On Thursday, April 26, Cape Fear Botanical Garden will be the site of the 18th Annual Toast of the Town Wine & Beer Tasting and Silent Auction. All proceeds from the event will benefit The CARE Clinic, a free clinic that offers health care services to uninsured, lower-income adults.

Even though The CARE Clinic is located in Fayetteville, the staff at the clinic are proud that their service area extends much further. According to Cynthia Spears, the development and marketing director for the clinic, “We offer services to people all over Cumberland County and the surrounding areas.”

Those services include access to doctors and other medical professionals who all volunteer their time to work with the clinic. According to Spears, The CARE Clinic utilizes the services of some 500 volunteers at any given time.

In spite of the large sum of volunteer workers, The CARE Clinic still accrues operating costs of around $44,000 per month. This money is spent on day-to-day operations like paying the phone, electricity and water bills as well as keeping the inhouse pharmacy well-stocked.

“We like to emphasize that we receive no government assistance,” said Spears. “We rely on fundraisers and grants.”

The upcoming Toast of the Town is one such fundraiser. For the cost of one $50 ticket, attendees will be able to sample wine from Mutual Distributing as well as beer from three local breweries – Mash House, Dirtbag Ales and Bright Light Brewing Company.

Additionally, Anstead’s Tobacco Company will have a selection of cigars available for purchase, and Bedlam Vodka will also be on hand. Catering will be provided by Pierro’s Italian Bistro, and the soundtrack for the evening will be courtesy the DJs from Five Star Entertainment.

The Toast of the Town also features a silent auction with big-ticket items, including trips to New Orleans, Mali, Italy or an Alaskan cruise.

“We also have several other smaller- ticket items as well,” said Spears. “There will be a variety of items for people to bid on, including several themed packages or baskets.”

All of the proceeds from the silent auction and ticket sales will directly go toward funding The CARE Clinic and ensuring that low-income adults in the area have the vital health care they need.

For more information on The CARE Clinic, visit www.thecareclinic. org. For specific questions concerning the services offered by the clinic or for information on donating, The Care Clinic can be reached by phone at 910-485-0555 or by email at care@thecareclinic.org.

The 18th Annual Toast of the Town fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, April 26, at Cape Fear Botanical Garden and will run 6-8:30 p.m. Advanced tickets cost $50 and can be purchased at www.mkt.com/ the-care-clinic. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $55.