Walking the Walk–Warrior Walkers Hosts Wine Tasting Fundraiser for Little Pink Shelter [UPDATE]

UPDATE, February 6, 2018, 8:30 PM–Due to weather forecasted, the Farinas family must push back the Wine Tasting Fundraiser for Little Pink Shelter to Thursday, Feb. 22. The fundraiser will take place at the same time–7-9 p.m.–at the same location, 332 Belden Hill Rd..

ORIGINAL STORY–There’s the cat lady, there’s the chicken lady, and then there’s the dog lady…also known as Maria Farinas, who founded the popular, Wilton-based dog care business, Warrior Walkers with her husband, Raz. The duo are lifelong animal lovers and avid supporters of the Little Pink Shelter, a Westport shelter that helps match rescue dogs from southern states with foster and adoptive families in Fairfield County.

Talk about walking the walk–they’re stepping up to host a wine tasting fundraiser on behalf of the shelter.

“Raz and I have worked closely with Little Pink Shelter for a number of years, fostering dogs, in addition to adopting five of our six rescue dogs from there,” Farinas explains.

The Little Pink Shelter works closely with select shelters and rescues in Arkansas, where the pet overpopulation is sadly out of control. The director of one of the shelters–The Charleston Dog Shelter–is a full-time teacher by day and pays for almost all of the much-needed spays and neuters for these wonderful dogs, out of her own pocket.

Last year the Farinas’ hosted a wine-tasting benefit, which successfully raised the funds needed to help The Charleston Dog Shelter pay for a new van to take the dogs to the transport that brings them here to the Northeast for adoption.

The Farinas family is stepping up again to host another benefit; this year’s wine tasting will feature wines from ONEHOPE, which was founded in 2007 by a small group of passionate entrepreneurs with a vision to make the world a better place. The ONEHOPE Winery is in the heart of Napa Valley, California and Robert Mondavi Jr is one of the winemakers.

Fork, Knife & Spoon catering–another Farinas-owned venture–will provide appetizers to accompany the wine.

The ONEHOPE Wine Tasting Fundraiser will take place Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 7-9 p.m. at the Farinas’ Wilton home at 332 Belden Hill Rd.. Fifty percent of the evening’s profits will be directed to the Little Pink Shelter to help with paying for more spays and neuters as well as food and supplies for the shelter. For more information and to register, please email Maria Farinas by Friday, Feb. 2.