a part of the event as it continues to grow. When asked what excites her most about this year’s Wine & Chocolate Experience, Vanessa responded, “I am looking forward to everything! This is the third year holding the event & it just gets bigger and better each year.”

Vanessa is Team Chocolate and loves a classic milk chocolate filled with caramel. She also is a firm believer that Dubai chocolate deserves all the hype it gets. While she is more of a chocolate girlie, Vanessa does enjoy the occasional glass of rosé.

When she’s not diving into a good book or savoring a sweet chocolate caramel, you can find Vanessa enjoying a fun trivia night with friends. She may not be the teammate with all the answers (in fact, she claims to be awful at trivia), but she will keep the vibes high and the good times rolling!

07/07/2026

This week’s committee member spotlight is Riley Kay Sternhagen.

Riley is an Assistant State Public Defender, who joined the Jaycees as a general member in August 2025. While Riley volunteered at the Second Annual Wine & Chocolate Experience last November, this is their first year diving into the planning committee as part of our social media subcommittee.

Last year, Riley’s favorite parts of the Wine & Chocolate Experience were listening to the live music and getting to chat with guests about all the fabulous prizes everyone won during the silent auction. This year, they’re most looking forward to checking out the new vendors and taste-testing all the delicious samples.

Because Riley’s mom and stepdad own a restaurant and bakery in the small town of Hopkinton, Iowa, it's safe to say they’re Team Chocolate! When asked their favorite form of chocolate, Riley responded, “It’s hard to choose, but probably the Lindt Peppermint Cookie Truffles that are sold around Christmastime.” While they wouldn’t consider themselves a member of Team Wine, Riley does enjoy a chilled glass of something fruity from time to time.

When they aren’t juggling case files or making social media posts for the Wine & Chocolate Experience committee, you can find Riley learning new music on their piano or working on their next full-length play!

06/28/2026

🍷❤️ You might have spotted the Wine & Chocolate Co-Chairs out and about this weekend!

One of our favorite parts of planning the Jaycees of the Quad Cities Wine & Chocolate Experience is connecting with our community beyond the event itself. This weekend, we had the opportunity to support two incredible organizations at the Gilda's Club of the Quad Cities 5K and the Project of the Quad Cities 5K.

The Jaycees are passionate about giving back, building relationships, and supporting the organizations that make the Quad Cities such an amazing place to call home. Events like these remind us why we do what we do.

If you see us out in the community, be sure to say hello! We love meeting new people, supporting great causes, and sharing more about this year's Wine & Chocolate Experience.

Community first. Leadership always. We can't wait to celebrate with you this November! 🍷🍫

06/23/2026

Our next Member Spotlight is Carolyn Graham! Carolyn works at the Iowa 80 CAT Scale Company and has been a general member of the Jaycees of the Quad Cities for a year and a half. While Carolyn stays busy with many hobbies in her free time, her favorite is Dungeons and Dragons.

This year, Carolyn is proud to serve on the Wine & Chocolate Experience Planning Committee for the first time as one of our graphic designers. When asked what got her interested in joining the committee, Carolyn answered, “The people! Everyone on the team is just so much fun to be around, and it’s been a treat getting to know everyone better through working with them on this event.” While she wasn’t a member of the committee last year, Carolyn heard the event was a blast, and this year she is looking forward to seeing people having a great time with others from their community.

Carolyn is part of Team Chocolate. While she is a firm believer that all chocolate is delicious and she’s never met a type she doesn’t like, Carolyn’s favorite form is a delectable dark chocolate truffle. Her favorite wine? A glass of Moscato.
As the work on the Wine & Chocolate Experience continues, Carolyn can’t wait for the satisfaction of seeing people enjoy the event that we’ve all put time and care into -- a feeling the rest of the committee members can’t wait to experience, either!

06/19/2026

Today, we honor Juneteenth, a day that commemorates freedom, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of equality.

Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. It is a day to reflect on our nation's history, celebrate Black culture and achievements, and continue building stronger, more inclusive communities.

We believe that bringing people together creates opportunities for connection, understanding, and positive change.

Today, we celebrate the richness of Black history, the power of community, and the joy that comes from sharing stories, traditions, and experiences with one another.

Happy Juneteenth from all of us at the Wine & Chocolate Experience. ❤️🖤💚

06/08/2026

For this Monday Member Spotlight, we are proud to introduce Wylie Halferty. Wylie is a Licensed Funeral Director who has been a member of the Jaycees of the Quad Cities since February of 2023, most recently serving in the role of Treasurer. When he is not busy balancing budgets, you can catch Wylie teeing up on the golf course.

Wylie has been on the Wine & Chocolate Experience's planning committee since the event’s inception three years ago. Wylie first got interested in joining the planning committee because he loves wine and thinks this is a great event to raise money for our mission. This year, he is putting his Treasurer expertise to use by handling the finances for the event.

Wylie is a proud member of Team Wine and enjoys a nice glass of Cabernet. While he doesn’t claim to be part of Team Chocolate, he does enjoy dark chocolate from time to time.

When asked what his favorite part of last year’s experience was, Wylie said he enjoyed seeing all of the new attendees and their excitement for the event. This year, he looks forward to a record turnout and raising more money for charity!

06/01/2026

🥁✨ DRUM ROLL … ✨🥁

The 3rd Annual Wine & Chocolate Event is officially happening on November 7th and trust us, this year is going to be bigger and better than ever!

We’re taking over the FIRST FLOOR at Common Chord this year, giving us even more space for wine, chocolate, music, fun, and unforgettable memories. 🍷🎶🍬

And because we heard your feedback loud and clear:
✨ The VIP section is BACK after being such a huge hit!
🍾 PLUS, we’re adding a wine check so you can safely store your bottles while you sip, sample, and enjoy the night hands-free.
We have so many exciting surprises in the works and cannot wait to share more soon. Mark your calendars now because this is one event you do NOT want to miss!