V. Sattui, La Prima, Local Q provide Calistoga seniors with meals

“If someone could help my parents in this way I’d be extremely grateful, so we’re doing something for the seniors in this town,” he said. “We were thinking about seniors who are at high risk of the virus.”

It’s also important to do something to take everyone’s mind off of the virus for a little while, Nunez said, and they have received many thank you letters and notes. “We’re giving back to the community, because the community has been so good to us. As a business in this community, we need to be there when something happens.”

V. Sattui Winery has also teamed with UpValley Family Centers and the City of Calistoga Parks & Recreation Department to provide meals to seniors at Chateau Calistoga and Calistoga Springs Mobile Home Parks, and the Senior Apartment complex on Washington Street.

On May 20, UVFC team members joined Calistoga Parks & Recreation in handing out more than 100 V. Sattui boxed lunches to residents at Chateau Calistoga Mobile Home Park. They will hand out more lunches on May 27 at Calistoga Springs next door, from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m.

In the past few weeks, the St. Helena winery has also been donating lunches to workers at the COVID-19 testing site at the Veterans Home in Yountville, and volunteering services to pack and deliver meals with Meals on Wheels up and down the Valley. Winery staff have prepared up to 500 meals three times a week.

“Since the start of the pandemic, all of us (in the valley) have really come together,” said Tom Davies, president of V. Sattui Winery.

“It has allowed us to see the greatness of the interconnectedness that we have together as a humanity. So the idea of us volunteering our staff to deliver food through Meals on Wheels and everything else we’ve been doing just makes us feel really good. At the same time it’s so rewarding.”

Ali Paterson, the winery’s vice-president of marketing, said, “This is part of who we are. At the end of the day, having a purpose is what matters most and being part of a successful business allows us that opportunity to share the wealth with our community. It’s just the right thing to do.”

For the past three weeks, the owners of Rancho de Calistoga have also been providing all seniors in the Park with a free dinner twice a week. The park has engaged La Prima and nearby Local Q 707, at cost, or near to cost, to provide the meals, said Lauren Haugen, Park manager.

“The family (owners of the Park) wanted to give back to the residents. It’s a win-win situation,” she said.

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